Job Developer/Employment Maintenance Worker

About the Position
PeopleWorx is seeking a collaborative and inclusive professional for a combined Job Developer / Employment Maintenance Worker position within our Nova Scotia Works team. The position makes a crucial link between job seekers who experience barriers to employment and employers with labour market needs, while providing individualized pre- and post-employment supports to help clients sustain long-term employment.
Working collaboratively with the broader Nova Scotia Works team, particularly Career Practitioners who refer clients for job development and employment maintenance supports and the Employer Engagement Specialist (EES), who provides employer case management, the successful candidate will assess job readiness, identify client strengths and support needs, develop effective client-employer matches, and support successful transitions to and retention in employment. This position reports to the Operations Manager, Nova Scotia Works.

• Regular hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Full-time position: 36.25 paid hours per week, with a 45-minute unpaid break each day.
• Location: Based in both our Coldbrook and Middleton offices. The successful candidate must be able to work regularly at either office according to operational needs and service requirements. The role supports all three PeopleWorx Nova Scotia Works locations, with occasional travel to Annapolis Royal and occasional work outside regular hours.
• Travel: Reliable transportation and the ability to travel between offices and to employer or community locations are required.
• Probationary period: Six months

Professional Development Opportunities
PeopleWorx is committed to supporting the ongoing professional development of its employees. The successful candidate will have access to training and professional development opportunities offered through the Nova Scotia Career Development Association (NSCDA) to Nova Scotia Works staff. These opportunities support the development of skills and knowledge in career development, employment services, and client-centred service delivery.

Major Responsibilities and Duties
Job Development and Employer Engagement

• Assist job seekers who have difficulty marketing themselves to employers, including those experiencing market perception barriers. In collaboration with referring Case Managers, identify client strengths, employment goals, job readiness, support needs and potential barriers.
• Research companies, industries and growth sectors with labour market needs to access advertised vacancies, identify hiring opportunities and uncover the hidden job market.

• Build and maintain effective employer relationships, including direct contact with new employers, to create employment opportunities for referred clients. Coordinate outreach with the Employer Engagement Specialist (EES), build on PeopleWorx’s existing employer relationships and connect new employers with EES services, as appropriate.
• Effectively pre-screen and match job seekers to suitable employers using a strengths-based approach that aligns client skills, abilities and interests with job requirements, workplace culture and employer expectations.
• Use appropriate job development strategies and available incentives, consistent with program guidelines, to develop employer relationships and encourage successful job matching.
• Help clients prepare for employment, employer interactions and workplace transitions, drawing on knowledge of career and personal development goals, counselling and assessment processes, tools and resources, while coordinating client service planning with Case Managers.

Employment Maintenance and Retention Support

• Provide individualized pre- and post-employment support to clients who face multiple barriers to employment, including persons with disabilities, drawing on a working knowledge of the full spectrum of supports needed to obtain and sustain employment.
• Provide orientation to the workplace and to specific duties, responsibilities, routines, workplace culture and employer expectations; support clients during the transition into employment.
• Act as a liaison between clients and employers, with appropriate consent, to identify employment maintenance issues, determine needed workplace supports and coordinate appropriate responses with referring Case Managers, the EES and other Nova Scotia Works staff, in keeping with established roles and service plans.
• Provide ongoing post-employment assistance, follow-up and practical employment maintenance supports to clients experiencing difficulty sustaining employment, with the goal of long-term successful attachment to the labour market.

Documentation, Collaboration and Service Delivery

• Maintain accurate, timely records of employer contacts, job development activities, client supports, employment outcomes and required LaMPSS documentation in accordance with program and privacy requirements.
• Collaborate with the Nova Scotia Works team, particularly Case Managers and the Employer Engagement Specialist (EES), to coordinate referrals, employer contacts, job matching and follow-up, ensure continuity of service and avoid duplication. Connect new employers with the EES for appropriate employer case management, recruitment assistance, workforce development and other Nova Scotia Works employer services, as appropriate.
• Plan, facilitate and deliver client-focused workshops, group sessions, presentations and information sessions related to job search, workplace readiness, job development and employment retention, as required; adapt materials and delivery methods to meet diverse participant needs.

• Participate in team meetings and relevant community working groups, as appropriate and as identified by the Operations Manager; contribute to outreach, service improvement and employer engagement initiatives.
• Maintain confidentiality, informed consent, professional boundaries and respectful, accessible, trauma-informed service practices.

Education, Experience, Skills and Competencies

• A completed post-secondary diploma or degree in a relevant field is required. Preference will be given to applicants with education in social services, disability services or a closely related field.
• A minimum of three years (3,000 hours) of career development or closely related experience within the past seven years is required to support CCDP certification eligibility. Visit
https://careercertification.ca/ for more information on certification requirements.
• Preference will be given to candidates who already hold the Certified Career Development Practitioner (CCDP) designation and have completed Case Management Specialization Training through the Nova Scotia Career Development Association (NSCDA).
• Candidates who do not already hold the CCDP designation must obtain certification within one year of commencing employment.
• NSCDA Case Management Specialization Training is required and must be completed within one year of commencing employment. Training will be available to successful candidates who have not yet completed it.
• Demonstrated ability to build employer relationships, communicate professionally and identify suitable employment opportunities.
• Understanding of barriers to employment, disability inclusion, workplace accommodations and individualized pre- and post-employment support.
• Ability to assess job readiness within the scope of the role, recognize client strengths, match skills to job requirements and collaborate on service plans.
• Strong presentation, group facilitation and public-speaking skills, including the ability to deliver accessible workshops and adapt information to varied audiences.
• Strong interpersonal, problem-solving, negotiation, organizational, research and documentation skills, with sound judgment and the ability to work independently.
• Comfort using digital tools, Microsoft Office, online job-search platforms and client/employer record systems. Familiarity with LaMPSS is an asset.
• Knowledge of the Annapolis Valley labour market, employer needs and community resources.

* Benefits: Health and dental benefits, as well as mandatory long-term disability (LTD) coverage, are available following successful completion of the probationary period.
* Pension: PeopleWorx offers a pension matching program in accordance with organizational policy.
* Vacation: Vacation entitlement is provided in accordance with organizational policy.