FLSA: Exempt/Overtime Ineligible

Benefits: Eligible

Hours Per Week: 40/Full-time

Met Council is America’s largest Jewish charity dedicated to serving the needy. We fight poverty through comprehensive social services and by treating each client with compassion, integrity, and respect. Our programs are staffed by experts who help over 325,000 clients each year and advocate on behalf of all needy New Yorkers. Our services include 100% affordable housing at 21 locations, family violence services, Holocaust survivor assistance, geriatric social work, crisis intervention and the largest free kosher food distribution program in the world. Our network of 120 food pantries, affordable housing sites, and JCCs provide services directly in neighborhoods across New York City.

Position Summary:

The role of the Employment and Community Engagement Manager is to represent Met Council’s suite of services, including its Career Access Program, and to raise awareness about employment, social services, and resources. The Employment and Community Engagement Manager will engage in community outreach and establish relationships with businesses and organizations to foster collaboration and to build and grow employer/employee pipelines. The manager will understand employment needs and challenges, have familiarity with employers and resources in the community, and will bring awareness to Met Council services in addition to creating job opportunities and facilitating the employment of course students and other Met Council clients. The manager will match job seekers to suitable job openings and maintain relationships with employers to provide ongoing support.

The Employment and Community Engagement Manager will work effectively with community agencies, organizations, shuls, and yeshivos and will engage employers in initiatives such as hiring, training, and internships to bridge the gap between job seekers and employers. In this way, the Employment and Community Engagement Manager will be contributing significantly to individual self-sufficiency and career success, and by extension, to the workforce development goals of Met Council’s Career Access Program as well.

The Employment and Community Engagement Manager will be responsible for planning and coordinating community outreach campaigns and events throughout the year and will also attend Met Council community events and distributions as needed. The Employment and Community Engagement Manager will be tasked with entering and documenting into our database these relationships and associated data, and to compile, and present on the data as needed.

Principal Responsibilities:

As part of the Chesed Center team, this staff member will be working with potential employers, employment partners, and Met Council clients. While working with employers, companies, agencies, organizations, and clients, the Employment and Community Engagement Manager should be able to:

• Build and maintain relationships with local organizations, non-profits, and businesses to foster collaboration and partnerships.
• Research trends, skill requirements, and workforce needs of the tech sector.
• Conduct outreach to community-based organizations, with the goal of learning about their services and providing them with information about the services of the Chesed Center and to create and maintain community partnerships and pipelines.
• Organize and facilitate community meetings and events to engage community members in discussions and action planning.
• Obtain and/or share appropriate documentation and materials when applicable.
• Conduct regular follow ups with community entities to ensure appropriate and effective communication is maintained, and to foster and maintain good relationships.
• Recognize and adhere to professional roles and boundaries.
• Maintain ongoing contact log notes and related documentation.
• Attend regular agency meetings, trainings, and seminars regarding topics related to community outreach work.
• Communicate and interface with the Chesed Center team as well as with other Met Council programs.
• Demonstrate cultural sensitivity to all people.
• Make cold calls to potential employers and collect and document data from employers related to job requirements and skills.
• Refer qualified applicants to employers and conduct necessary follow-up with employers to provide ongoing support.
• Research community entities including specific agency contacts, and document them in the CRM.
• Represent the agency in external meetings as needed.
• Present on agency work and accomplishments in various forums.
• Work collaboratively with the Chesed Center team and cover when staff is out, as/when needed.
• Comply with demands of funding grant and assist in preparing grant reports.
• Participate in individual and/or group supervision and staff meetings as needed.
• Report to supervisor on accomplishments and challenges on a regular basis.
• Other job-related duties as assigned.

Competencies:

• Bilingual, Yiddish speaking. Additional languages, especially Russian, a plus.
• Strong knowledge of the insular Jewish communities in Brooklyn.
• Attention to detail and strong organizational skills with the capability to multi-task.
• Ability to work independently as well as in a team.
• Able to easily adapt to changes and flexibility in schedule.
• Superior communication skills, experience with public speaking, including making presentations in various settings.
• Exceptional customer service skills, the ability to forge and maintain inter-agency and community relationships.
• Sensitivity and cultural competency in working with the Boro Park Hareidi community, as well as ability to work with clients, colleagues, and partners from all backgrounds.
• Comfort using online technologies and database systems on a daily basis.
• Ensure that agency information is properly documented in the database.
• Serving the diverse needs of clients with professionalism and patience.
• Ability to problem-solve and implement creative solutions when/as needed.
• Promptness and adherence to scheduled meetings within and outside the agency is particularly important for this position, as successful candidate is meeting with potential partners in the community.

Skill and Education:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience (required)
• 5+ years of work experience in nonprofit, community-based, program planning, social services, or workforce development industries (required)
• Excellent communication skills are necessary; must be fluent in English (both written and verbal).
• Experience with Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint
• Bilingual English/Yiddish (required). Familiarity with Boro Park community (preferred).

Physical Demands:

1. Required Constantly: Walking, sitting, grasping, bending, stooping, squatting, computer input, finger dexterity and coordination of hand, eye and foot.
2. Required Frequently: Standing and climbing stairs; carrying laptop & files (approx. 8-10 lbs).
3. Required Occasionally: Reaching above the shoulder, and lifting 5-25 pounds, pushing and pulling.

Special Requirements:

• This position requires a willingness to travel locally in Brooklyn and on occasion to Manhattan and other locations in NYC.
• Must speak Yiddish and have in-depth knowledge of the Boro Park community, its agencies, organizations, companies, and major players.

Compensation: $70,000 to $80,000 per year.

Benefits: Major medical, dental, vision, and life insurance; pre-tax commuter benefits; FSA; 403(b) with employer contribution; plus generous vacation, sick leave, and holidays.