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Reentry Career Job Developer

The Safer Foundation is a social service provider to individuals with arrest and conviction records. Through a full range of services, including case management, educational instruction and advocacy, we focus on preparing individuals for the world of work by helping them find and keep productive and meaningful employment

General Summary:

The Reentry Career Job Developer is a key member of a multidisciplinary team delivering wraparound services to individuals with arrest and/or conviction histories in the Belmont Cragin area. The role focuses on securing sustainable employment for justice-impacted clients, breaking the cycle of generational poverty, reducing recidivism, and
strengthening community stability. While the core responsibility is job development and employment placements, the Job Developer also facilitates Life Skills training to reinforce job-readiness competencies, including financial literacy, digital literacy, and workplace readiness. This role drives the employment engine for our justice-impacted clients, leveraging the Life Skills curriculum to ensure they are equipped to thrive professionally.

Performance Results Description

Exceeding Expectations, Communication and Collaboration, Integrity, and Evidence-Based Innovation.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Stakeholder Interface and Service

Prospect for new employers through market analysis, outreach campaigns, networking, and presentations.
Build and maintain strong relationships with employers by conducting regular check-ins, resolving issues, and arranging replacements as needed to ensure placement stability.
Respond promptly to referrals from Safer staff for clients enrolled in the Life Skills program.
Facilitate Life Skills classes, including resume/cover letter drafting, mock interviews, interview etiquette coaching, and job search strategy sessions.
Upon clients completing Life Skills work with them for employment, and taking appropriate steps to match and place clients within jobs tailored to their IEP (Individual Employment Plan)
Coordinate with the team through staffings, progress reporting, issue resolution, and success highlights.

Stakeholder Outreach and Recruitment

Lead employer outreach efforts by identifying labor market needs, conducting outreach campaigns, and presenting Safer’s talent pool.
Devote at least two-thirds of work hours to field-based outreach, building direct employer contacts, and securing job opportunities for clients.
Participate in team-based outreach events as directed by the Manager.
Understand workforce demands and proactively identify and reach out to employers with labor needs who can

benefit from Safer Foundation referrals.

Tracking, Document, and Reporting

Document class schedules in Salesforce daily and routinely verify schedules for accuracy.
Monitor client attendance and notify staff of no-shows.
Issue completion certificates within 24–48 hours for clients who successfully complete the Life Skills program, notifying referring staff of completion.
Success metrics include the quality and volume of employer partnerships, as well as client placement and retention rates.

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Demonstrated professionalism and ethical conduct.
Self-driven, resourceful, and outcome-focused; thrives in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
Adaptable, teachable, and committed to continuous learning.
Strong organizational skills with attention to detail, prioritization, and multitasking.

Knowledge of group dynamics and safety protocols; experience facilitating job-readiness and skills-building workshops.
Familiarity with workforce development and employment services for individuals facing systemic barriers (chronically unemployed, justice-impacted, or those in poverty).
Hands-on experience and self-sufficiency with Microsoft productivity tools, including Outlook (for email), Office (Word, PowerPoint, and Excel), and online collaboration tools (video conferencing, Zoom/Teams, messaging).
Fluency in English; Spanish highly desired.
Candidates with lived experience, including criminal records, are strongly encouraged to apply.

Education and Experience:

Bachelor’s degree in related fields (Sociology, Social Work, Psychology, Criminal Justice, etc.) required
A minimum of 2 years’ experience working at a social service organization or related field.
Lived experience will be considered if the applicant can demonstrate applicable experience doing similar work.
Experience in workforce development, and/or employment programs/companies serving justice-impacted individuals

Licenses and or Certifications: