The Employment Specialist plays a central role in improving access to the IPS service by educating and working with In-Reach/Transitions/Post-transition and CST/TMS providers to remove barriers and monitor referrals and successful enrollments. Applying these skills to those eligible for Transitions to Community Living.

This is a Full-time Hybrid position. The selected candidate must have the ability to come into the Mecklenburg office one time a week for meetings. This position will require travel within the Mecklenburg and surrounding counties as needed to provide support to providers in the area, 

Responsibilities & Duties

Program Support

• Develop new Individual Placement and Support Supported Employment (IPS-SE) providers and provide technical assistance in the integration with of conversion from a fee-for-service IPS model into a milestone payment model such as NC CORE
• Provide direct technical assistance to sustain existing IPS providers by working within the LME/MCO to sustain a stable NC CORE payment model standardized by the Department
• Review all provider’s current UNC Institute for Best Practices IPS Fidelity Reviews, technically assist providers with recommended improvements, develop plans of correction for long-standing provider fidelity issues, and when required by reviewers assist during IPS Fidelity Reviews
• Support facilitation of Employment Collaborative, including: technical support, and invite trainers to in-network IPS Collaboratives that include ACT Employment Specialists, and Peer-run Entities involved in IPS support, and participate in the IPS Steering Committee, if appointed
• Maintain the departmentally required TCL IPS data in conjunction with Quality Assurance and/or other related cross-functional LME/MCO departments

 Stakeholder and External Partner Relationships

• Actively participate in local, regional, and statewide job development efforts with businesses and corporations wanting to competitively employ individuals with SMI/SPMI and link those efforts to their IPS providers’ workforce of the individuals they serve
• Assist linkage between community colleges, universities, employer internships/apprenticeships, with IPS providers increasing TCL individuals’ access to supported education, technical training, job certification, internships, and apprenticeships
• As opportunities arise, facilitate network development of other researched-based supported employment models aligned with the Settlement Agreement such as Customized Employment, Microenterprise, and similar nationally recognized models
• Ensure and improve providers’ NC CORE linkage to Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) offices throughout their catchment, attend key statewide VR meetings, invite VR offices into IPS collaboratives, and assertively engage VR regional leadership to problem-solve and improve NC CORE service to TCL members
• Facilitate the expansion of benefits counseling within network providers, improve VR benefits counseling linkage, and when possible, improve relationships with Social Security Administration offices and IPS providers. Furthermore, serve as the point of contact with the Department for meetings involving the statewide benefits counseling electronic system as implemented
• As the LME/MCO’s point of contact, collaborate and implement statewide Departmental efforts to expand, improve, and standardize IPS service models such as NC CORE

Minimum Requirements

Education & Experience

Bachelor’s degree in a Human Services field and two (2) years post degree job experience or non-Human Service degree with 3 years, assisting the population served (SMI/SPMI) with obtaining competitive integrated employment preferably utilizing Individual Placement and Supports (IPS).

CIPS or CESP, or must obtain within 6 months of hire.

Preferred:

Advanced education that involved field training in Supported Employment services.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

• Knowledge of resources and systems in the community that can assist with eliminating SDOH barriers to treatment and whole person living.
• A high level of diplomacy and discretion is required 
• Problem solving, negotiation, arbitration and conflict resolution skills 
• Must be highly skilled at shifting between macro and micro level planning
•  Detail oriented
• Ability to organize multiple tasks and priorities, and to effectively manage projects from start to finish.
• Work activities and quickly adapt to mandated changes and priorities within the department.  
• The ability to change the focus of his/her activities to meet changing priorities.  
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office products (such as Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, etc.) is required.

Salary Range 

$23.43 to $39.06/Hourly 

Exact compensation will be determined based on the candidate's education, experience, external market data and consideration of internal equity.

 An excellent fringe benefit package accompanies the salary, which includes: 

• Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Long Term Disability
• Generous retirement savings plan
• Flexible work schedules including hybrid/remote options
• Paid time off including vacation, sick leave, holiday, management leave
• Dress flexibility