Workforce Development Specialist

GENERAL STATEMENT OF JOB

Under general supervision, this position performs a variety of workforce development functions to include developing, coordinating, and implementing programs, services, and activities designed to promote awareness, workforce education and training resources in the City of Portsmouth. Reports to the Director of Economic Development.

Develops and implements new programs, as well coordinating existing programs, which are designed to assist jobseekers in accessing basic self-help services through effective use of the resource library. Provides assistance to Portsmouth residents seeking employment opportunities including but not limited to facilitating career preparation and development classes and preparing relevant employment documents/portfolios.

Conducts workshops, hiring events, job searches, and other related wraparound services.

Develops and maintains a database of employers and an on-going list of current job openings at Portsmouth@Work office and for distribution to clients of record.

Builds rapport with clients from various demographic backgrounds while setting appropriate boundaries and encompassing a high standard of accountability.

Actively participates in planning, coordinating, scheduling, and implementing all programs, activities, and events, working in partnership with community partners, agencies, departments,andcommunityorganizations.

As directed by the supervisor, fosters the workforce development programming activities by serving as a staff liaison between the department and the business community, educational institutions, community partners and agencies, and community organizations.

As directed by the supervisor, coordinates,edits,anddistributesspecialandongoingcommunicationswithresidents,andthecommunityregarding the Portsmouth@Work mission, activities, and events in conjunction with the Manager of Marketing.

Createsandmaintainsaninventoryofresourcematerials,printedandrecordedmaterialsforPortsmouth@Work.

Develops andmaintains a functioningsystem of record-keepingfor all participants, events, activities, meetings, and referrals.

As directed by the supervisor, preparesandmaintainsvariousreportsonprogramoutcomes,progressandevaluation,toincludeprovidingperiodic reports on the progress of all programs, events, and activities.

Under direct supervision of the manager, fosters the seamlessadministrationofthePortsmouth@Workinitiative and the implementation of related services.

Performs other duties as assigned. Individual assignments will be determined by supervisor based on current workload and department needs.

Knowledge of Job: Requires some knowledge of human resource functions to include recruiting, interviewing and training processes. Has some knowledge of processes and techniques related to the job search process and interviewing skills.   Has some experience in adult learning techniques. Has experience working with computers.  Is able to exercise considerable discretion in handling confidential files. Is able to establish and maintain effective working relationships as necessitated by work assignments.

Quality of Work: Maintains high standards of accuracy in exercising duties and responsibilities. Exercises immediate remedial action to correct any quality deficiencies that occur in areas of responsibility. Maintains high quality communication and interacts within department and division, and with co- workers and the general public.

Quantity of Work: Maintains effective and efficient output of all duties and responsibilities as described under

“Essential Job Functions."

Dependability: Assumes responsibility for doing assigned work and meeting deadlines. Completes assigned work on or before deadlines in accordance with directives, city policy, standards and prescribed procedures. Accepts accountability for meeting assigned responsibilities in the technical, human and conceptual areas.

Attendance: Attends work regularly and adheres to city policies and procedures regarding absences and tardiness. Provides adequate notice to higher management with respect to vacation time and time- off requests.

Initiative and Enthusiasm: Maintains an enthusiastic, self-reliant and self-starting approach to meet job responsibilities and accountabilities. Strives to anticipate work to be done and initiates proper and acceptable direction for completion of work with a minimum of supervision and instruction.

Judgment: Exercises analytical judgment in areas of responsibility. Identifies problems or situations as they occur and specifies decision objectives. Identifies or assists in identifying alternative solutions to problems or situations. Implements decisions in accordance with prescribed and effective policies and procedures and with a minimum of errors. Seeks expert or experienced advice and researches problems, situations and alternatives before exercising judgment.

Cooperation: Accepts supervisory instruction and direction and strives to meet the goals and objectives of same. Questions such instruction and direction when clarification of results or consequences are justified, i.e., poor communications, variance with city policy or procedures, etc. Offers suggestions and recommendations to encourage and improve cooperation between all staff persons within the department.

Relationships with Others: Shares knowledge with supervisors and staff for mutual and departmental benefit. Contributes to maintaining high morale among all department employees. Develops and maintains cooperative and courteous relationships with department employees, staffers and managers in other departments, representatives from organizations, and the general public so as to maintain good will toward the department and project a good departmental image. Tactfully and effectively handles requests, suggestions and complaints from other departments and persons in order to maintain good will within the city. Interacts effectively with fellow employees, professionals and the generalpublic.

Coordination of Work: Plans and organizes daily work routine. Establishes priorities for the completion of work in accordance with sound time-management methodology. Avoids duplication of effort. Estimates expected time of completion of elements of work and establish a personal schedule accordingly. Attends meetings, planning sessions and discussions on time. Implements work activity in accordance with priorities and estimated schedules. Maintains a calendar for meetings, deadlines and events.

Safety and Housekeeping: Adheres to all safety and housekeeping standards established by the city and various regulatory agencies. Sees that the standards are not violated. Maintains a clean and orderly workplace.

Requires a Bachelor’s degree in Human Resource Management, Organizational Development or a related field and with 2-3 years of professional experience in workforce development, employment services, or human services; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

Requires a valid driver’s license with an acceptable driving record.

An acceptable general background check to include a local and state criminal history check.

Physical Requirements: Must be physically able to operate a variety of machinery and equipment including a word processor, copier, calculator etc. Must be able to exert up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects. Physical demand requirements are those for Sedentary Work.

Data Conception: Requires the ability to compare and/or judge the readily observable, functional, structural, or compositional characteristics (whether similar to or divergent from obvious standards) of data, people or things.

Interpersonal Communications: Requires the ability of speaking and/or signaling people to convey or exchange information. Includes giving instructions, assignments and/or directions to subordinates or assistants.

Communication: Ability to effectively communicate ideas and proposals verbally and in writing, to include the preparation of detailed reports which include numerical information and statistics. Ability to handle a variety of benefit and insurance issues with tact and diplomacy and in a confidential manner. Ability to listen and understand information and ideas being presented verbally and in writing.

Language Ability: Requires the ability to read a variety of reports, surveys, memos, forms, etc. Requires the ability to prepare correspondence, forms, and statistical analysis. Requires the ability to speak before groups of people with poise, voice control and confidence.

Intelligence: Requires the ability to apply principles of logical or scientific thinking to a wide range of intellectual and practical problems; to deal with nonverbal symbolism in its most difficult phases; to deal with a variety of abstract and concrete variables; to comprehend the most abstruse classes of concepts.

Verbal Aptitude: Requires the ability to record and deliver information, to explain procedures, to follow oral and written instructions. Must be able to communicate effectively and efficiently in standard college-level English.

Numerical Aptitude: Requires the ability to utilize mathematical formulas; to add and subtract; multiply and divide; utilize decimals and percentages; interpret graphs and compute percentages and ratios, etc. and apply the theories of descriptive statistics.

Form/Spatial Aptitude: Requires the ability to inspect items for proper length, width and shape.

Motor Coordination: Requires the ability coordinate hands and eyes rapidly and accurately in using office equipment and various hand tools.

Manual Dexterity: Requires the ability to handle a variety of items such as office equipment and hand tools. Must have minimal levels of eye/hand/foot coordination.

Color Discrimination: Does not require the ability to differentiate between colors and shades of color.

Interpersonal Temperament: Requires the ability to deal with people beyond giving and receiving instructions. Must be adaptable to performing under stress and when confronted with emergency situations.

Physical Communication: Requires the ability to talk and hear: (Talking: expressing or exchanging ideas by means of spoken words. Hearing: perceiving nature of sounds by ear.) Must be able to communicate via telephone.