Employment Counselor jobs in Joliet, IL

ORGANIZATION SUMMARY:

World Relief is a global Christian humanitarian organization that is fighting for change that lasts, right here in the U.S. and across the globe. We bring sustainable solutions to the world’s greatest problems – disasters, extreme poverty, violence, oppression, and mass displacement. The organization is approximately 75 years old and has worked in over 100 countries around the world since its founding.

In the United States, we come alongside local churches, community organizations and hundreds of individual volunteers to support newly arriving refugee and other immigrant families. Today, we are proud to partner with over 6,000 local churches, and 95,000 volunteers globally to bring hope, healing and transformation to the most vulnerable.

POSITION SUMMARY:

Are you a person of compassion? An advocate for justice? Someone who stands up for the rights of the vulnerable and speaks out for the marginalized, the exploited and the forgotten?  Do you believe in our calling as Christians to welcome the least of these and love our neighbor?

If you answered ‘yes’, to any of the above, World Relief, and millions of people around the world need you.

The Employment Counselor position will provide critical supportive services and counsel to Refugees and Immigrants as they search for initial employment. This position assists clients through employment counseling that includes resume, application, and interview preparation assistance, and utilizing employer connections to facilitate job placements. The Employment Counselor will also assist in maintaining and expanding an employer network.

• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Provide employment counseling to clients that may include individual meetings, informing about job prospects, following up on job leads, and coordinating interview scheduling.
• Provide direct assistance with resumes, applications, interviews, job offer paperwork, and ongoing mediation with employers.
• Collaborate with clients to develop individualized employment plans that include an assessment of family circumstances, employable skills, existing barriers to employment, and action steps for moving forward.
• Provide counseling on topics such as available job opportunities for low-English speakers, pay rate expectations, and expectations regarding commute time.
• Counsel clients on American workplace culture as well as laws and regulations.
• Satisfying documentation and reporting requirements in accordance with state and federal grant standards.
• Develop contacts and relationships with new employers to increase interest in hiring WRC program participants as well as maintain and strengthen existing employer relationships.
• Maintain accurate case files and case notes for program participants.
• Work collaboratively with other members of the Family Services Department to creatively address barriers to self-sufficiency.
• Attend department and office-wide meetings.
• Other responsibilities as assigned.

• Highly self-motivated with strong follow-through and ability to work independently
• Adaptable and comfortable working in a fast-paced environment
• Excellent interpersonal and relational skills to be utilized both in client interaction as well as employer connections.
• Detail-oriented, organized, and able to maintain accurate record keeping of client interactions; able to follow through independently on projects and assignments.
• Demonstrated ability to multi-task and exercise critical thinking skills
• Strong mediation and problem-solving skills
• Cross-cultural experience and/or knowledge of the refugee/immigrant experience
• Willingness to advocate on behalf of clients with employers
• Understanding of the U.S. employment market, particularly in Chicago, or strong interest in learning
• Fluency in Swahili/Arabic/Rohingya/Spanish/Dari or other second language preferred

• Mature and personal Christian faith
• Committed to the mission, vision, and values of World Relief
• Desire to serve and empower the Church to impact vulnerable communities
• Able to affirm and/or acknowledge World Reliefs Core Beliefs, Statement of Faith, Christian Identity and National Evangelicals For the Health of The Nation document
• Microsoft Office skills required
• Bachelor’s degree or at least one year experience in an office environment required
• Ability to work a flexible schedule including occasional early mornings, evenings, and weekends
• Valid Driver’s License and good driving record

World Relief offers a competitive benefits package (25 hours per week):

- Medical, Dental, Vision

- Offer 16 company Paid Holidays 4 additional Personal days per year!

- Paid Sick and Vacation Time

- Paid Parental Leave (12 weeks for qualified employees)

- FSAs: Medical & Dependent Care, & Commuter Funding

- Supplemental Life Insurance (employee, spouse, and children)

- Critical Illness, Hospital Indemnity, and Accident insurance policies

- Legal Shield Insurance

World Relief pays 100% for eligible employees:

- Group Term Life (employee, spouse, and children)

- Long Term & Short-term Disability

- Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D)

- Long Distance Travel Insurance

- Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

World Relief - Retirement:

- 401K & Roth

- WR matches up to 4%, then an additional quarter percent up to 10%

- Eligibility: Full Time (40 hours per week) is eligible after 3 months of employment. Part time is eligible after 1000 hours in a year. 

World Relief Discounts (Immediately Eligible):

- Verizon

- Pet Insurance through Nationwide

- Home and Auto insurance through Liberty Mutual

- Working Advantage Discount Program

- Active & Fit Gym Membership

World Relief is honored to be recognized with the Silver-level Cigna Healthy Workforce Designation for exceeding the core components of our well-being program including leadership and culture, program foundations and execution, and whole person health.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: 

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

·         While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to have ordinary ambulatory skills sufficient to visit other locations

·         The ability to stand, walk, stoop, kneel, crouch, and manipulate (lift, carry, move) light to medium weights of 10-15 pounds.

·         Requires good hand-eye coordination, arm, hand and finger dexterity, including ability to grasp, and visual acuity to use a keyboard, operate equipment and read application information.

·         The employee frequently is required to sit, reach with hands and arms, talk and hear.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: 

·         General office setting. World Relief also offers hybrid and remote schedules for limited positions.

·         Great lengths of time working on computer, reading from computer screen, entering information, standing at copier or fax machine, and some time on the phone or in virtual meetings may be required.

·         Year-end archiving activities involve repeated lifting and bending.

·         Physical, emotional and intellectual demands

·         Equipment used: Employee computer (desktop or laptop), printer, and copier.

·         All of the above duties and responsibilities are essential job functions subject to reasonable accommodation. All job requirements listed indicate the minimum level of knowledge, skills and/or ability deemed necessary to perform the job proficiently. This job description is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities or requirements. Individuals may be required to perform any other job-related instructions as requested by their supervisor, subject to reasonable accommodation. This position description is not all-inclusive and is always under review.

We are proud to be an EEO/AA employer M/F/D/V.

For World Relief staff, strong commitment to the mission, vision, and values of World Relief is essential, and Christian faith is a prerequisite for employment, based upon United States federal guidelines provided in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Legal Background in the United States

World Relief is both an equal opportunity employer and a faith-based religious organization. World Relief strictly prohibits and does not tolerate unlawful discrimination against employees on the basis of person’s race, color, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law, which does not conflict with the protections afforded World Relief as a faith-based employer.  

In addition, physical or mental limitations will not be a factor in the application of World Relief's employment policies or employee practices, except for those situations in which occupational requirement make consideration of such factors necessary.

Pursuant to the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 702 (42 U.S.C. 2000e 1(a) World Relief has the right to, and does, hire only candidates who agree with World Relief’s Statement of Faith.