Disability Career Planner

Iowa Workforce Development (IWD) is seeking applicants for the position of Disability Career Planner at our IowaWORKS Office in Waterloo, Iowa

Position Description:

As a Disability Career Planner, in addition to serving all customers, you will serve as a main point of contact assisting job seekers with disabilities. Through this enhanced level of IowaWORKS services, the Disability Career Planner will assist customers to develop employment plans based upon talents, abilities, and interests, while addressing any accommodation that may be needed to minimize employment barriers and increase employment opportunities. Some of the service provided will include application assistance, resume development, interview preparation as well as other guidance to help them get off to a great new start!

Key Responsibilities:

• Coach, motivate and encourage job seekers on all aspects of the job search.

• Provide career planning services to people with disabilities and ensure that individuals are connected to all Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act (WIOA) programs and services that they are eligible for.

• Develop employment plans that will build skills and address disability issues to for maximizing the goal of successful employment outcomes.

• Provide assistance with preparing and tailoring resumes and cover letters. Facilitate mock interviews for customers, identifying ways to improve their interview responses. Process paperwork for partner and team programs and services. Refer customers to appropriate workshops and employment events.

• Possess a strong working knowledge of programs and services in regard to needs such as healthcare, Medicare, transportation, housing and education/ training.

• Communicate regularly with the public (business groups, disability groups, other agencies, local government) on employment services, Social Security incentives, job accommodations, and benefits of employment of persons with disabilities.

• Build connections with partners throughout the local workforce development area to strengthen the local network of support for individuals with disabilities.

• Facilitate workshops or one-on-one appointments in-person or through virtual conferencing platform for customers/participants of system programs and services, update workshops and presentations as new information is available.

• Relay current labor market information to job candidates and perform "job matching" referring career opportunities to candidates in the IowaWORKS system.

• Utilize the IowaWORKS case management system for tracking and maintaining services provided.

• Perform essential Unemployment Insurance activities, adhering to administrative rules and Iowa Administrative Code. This includes working with customer regarding their claim, answering questions or concerns.

Essential Knowledge & Skills:

• Conduct assessments to determine customer qualifications for special services and job referrals.

• Reading, interpreting, and applying a variety of technical materials, rules, and regulations.

• Perform as an effective member of a functional team.

• Utilize computers to acquire, organize, analyze, communicate, and present information.

• Performs effectively under stress associated with normal or emergency, critical, unusual, or sustained heavy workloads.

• Ability to interact with other agency staff; employers; state, federal, county, or municipal officials, and the general public to obtain and provide information Works and communicates with all clients and customers providing quality professional service.

• Displays a high level of initiative, effort, attention to detail and commitment by completing assignments efficiently with minimal supervision.

• Excellent writing skills, organizational skills, and time management with ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.

• Must have demonstrated expertise in working with computers, specific programs and other services provided at the Workforce Center.

• Demonstrates high standards of ethical conduct.

Agency Overview

Iowa Workforce Development (IWD) is a state agency committed to providing employment services for individual job seekers and to connecting employers to available workers through our IowaWORKS partnership.

IWD continually strives to improve processes and align the organization to provide effective, demand-driven products and services.  IWD staff in Des Moines consists of administrative services, disability determination services, information technology, labor market information, unemployment insurance services, vocational rehabilitation services, and workforce services.  The agency also maintains a statewide delivery system of IowaWORKS Offices where both employers and job seekers can receive workforce assistance.

Employer Highlights

IWD is focused on serving Iowans and providing outstanding customer service.  Our strength is driven by the skills and talents of our people.  IWD offers a rewarding team atmosphere, a flexible working environment, and a great total compensation package for our full-time employees, including:

• Iowa Public Employees' Retirement System (IPERS)

• Retirement Investors Club (RIC)

• Hybrid telework opportunities for eligible classifications

• Health, Dental and Vision Insurance

• Vacation Leave

• Sick Leave

• Paid Holidays (9 days/year)

• Flexible Spending Accounts

• Life Insurance

• Long-Term Disability Insurance

Click here to learn more about all of the amazing benefits the State of Iowa offers.

Hours of Work:  Monday - Friday 8:00am-4:30pm.

If you're looking for a career with a well-respected organization that values its employees and customers, you've come to the right place!

Our agency uses E-Verify to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit www.e-verify.gov.

No applicant for employment with the Iowa Department of Workforce Development can have a current, ongoing overpayment balance with Iowa Workforce Development without a payment plan in place. Select positions will be subject to a criminal background check.Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university;

OR 

an equivalent combination of education and experience substituting one year of full-time public contact work obtaining, analyzing and evaluating data such as job/claims interviewing, testing, referral and/or placement, sales representative, credit investigation, or related public contact work dealing with job applicants and employers in a variety of supportive clerical and outreach functions for one year of the required education with a maximum substitution of four years;

OR 

employees with current continuous experience in the state executive branch that includes experience equal to twelve months of full-time work as a Workforce Associate.

For additional information, please click on this link to view the job description.Travel may be required for positions in this class.  Employees must arrange transportation to and from assigned work areas.