STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
HUMAN RESOURCES
CLASSIFICATION: EMPLOYMENT COUNSELOR SPECIALIST
Class Code: 4066-19
Date Established: 06-04-02
Occupational Code: 7-7-3
Date of Last Revision: 04-05-07
BASIC PURPOSE: To deliver employment, training,
barrier resolution, education, job preparation and support services to a
diverse population within a tri-agency collaboration and partner agencies for
the New Hampshire Employment Program (NHEP).
CHARACTERISTIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
·
Integrates and
applies changing policies and procedures of the tri-agency collaboration to
maximize services to NHEP participants.
·
Interviews, assesses,
and evaluates individual aptitudes, interests, abilities, work experiences,
education, personality characteristics, and degrees of physical, social, or
emotional limitations of NHEP participants to identify individual service
needs, strengths, and barriers.
·
Develops and
implements an Employability Plan for each NHEP participant and provides
subsequent counseling (up to 5 years) to resolve employment barriers and
stabilize family functioning.
·
Authorizes and
monitors expenditures of funds for appropriate training and support services
that support the employability plan.
·
Develops and
maintains relationships with employers, service providers, educational
institutions and community organizations to coordinate services to clients,
develop employment opportunities, maximize available resources and promote
community understanding.
·
Determines individual
program compliance that could result in the loss or increase of TANF
benefits. Works with participant
to resolve issues.
·
Administers, scores,
and interprets standardized tests to NHEP participants to determine vocational
aptitudes, interests, and skills.
·
Plans and conducts
orientations to inform NHEP participants of program benefits and
responsibilities.
·
Documents and
maintains accurate case notes and individual case records to track individual
progress and comply with state and federal regulations and policies.
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DISTINGUISHING FACTORS:
Skill: Requires skill in developing formats
and procedures for special applications OR in investigating and reviewing the
use of equipment and data for a specialized function.
Knowledge: Requires logical or scientific
understanding to analyze problems of a specialized or professional nature in a
particular field.
Impact: Requires responsibility for achieving
direct service objectives by assessing agency service needs and making
preliminary recommendations for the development of alternative short-term
program policies or procedures.
Errors at this level result in incomplete assessments or misleading
recommendations causing a disruption of agency programs or policies.
Supervision: Requires partial supervision of other
employees doing work which is related or similar to the supervisor, including
assigning job duties, providing training, giving instructions and checking
work.
Working Conditions: Requires performing regular job
functions in a controlled environment with minimal exposure to disagreeable job
elements and little risk of hazard to physical or mental health.
Physical Demands: Requires light work, including
continuous walking or operating simple equipment for extended periods of time
as well as occasional strenuous activities such as reaching or bending.
Communication: Requires summarizing data, preparing
reports, and making recommendations based on findings which contribute to
solving problems and achieving work objectives. This level also requires presenting information for use by
administrative-level managers in making decisions.
Complexity: Requires a combination of job functions
to establish facts, to draw daily operational conclusions, or to solve
practical problems. This level
also requires providing a variety of alternative solutions where only limited standardization
exists.
Independent Action: Requires a range of choice in applying
a number of technical or administrative policies under general direction and
making routine decisions or in recommending modifications in work procedures
for approval by supervisor.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Education: Bachelor’s degree from an approved
college or university with a major study in social work, psychology, education,
human services, sociology, counseling or behavioral science.
Experience: One year of experience as an Employment
Counselor Specialist Trainee or three years as a social worker or counselor in
a public or private social service agency or three years as a Family Service
Specialist II.
License/Certification: Possession of a valid New Hampshire
driver’s license and/or have access to transportation for statewide travel.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
For appointment
consideration, Employment Counselor Specialist applicants must successfully
participate in a structured interview measuring possession of knowledge, skills
and abilities as identified as necessary for satisfactory job performance by
this class specification.
RECOMMENDED WORK TRAITS: Ability to work as a team with
co-workers. Ability to apply
procedures, rules and regulations of three agencies. Ability to evaluate personal characteristics, physical
capacities, education, work background, abilities and interests of
participants. Knowledge of the
principles and methods of assessment and counseling. Knowledge of involved psychological and environmental
problems arising in connection with case work. Knowledge of the educational and social service agencies
available in geographic area.
Knowledge of a variety of occupations and industries in the area. Ability to communicate effectively,
both verbally and in writing.
Ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with
low-income participants, employers, public and private community agency staff,
co-workers, and the general public.
Knowledge of basic computer programs such as email and
word-processing. Must be willing
to maintain appearance appropriate to assigned duties and responsibilities as
determined by the agency appointing authority.
DISCLAIMER STATEMENT: This class specification is descriptive
of general duties and is not intended to list every specific function of this
class title.
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Last Updated 10/21/04
URL: http://www.nh.gov/hr/classspec_e/4066.htm