Join our team & make a difference in the heart of Cleveland.
At TE, we believe each employee contributes directly to our mission of empowering individuals to achieve and maintain self-sufficiency through employment. We strive to create an inclusive culture where each person can show up as their authentic self, and provide opportunities to grow personally and professionally. For example, currently 10 managers started as frontline staff. We want your experience at TE to be fun, exciting, and mission driven.
Our Vision
An equitable workforce system where racial income gaps have been eliminated and everyone, especially those most affected by systemic racism, has access to family-sustaining wages and quality jobs.
Our Values
At TE every day, we:
- show respect for those we serve
- achieve life changing outcomes
- develop and sustain community partnerships
- encourage innovation
- embrace teamwork, diversity, professional growth and fun!
Employee Benefits
Towards Employment offers competitive benefits including employer subsidized medical, prescription drug, vision and dental insurance; matching traditional and Roth 401k; life and disability insurance. Voluntary benefits include: HSA and FSA savings accounts, accident, critical illness and hospital indemnity insurance and dependent life insurance. Also employees receive paid vacation, 10 sick days plus 13 paid holidays annually.
people on staff
have lived experience or are TE Graduates
frontline staff are now managers
have worked at TE for over 5 years
Hear from our staff
Dondreya Allen
Career Coach, OSY
"TE encouraged me to grow my professional and leadership skills by sponsoring me to complete the Neighborhood Leadership Institute program where I developed my skills in fundraising, project management, stress management, civic engagement, as well as learning other great tools. I'm grateful that TE gave me this opportunity for professional growth and success!"
Jonathan Rodriguez
Bilingual Case Manager
"Working at TE has been one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life. I get to wake up everyday, come to work, and help people. What's better than that?"
Stella Shephard
Workshop Facilitator
"One thing that's consistent about TE is that we get the best of the best! I don't know where they come from, I just know that when they are here, they are awesome!"
Open Positions
Chief Program Officer
Position: Chief Program Officer
Reports To: CEO
Positions Supervised: Director, Community, Young Adult and Reentry Services; Director, Industry Partnerships; Senior Manager, Data Analytics
OVERVIEW
Towards Employment believes in a dynamic world of work where all people—regardless of race, justice involvement or where they live—have an opportunity to thrive. Achieving this vision takes more than just connecting people to jobs. Our mission is to champion the potential of every person to succeed in a rewarding career today, while working to create an equitable and inclusive workforce for tomorrow. Using the proven WorkAdvance model as a solution, we increase Clevelanders’ chances to advance by providing skill development for in-demand jobs, comprehensive supports that address the social determinants of work, extended career coaching, and direct connections to employers. Towards Employment’s pathway model helps job seekers connect to careers that lead to economic mobility. Additionally, we advocate for policies that reduce workplace inequities and improve job quality, partnering with employers, workforce providers and government leaders to promote equitable access to living wages and quality jobs and eliminate racial income gaps.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES
The CPO serves on the executive team of Towards Employment. The chief program officer position is critical to achieving the growth in community impact envisioned by our strategic plan. S/he oversees TE’s key program portfolios, including Community, Young Adult & Re-Entry Services, which provides job preparation tailored to the needs of target populations, and Industry Partnerships which provides sector- specific job training, placement, and advancement programming, ensuring industry-informed curriculum and deep employer engagement. The CPO is skilled in strategic planning; risk management; resource development; program development, management, and evaluation; and has a strong interest in building and sustaining collaborative relationships within and across organizations.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Program Strategy and Planning:
- Develop and implement program strategies aligned with the organization's goals and
- Create a program roadmap, defining milestones, deliverables, and
- Conduct program evaluations and make adjustments to ensure successful
- Research and stay abreast of emerging trends, opportunities, and technologies relevant to workforce and career pathways with particular focus on successfully connecting formerly incarcerated, young adults and working poor.
- Pursue opportunities to ensure the short- and long-term scalability of TE’s programs. This may include application of new technologies, building new collaborative partnerships to leverage additional competencies or geographic reach, or formalizing tools for greater efficiency and replication.
- Develop funding models to support initiatives that strengthen TE’s financial
- Engage in workforce collaborations as a prominent thought leader, recommending responsive approaches to evolving community needs.
- Staff the Program Committee of the Towards Employment Board
Program Management:
- Support Program Directors in the execution of programs from initiation to closure, ensuring adherence to project management best practices.
- Allocate and manage program resources, including budgets, personnel, and equipment, to achieve program
- Monitor program progress, identify risks and issues, and implement appropriate mitigation
- Foster effective communication and collaboration among program teams, stakeholders, and senior
- Oversee internal Centers of Excellence to ensure continuous learning and application of best practices across key functions (Case Management, Training, Career Coaching, Data and Employer Engagement).
Stakeholder Engagement:
- Establish and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders, including employers, policy makers, program, and community partners.
- Collaborate with stakeholders to understand their needs and expectations and incorporate them into program plans and activities.
- Represent TE in the community; Regularly communicate program status, milestones, and risks to stakeholders, ensuring transparency and alignment.
Performance Monitoring and Reporting:
- Review performance metrics and measurement systems to track program progress and
- Prepare regular program status reports, highlighting key achievements, challenges, and recommended actions for senior management.
- Conduct post-program evaluations to identify lessons learned and areas for
QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor's degree in a relevant field (e.g., Business Administration, Social Work, Human Resources, Criminal Justice) or equivalent experience.
- At least 7 years’ experience in workforce development
- Demonstrated understanding of criminal justice reform and of the racial disparities generated by the current
- Proven experience in program management, including managing large-scale programs or
- Strong supervisory
- Strong understanding of project management methodologies and best
- Demonstrated networking and coalition building
- Experience working across workforce, economic development, and human services systems, and identifying opportunities for alignment and collaboration.
- Sound financial acumen, including budgeting, forecasting, and resource
- Experience in risk management and implementing risk mitigation
COMPETENCIES
This opportunity poses a unique opportunity to demonstrate leadership for the succession planning of the organization. Success in this position requires:
- Relationship Building - Builds and maintains effective relationships with all stakeholders, including staff and external individuals and organizations that can impact Towards Employment’s success and future. Outstanding ability to effectively communicate plans and desired outcomes.
- Problem Solving – Demonstrates ability to anticipate organizational needs and challenges, gather needed information, synthesize, and analyze sometimes disparate data, assess risk, make recommendations, and take decisive action.
- Emotional Intelligence – The ability to understand what motivates the team, and to lead with consideration of the whole employee; able to build rapport and maximize individual strengths while driving outcomes. Demonstrated ability to work with people from diverse cultural, socioeconomic, racial, and educational
- Managerial Courage – Actively engages in the thought leadership of the organization; seeks information, expresses informed opinions, and respectfully challenges status quo; provides feedback to others; takes action to the betterment of the organization.
- Intellectual Curiosity – Genuine interest in the models of work and ability to ask critical questions and challenge conventional thinking with a continuous improvement mindset.
- Social Justice Advocate – Passionate about promoting racial equity and inclusion at personal, organizational and systems level.
Success Coach - Manufacturing
Position: Success Coach – Manufacturing
Reports To: Senior Manager, Industry Partnerships
Make an Impact!
We are seeking to hire an experienced Success Coach to execute a customized employer partnership at a local manufacturer. Towards Employment is committed to supporting to low-income individuals preparing to enter the workforce or looking to advance from low-wage employment while also fulfilling the staffing needs of local employers. Our model provides wrap-around services that make a difference for individuals facing barriers to employment or while employed.
Build Strong Relationships:
The Success Coach works closely with, and is responsive to the needs of entry level employees by training and coaching them in employer expectations, career readiness, technical skills and ongoing engagement. In addition to working closely with entry level employees, the Success Coach will be a liaison to the manufacturer which serves as the sponsor and host for the program.
Qualifications:
Required Experience
- Minimum 3 years’ experience in workforce development or a related field • Experience working with adults with barriers to employment.
Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- Knowledge of manufacturing or other technical industry
- Knowledge of community resources in Greater Cleveland
- Excellent customer service skills
- Proven group facilitation and presentation skills
- Attention to detail, strong organizational, time management skills • Strong critical thinking skills
- Competency with Microsoft Office Suites
- Ability to work as a part of multiple teams
- Demonstration of initiative and creativity
Other Requirements:
We are looking for a Social Justice and Racial Equity Advocate – someone who is passionate about promoting racial equity and inclusion at personal, organizational and systems levels; Understands the concepts of institutional and structural racism and bias and their impact on underserved and underrepresented communities.
Must have reliable transportation, the ability to work non-traditional hours and auto insurance.
Young Adult Career Coach
Program: Young Adult Services – Out of School Youth (OSY)
Position: Career Coach
Reports To: Manager, YA Employment Services
Positions Supervised: None
BACKGROUND: Founded in 1976, Towards Employment is a non-profit leader in providing innovative solutions to move people out of poverty and into quality jobs. Towards Employment has gained local and national recognition for achieving excellent outcomes through the hard work of its dedicated staff of 60 and a $5 million annual budget. Towards Employment offers a continuum of support for individuals preparing to enter the workforce or looking to advance while also fulfilling the staffing needs of local employers.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES
Provides career coaching and support to the participants of young adult services pathway programming. This includes career exploration and guidance, work experience and / or credential training support, job search and ongoing retention support. Identify skill gaps and develop plans, including continuing education and work experience, to address these gaps to attain career goals. Work closely with other program staff to ensure that pre-employment barriers have been removed and to facilitate the job matching, retention, and advancement. Interface with participating employers for work experience development and support, and in conjunction with the program Work Experience Specialist and Employment Specialist.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
Individual Career Coaching
- Lead participants both individually and in groups through career exploration using the Ohio Career Information System.
- Review and incorporate labor market trends and needs of local employers to guide participants into long-term careers.
- Create a Personal Career Map with each program participant that includes education, training and work experience needed to attain career goals.
- Identify appropriate training providers; monitor and document success rates of training providers and make recommendations on training providers and programs.
- Supplement technical training with appropriate soft-skills/job-readiness content developed in conjunction with training team and integrated into technical program, as needed.
- Provide retention support to ensure that enrolled participants successfully complete their education or vocational training programs.
- Provide one-on-one career guidance and support during job search including resume development, interview preparation, and post-interview follow-up, and monitor progress in job search.
Employment Support
- Work with Work Experience Specialist to develop work experience sites and monitor all worksite placements. Worksite assessment will be completed to ensure appropriateness; worksite agreement prepared, and employer’s signature obtained; visits worksite weekly. Maintain documentation related to the monitoring of visits.
- Work with Employment Specialist to ensure developing jobs that match with enrolled YA interests.
- Once in permanent employment, maintain relationship with participants to ensure that they are succeeding on the job. This includes identifying and addressing potential barriers related to work/life balance, time management, transportation/clothing/housing/childcare issues; using the Case Manager as a resource as needed.
- Once employed, maintain relationships with program participants to ensure that they have successfully transitioned to employment, that their work-life barriers are addressed, and that they are continuing to make progress on their PCM.
- As necessary, provide career coaching services at the employer site.
- When possible, develop positive working relationships with employer partners to understand the working environment and gauge the level of service needed by employees.
- Attend program team and organization meetings as scheduled and offered professional development trainings.
Record Maintenance & Quality Assurance
- Maintain accurate participant files and records according to program guidelines.
- Document consistently and accurately within 48 hrs all participant and employer contact in both TE’s Commence and other data base systems as needed (ARIES including: attendance, case notes, hire information, employer contact information, performance and as necessary.
- Using internal database and other record keeping tools, input all case notes and service requests within 48 hours of service delivery.
- Perform all duties as assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS
- Minimum of a bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience; or combination of education and experienced
- 3 years’ work experience with career coaching, training and development, human resources, staffing agency and/or workforce development, or related field.
- Experience working with adults with barriers to employment; particular experience with adults who have been involved with the criminal justice system preferred.
- Experience working with employees and employers to support job retention and career advancement.
COMPETENCIES
- Demonstrated understanding of career exploration, mapping, and navigation.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Strong organizational, time management and problem-solving skills.
- Experience with data entry and strong attention to detail
- Ability to work independently, be flexible and dependable, and demonstrate initiative and creativity.
- Willingness to travel between facilities and Towards Employment to coordinate services for participants and attend relevant meetings.
- Strong presentation skills with both small and large groups.
- Must have proficiency with computers including Microsoft Office Products: Word, Power Point, Outlook, and Internet.
- Commitment to Towards Employment mission and core values.
WORK ENVIRONMENT
- Work is performed in an office setting. Some travel required.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS
- Must be able to remain in a stationary position 50%.
- Mobility to external sites 25%
Young Adult - Case Manager
Program: Young Adult Services – Out of School Youth (OSY)
Position: OSY Case Manager
Reports To: Manager, YA Case Management Services
Positions Supervised: None
ESSENTIAL DUTIES
Provides case management and support to the participants of Out of School Youth (OSY) career pathway program. This includes assessment, individual plan preparation and updates, assistance in removing barriers to employment, career exploration and navigation to appropriate services. Work closely with other program staff to ensure that pre-employment barriers are removed and to facilitate the job matching, education, training, retention, and advancement.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- To provide individualized case management
- In collaboration with team members, provide an extensive assessment of each participant, including career goals and employment readiness.
- To develop with the participant a service strategy which includes a goal plan/individual opportunity plan.
- To maintain accurate participant files and records according to program guidelines
- Provide assistance and referral to resources for barrier removal.
- Provide and process supportive service requests and associated documentation.
- Monitor participant progress during career readiness program according to the established procedures.
Individual Case Management
- Conduct case management discussion and assessment with assigned participants to assess career readiness, strengths and skills, interest, and barriers to be addressed. Determine if candidate for First Step or direct engagement into career readiness workshop. Individual success plan developed to include goals and next steps.
- Develop positive relationships with program participants.
- Provide information and referral, accessing community resources to help participants address their barriers.
- Provide case management preventing and eliminating barriers related to work/life balance, time management, substance use/relapse, criminal activity, and transportation/clothing/housing issues.
- Ensure proper assessment documentation for performance measurement and contract compliance are in each file.
- Provide at a minimum, weekly contact throughout the workshop phase of career readiness; work with Career Coach to ensure continued contact until employment is stabilized for six months.
- Work closely with other team members, communicating regularly with assigned career coach, attending training and team meetings, etc.
Career Readiness Support
- Work closely with trainer and Employment Specialist to communicate existing barriers and barrier resolution plans for each workshop participant as needed.
- Work with the Career Coach to ensure PCM is finalized before workshop completion.
Retention and Follow-up
- Provide case management for participants at specified intervals to assist in the continued prevention and elimination of barriers to successful employment/advancement.
- Continue to provide information and referral access to community resources to help participants address identified barriers which may hinder successful employment.
Record Maintenance & Quality Assurance
- Maintain accurate participant files and records according to program guidelines.
- Using internal database and other record keeping tools, input all case notes and service requests within 48 hours of service delivery.
- Other duties as assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor’s degree in social work or relevant degree or equivalent through combination of experience and education
- Minimum 3 years’ experience in similar field/position.
- Knowledge and experience working with adults with barriers to employment; experience with adults who have been involved with the criminal justice system preferred.
- Excellent relationship building and customer service skills to keep participants engaged in program services.
- Demonstrated understanding of community resources and how to access them.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Strong organizational, time management and problem-solving skills.
- Experience with data entry and strong attention to detail.
- Ability to work independently, be flexible and dependable, and demonstrate initiative and creativity.
- Willingness to travel between facilities and Towards Employment to coordinate services for participants and attend relevant meetings.
- Strong presentation skills with both small and large groups.
- Must have proficiency with computers including Microsoft Office Products: Word, Power Point, Outlook, and Internet.
- Commitment to Towards Employment mission and core values.
WORK ENVIRONMENT
- Work is performed in an office setting. Some travel required.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS
- Must be able to remain in a stationary position 75%.
Competencies
Success in this position also requires:
- Continuous Improvement – Committed to learning, development, assessment, and measurement to continuously improve.
- Coaching Capacity – Ability to provide guidance and to support the advancement of others.
- Team Builder – Leads others through collaboration, influence, and managerial strength.
- Social Justice Advocate – Passionate about promoting racial equity and inclusion at personal, organizational and systems level.
- Growth Mindset – Embraces a culture of continuous learning and a can-do attitude, readily adapts to change, is intellectually curious and a critical thinker.
Don't see your fit?
We are always looking for passionate talent! Send us a general application using the form below.
Internship Opportunities
Towards Employment also has internship opportunities available for students in all program areas, including development and marketing, policy, administrative, outreach, etc. If you are interested in discussing a possible internship experience please contact us at info@towardsemployment.org with a copy of your resume.