Staff Positions Available

Nine Star Education & Employment Services offers a competitive salary and benefits package for full time staff members*, including optional medical and vision coverage, life insurance and long term disability coverage, 10 holidays, and an annual leave bank of twenty (20) days (prorated based on hire date/probation). After two full years of service each July 1, full time employees qualify for an additional leave day each fiscal year, up to ten (10) bonus leave days. We make a 403(b) plan available, as well as Flexible Spending Account for eligible employees. Add to that an excellent work environment with supportive supervisors and energetic coworkers, and you have one of the ingredients for Nine Star’s enduring success: our employees have a home with us as we all strive to make life better for our clients! Nine Star is simply an excellent place to work.

Work Services Specialist

JOB SUMMARY Work Services Specialist provide Alaska Temporary Assistance clients who are unemployed and under employed with the skills to obtain and retain employment, and overcome barriers. Work Services Specialists utilize a holistic approach to assist clients in achieving economic self-sufficiency. MAJOR DUTIES

  1. Implement principles of welfare reform and the work first philosophy.
  2. Assess clients to obtain financial, employment, educational/training, family composition and status, support network, and other information to identify challenges and barriers to self-sufficiency.
  3. Meets clients a minimum of once monthly as required.
  4. Develops Family Self-Sufficiency Plans to direct the activities of clients in moving toward economic self-sufficiency.
  5. Monitors clients to ensure they are achieving goals that lead to employment.
  6. Establish, maintain and review client files as well as prepare data for required reports accurately and in a timely manner.
  7. Identify and appropriately manage angry or hostile clients in crisis.
  8. Refer clients to appropriate community resources for services that address and meet specific needs as identified.
  9. Refer clients to training projects that will lead to a higher level of self-sufficiency.
  10. Prepare for and attend case review hearings with clients.
  11. Participate as a team member in weekly program staff meetings and other meetings as required.
  12. Works with other Nine Star Work Services staff as a team to collaborate and meet the needs of all clients.
  13. Maintain connectivity with DPA eligibility staff in serving client needs.
  14. Develop employment and training opportunities and make appropriate job matches and referrals for clients
  15. Make client work site and home visits as necessary.
  16. Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE JOB

  1. Possess an Associate’s Degree in Human Services or closely related field and two years experience in Social Services or a closely related field. (4 years of direct case management experience may be substituted.)
  2. Have a minimum of one year related teaching experience.
  3. Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office and FileMaker Pro.
  4. Adept at working independently as well as with team members.
  5. Hold excellent customer service skills.
  6. Demonstrate effective oral and written communication skills.
  7. Able to organize and prioritize a variety of tasks.
  8. Work with minimal supervision.
  9. Able to coordinate multiple tasks and follow-up in spite of frequent interruptions.
  10. Maintain a professional attitude with enthusiasm and dependability.
  11. Exercise time management skills.
  12. Willing to take on new tasks with an eagerness to learn new skills.
  13. Flexible and willing to shift to new tasks when needed.

SUPERVISOR: LEAD WORK SERVICES SPECIALIST HOURS OF WORK: Vary according to client needs and staff schedules Please fax your resume to (907) 644-9925 Att: Zoe or email you resume to zoes@ninestar.org

Job Developer/Job Coach
  • Monday-Friday, 40 hours week
  • Must have reliable transportation

JOB SUMMARY
The Job Developer/Coach works intensively with Work Services clients to identify their specific employability needs. Job Developers initiates and maintains ongoing personal contacts with a variety of business and industry representatives to match the “right” position to each individual client. These positions may include Community Work Experience, On the Job Training and Job Start Training positions. It is also the role of the Job Developer to identify participants’ skills and strengths as well as assess the clients’ need for services available in the community, to assist in retaining employment and overcoming barriers..

Fax resumes to 907) 644-9925 Att: Zoe or E-Mail zoes@ninestar.org

Career Development Center (CDC) Mentor

JOB SUMMARY
Nine Star’s Career Development Center (CDC) Mentors/Job Coach oversee the daily activities of CDC’s participants. In group settings, unemployed or underemployed clients are provided with job search and work readiness activities, which are facilitated daily in response to the current labor marker trends. CDC Mentors collaborate with Work Services Specialists and/or Job Developers in revising case plans and developing strategies that lead clients into gaining verifiable employment. To apply please fax resumes to (907) 644-9925 Att: Zoe or E-Mail zoes@ninestar.org

MAJOR DUTIES:
1. Implement principles of welfare reform and the work first philosophy.
2. Oversee daily CDC operations and services provided to clients to include tracking and documenting attendance, workshop
participation, and behaviors observed that will impact client’s ability to gain immediate employment.
3. Sign off on daily Job Search (and maintain copies) and Family Self-Sufficiency Plans to direct the activities of clients in moving
toward economic self-sufficiency.
4. Ensure job readiness tools are completed with CDC participants i.e. resumes, cover letters, generic applications, ALEXsys
registration, etc
5. Monitor client activities by review and/or debriefing of daily Job Search log to ensure that employment goals are achieved.
6. Prepare and deliver workshops in job seeking, job enrichment, and job retention skills as well as provide oversight for their delivery
within the Work Services Program.
7. Work with Work Services Specialists to ensure childcare, transportation, and other work related needs are immediately addressed
8. Establish, maintain and review client files as well as prepare data for required reports accurately and in a timely manner.
9. Document and distribute weekly job search logs to the assigned Work Services Specialists
10. Identify and appropriately manage angry or hostile clients in crisis; mediate problem situations as necessary.
11. Identify and refer clients to appropriate community resources for services that address and meet specific needs as identified.
12. Identify and refer clients to training projects that will lead to a higher level of self-sufficiency.
13. Assume an active role in regularly scheduled staff meetings and other meetings as required.
14. Work with other Nine Star Work Services staff as a team leader to collaborate and meet the needs of all clients.
15. Other duties as assigned
QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE JOB:
1. Possess a college diploma (experience may be substituted)
2. Possess a strong knowledge base of program requirements, policies and procedures
3. Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office and FileMaker Pro
4. Adept at working independently as well as with team members
5. Hold excellent customer service skills
6. Demonstrate effective oral and written communication skills
7. Able to organize and prioritize a variety of tasks
8. Work with minimal supervision
9. Able to coordinate multiple tasks and follow-up in spite of frequent interruptions
10. Maintain a professional attitude with enthusiasm and dependability
11. Exercise time management skills
12. Willing to take on new tasks with an eagerness to learn new skills
SUPERVISOR: CDC COORDINATOR /LEAD WORK SERVICES SPECIALISTS
HOURS OF WORK: Varies according to client needs and staff schedules.
To apply please fax resumes to (907) 644-9925 Att: Zoe or E-Mail zoes@ninestar.org

WIOA Permanency Employment Navigator

Nine Star Education and Employment Services is recruiting qualified applicants for a Permanency Employment Navigator. This position will be within our partner agency Covenant House Alaska as part of the Permanency Navigator team.

Position Summary

Permanency Employment Navigators (PENs) provide mobile services focused on supporting youth and young adults experiencing homelessness by helping them attain employment and access education resources to end their homelessness and support becoming safely and stably housed.  This position operates under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Grant (WIOA) and is housed within the Covenant House Alaska (CHA) Permanency Navigator office. PENs will engage and build relationships with youth as they navigate different systems, programs and challenges with a specialized focus on achieving Academic and Employment stability. PENs will maintain relationships with youth at all phases of permanency, including successes and setbacks, until a youth chooses to no longer engage (up until the age of 24). PENs will have a strong working knowledge of available resources to link youth and young adults to needed programs and will make warm handoffs to needed services/providers whenever possible. PENs will work closely with youth to help develop the skills required to attain and maintain employment and assist them in entering academic, vocational trainings. Navigators have many roles, often working as advocates, referral agents, and/or facilitators with community partners’ systems on behalf of the youth.

Essential Functions

  • Relentlessly engage and be present in young people’s lives, to attain and maintain employment and/or academic/vocational training. Be a stable and constant presence for youth as they move through and between programs
  • Work in concert with the Permanency Navigator team to provide community resource navigation to youth experiencing homelessness. Assist youth in connecting to comprehensive, holistic services for youth to achieve long term stability and success.
  • Identify and connect with youth experiencing homelessness who may not present through traditional homeless service entry points.
  • Have actual, intentional, regular contact with every client in multiple settings until employment and academic goals have been attained.
  • Connect youth to employment and academic options
  • Utilize a client-centered approach that emphasizes youth choice while recognizing the innate resiliency and unique strengths and abilities of every client.
  • Understand housing resources including rapid re-housing, permanent supportive housing, transitional living programs, and independent housing and navigate youth to those resources.
  • Develop strong working relationships, through active outreach, with a wide range of employers and academic providers
  • Participate in community meetings to advocate for and assist youth, including (but not limited to) Coordinated Entry meetings and child welfare team decision meetings (TDMs).
  • Engage in goal setting with youth to help them achieve success in Education & Employment,
  • General Responsibilities
  • Maintain a positive and professional working relationship with the general public, including placement agencies and families of the youth we serve
  • Maintain a high level of ethical standards.
  • Keep supervisor fully informed at all times.
  • Maintain confidentiality of all clients.
  • Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Human Services, Social Work, Psychology or a related field is preferred.

Experience

Experience working with adolescent or disadvantaged populations is preferred; life, volunteer, and internship experience will be considered. 

 Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Required

  • Understand and comply with all Agency policies and procedures; including Child Protection Policies.
  • Understand and embrace the tenets of Housing First, Trauma-Informed Care, Harm Reduction, and Positive Youth Development in all work with youth.
  • Is approachable, relatable, builds rapport well, and practices active listening with individuals of varied cultural backgrounds, embracing differences in behavior and lifestyle choices.
  • Knowledge of community social service resources to assist youth with needs related to housing, employment, education, and social-emotional well-being.
  • Knowledge of crisis intervention and ability to address conflict between youth exhibiting challenging behaviors; able to respond quickly and safely while continuing to be a settling influence in crisis situations and emergencies.
  • Can maintain confidentiality while understanding and complying with requirements of mandated reporting, duty to warn, HIPAA, and other limits to confidentiality.
  • Willingness to utilize training opportunities in support of personal and professional growth, competence development, and to increase overall capacity to serve youth every day.
  • Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to prioritize multiple tasks in a fluid environment.
  • Well-developed verbal and written communication skills.
  • Proficient with standard computer operating systems.  Ability to navigate Microsoft Office Suite, online databases, and other programs and websites as required.
  • Able to accommodate a wide range of physical activity, including but not limited to walking long distances, moving up and down the stairs, lifting bags or boxes up to 50 pounds, driving a minivan, and physically assist youth if needed.
  • Willingness and ability to attain a CPR/First Aid Certification.
  • Possess a current and valid Driver’s License.
  • Have a good driving record.
  • Pass federal, state, and local background check investigations.

 Email cover letter and resume to rogerh@ninestar.org