Employment Specialist

centerforemploymentopportunities

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States · Philadelphia · United States

Posted Aug 20, 2026

Full-time
Program Delivery - Voc. Mid-Atlantic Program

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Job description

Employment Specialist

Philadelphia, PA

In-Person

This is an in-person role with the expectation that staff report to a CEO site, as the majority of participant interactions are conducted in person.

Anticipated deadline to submit application: August 31 at 12:00pm EST. Position may close early if application limit is met. Apply promptly for full consideration.

The Opportunity

The Employment Specialist increases the range of employment opportunities available to our participants using participant interests, experiences, and their ambitions as a foundation for participant job placements, and more broadly, for the identification and cultivation of potential employers for prospect portfolios.

The Employment Specialist role combines employer cultivation, engagement, and placement with direct participant case management, owning the full relationship from job readiness through placement.

As part of our mission, we strongly encourage individuals who have lived experience of incarceration or involvement in the justice system to apply for this role.

Who We Are

The Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) provides employment services to people recently released from incarceration. Across the United States, 8,000-9,000 people participate in CEO each year, transitioning to employment that supports themselves, their families, and their communities.

What began as a demonstration project of the Vera Institute of Justice in the 1970s to address employment barriers facing the formerly incarcerated following release in New York City has grown into the leading reentry employment organization in the country, where over 30,000 formerly incarcerated individuals have secured full-time employment since 1996.

Who You Are

You have demonstrated commitment to CEO’s mission and interest in working in a fast-growing and results-oriented nonprofit environment
You are passionate about helping individuals become the best version of themselves; interested in guiding individuals to achieving their career goals through a balance of accountability and empathy
You have a deep interest in re-entry or criminal justice reform
You are comfortable with providing the feedback and support necessary to facilitate the development of participant knowledge and skills
You have the ability to anticipate problems, evaluate them, and determine and implement solutions
You have the ability to take into account and analyze various points of view and data to form a perspective appropriate to a particular context
You have excellent interpersonal and written communication skills with the ability to adjust to particular personalities and interaction styles on the spot
You are self-motivated, diligent, resilient, and demonstrate stamina and vigor as you hold yourself accountable to deadlines and outcomes, even in the face of adversity or setbacks
You are comfortable working under pressure and meeting deadlines despite opposition or setbacks
You are highly organized with top notch time management skills and the ability to juggle multiple priorities seamlessly or ask for support with prioritization when needed
You are comfortable learning new technologies that an organization adopts/implements

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

You have 2+ years of experience in workforce development, recruitment, or sales/account management, a role in which you needed to meet performance goals on a regular basis
You are skilled in networking and cultivating lasting relationships with people and businesses, helping them understand how our work can help them achieve their business strategy and goals
You have experience in looking at a set of data or market research and use it to guide your practice and decision-making

Responsibilities

Key responsibilities of the Employment Specialist include but are not limited to:

Business Analysis, Relationship Cultivation and Maintenance

Envision, develop, and implement a strategic plan for placement services for a local office that ensures CEO meets its participant placement metrics
Conduct reviews of existing CEO business partnerships regularly, evaluate employer demand and usage of CEO services, and determine improvements and ways to leverage relationships with employers
Achieve weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual placement goals in accordance with CEO’s contractual obligations
Research, conduct outreach to, and build relationships with prospective employers willing to hire CEO participants and who have hiring needs that match the skills, experience, and interests of our overall participant cohort
Maintain relationships with existing employer partners
Schedule and conduct daily prospecting, cold calls, and face-to-face meetings
Serve as the liaison among employers, participants, and our criminal justice partners

Job Placement Services

You are expected to produce up to 5 monthly placements
Screen and match program participants with employment opportunities, taking into consideration each participant’s skills, work experience, interests, and goals and aspirations
Customize participants’ resumes to fit identified opportunities
Manage a caseload of participants, support and coach them around applying for jobs, navigating the hiring process, and finding and securing right fit employment
Manage a caseload of participants, support and coach them around applying for jobs, navigating the hiring process, and finding and securing right fit employment
Serve as the primary point of contact for assigned participants throughout the placement process

Administrative Support

Document all participant and employer contact, activities, and outcomes in our case management system (Salesforce)
Supports the Site Director with administrative and operational duties to ensure the smooth and seamless operation of the site
Perform other job-related duties and responsibilities assigned from time to time
Lead activities within or across offices related to your role’s specific outcomes and/or office needs (such as case conferencing responsibilities)

Compensation and Benefits

The salary for this position is $52,600 In an effort to be both equitable and transparent, CEO's compensation philosophy considers a variety of factors, including, but not limited to, experience, internal equity, and home office location in making a final determination on our salary offer.

We recognize that salary is a part of the overall compensation package and also provide a comprehensive benefits package, including medical and dental coverage, as well as professional development opportunities and training, including regular training opportunities in Motivational Interviewing (MI). MI is one evidence-based skill that reentry and human service professionals can utilize when supporting participants to achieve their goals.

We also offer paid parental leave, participation in a retirement plan, sick and vacation leave, paid holidays and more. We are a workplace that promotes continual learning and teamwork, offering lunch and learns, team outings, holiday gatherings and more for our staff.

More About Us

Center for Employment Opportunities believes that everyone deserves the chance to shape a stronger future for themselves, their families, and their communities. People who are justice involved are highly encouraged to apply for vacant positions at all levels. CEO is committed to the CROWN Act, and creating an open space where our employees can present as their true authentic selves.

All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without unlawful discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, gender, gender identity, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, military status, prior record of arrest or conviction, citizenship status, current employment status, caregiver status, or any other category protected by federal, state, or local law. We value diverse experiences, including with regard to educational background and justice system contact.

Please note that due to the volume of resumes received, we are unable to contact each applicant regarding the status of each position or reply to candidates' inquiries via phone or email.