Employment Guidance Officer

Salary

Salary – LP Officer level starting point circa €39,000 - €45,000 DOE

Role Purpose

The Employment Guidance Officer (EGO) is required to work as part of a staff team implementing objectives and actions as set out in Dublin City Community Local Area Employment Services’ (DCCLAES) Annual Programme of Work. The purpose of the role is to facilitate and assist clients of the service to secure employment, training, or education that matches their skills, abilities, and personal circumstances.

Duties of the Role

The duties of the Employment Guidance Officer (EGO) are to work as part of the DCCLAES staff team in the delivery of the Local Area Employment Service (LAES), initially in the D8 delivery centre, but with the flexibility to work across all 4 locations (D1, D8, D10 & D12) within Dublin City.

The role will involve utilising adult guidance techniques to develop and plan individual career progression routes for unemployed clients which, having assessed the client’s current employability status, indicates concrete actions that need to be taken to secure employment or progress on to training and education programmes.

Taking into consideration the client’s starting point from an adult guidance perspective, key duties include:

• To be both creative and dynamic in reaching out to and engaging adults who are particularly distanced from labour market opportunities.

• Be able to deliver bespoke employability programmes that engage and motivate young people.

• To work on an individual and group basis delivering one-to-one guidance and bespoke employability and personal development supports orientated towards promoting the value of labour market participation.

• To co-ordinate and manage the realisation of the client’s progression route, ensuring that the relevant agencies provide the necessary progression supports.

• To manage a caseload of 100 clients, providing the appropriate support, advice, and guidance relating to employment, training, and career options.

• To make and track referrals internally to programmes such as SICAP, Tús, Sláintecare Healthy Communities, and family support where required.

• To identify, refer, and track referrals to external support programmes, e.g. Solas, ETB, and other vocational training programmes, support agencies, e.g. addiction services.

• To source access pathways for young people into apprenticeships and traineeships.

• To play an advocacy role with respect to working with job vacancies, statutory labour market programmes, training, education, and self-employment opportunities on behalf of clients.

• In co-operation with the service delivery team, assist in identifying issues that arise in the course of service delivery with a view to establishing alternative progression routes into employment.

• To provide an aftercare service to both clients and employers, with a focus on sustaining employment placements.

• To work towards and reach set objectives, targets, and key performance indicators.

• Collate, monitor, and present statistical information on participant and programme outcomes and ensure all programme participants are tracked.

• Generate progression reports on an agreed basis.

• Ensure all programmes and participants are registered on required CRM systems.

• To effectively manage a DSP’s computerised client caseload system to ensure that the appropriate tracking mechanisms are in place.

• Adhere to Professional Standards and Code of Ethics in the Company.

• Undertake other duties and responsibilities as may be assigned.

Person Specification

Qualifications

The person appointed will have a relevant third level qualification in adult guidance or a related social science discipline achieved at level 7 or above on the QQI National Framework of Qualifications.

Knowledge & Expertise

The Employment Guidance Officer should be able to demonstrate experience and expertise in the following areas:

Essential:

• Minimum of 2 years’ experience working in a relevant professional field.

• Must have experience of working directly with adults in a developmental role such as adult guidance, social care, adult education, recruitment sector, or related area.

• Must have knowledge and understanding of the factors impacting on unemployed individuals seeking work.

• Must demonstrate an understanding and commitment to social inclusion and adult guidance practices.

Desirable:

• Experience in the use of assistive tools such as aptitude and interest inventories, personal development tools, e.g. Outcome Star, distance travelled tools, or similar.

• Knowledge of apprenticeship opportunities, access, and support pathways.

• Understanding of welfare to work financial supports.

• Must have experience of establishing contact and developing referral relationships with key stakeholders, e.g. employers, ETB, HSE, health and wellbeing services, and support agencies such as women’s aid, disability and migrant support services, and other sector stakeholders.

Skills & Competencies

The Employment Guidance Officer should be:

• Able to work sensitively and in an empowering way in an employment guidance setting.

• Able to demonstrate a commitment to assuring high standards of professional practice.

• Competent in group-based facilitation, delivery systems, and adult learning methodologies.

• Be competent in a variety of interviewing techniques, e.g. motivational, informational, narrative, or equivalent.

• Capable as a career coach and able to apply cognitive behavioural techniques to assist clients to self-progress and sustain progress.

• Computer literate in dealing with standard MS Word and data processing, spreadsheet, and CRM packages.

• Confident and capable in engaging with employers of a range of sizes and with varying recruitment needs.

Character & Personal Qualities

• Be passionate about learning, creative, and forward thinking.

• Able to work in a self-directed dynamic manner and to develop good working relationships with all stakeholders.

• Be flexible and be prepared to work in any of the four designated centres of delivery (D1, D8, D10 & D12).

• Appreciative of the main social, economic, and environmental issues currently affecting the sector.

• Fair, impartial, and open to new ideas and information.

• Be a role model for lifelong learning and continuous professional development.