Job Development Specialist

Join an empowered team that is making a difference in our community!

Are you passionate about equity, inclusion, and helping others succeed? As a Job Development Specialist I, you’ll be a changemaker supporting people with disabilities as they discover meaningful careers and partnering with local businesses to create more inclusive workplaces.

This is an ideal role for someone launching a career in Social Work, Human Services, or DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion)—or for someone ready to refocus their experience toward making a real impact in their community. You'll gain hands-on experience in disability employment services, build deep relationships, and see the direct results of your work every day.

You’ll be on the move, building relationships with business partners in our service areas, so having reliable transportation is required. We have regional teams in Snohomish County, the Seattle area, South King County, Eastside, and in Pierce County. Caseloads are built to serve one region, though all staff are expected to be able to commute to other regions to provide support as needed. Staff must be able to support any participant at any shift as needed. 

This is a full-time, weekday position (Monday–Friday, typical business hours), with occasional evening or weekend flexibility based on participant or employer needs.

We’ll provide thorough training in the three-step process of Discovery, Job Development, and Follow-along Coaching. Once training is complete, employees will be eligible to be promoted to a higher paid position, earning $26.12 or $27.44 per hour.

This position is primarily focused on the Job Development phase. When you first meet a participant, you’ll spend some time with them on Discovery until you have a good sense of what their ideal job match would be. Then, most of your time will be spent on Job Development until a job is developed. You may need to coach the participant on the new job until they are moved to an Employment Consultant’s caseload. A small portion of your time may be spent supporting the team with coverage. Most of your time will be spent Job Developing out in the community.

About Us

PROVAIL was founded in 1942 by parents of children with cerebral palsy. They created some of the first community services for individuals with cerebral palsy and other severe disabilities in the area. Our mission is supporting people with disabilities to fulfill their life choices. We help people decide how they want to live their life in the community and then provide the support services they need to act on those choices. We are one of the state’s largest private, multi-service agencies dedicated to meeting the needs of children and adults with all types of disabilities.

What we offer:

• Competitive pay, $23.33-$24.50 per hour, DOE
• Comprehensive medical, dental, vision insurance with highly subsidized employer contribution for the employee. Dependent coverage for qualified family members is available.
• Employer Funded Health Reimbursement Account (HRA) when enrolled in a medical plan.
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) - Health Care and Dependent Care
• Employee Assistance Program
• 104 hours paid vacation plus incremental increases based on years of service
• Twelve paid personal holidays
• 403(b) retirement plan
• Referral bonus program
• Monthly cell phone stipend and mileage reimbursement
• Extensive paid training and professional development opportunities

What you’ll do:

Individualized Career Support

• Manage a caseload and maintain required monthly service hours.
• Develop person-centered employment plans that reflect participants’ interests, skills, and goals.
• Conduct discovery to explore participants’ skills and interests and observe participants in familiar and novel settings to get a clear idea of parameters needed for a job.
• Conduct vocational assessments as appropriate to determine individual learning styles, skills, and job preferences.
• Develop marketing materials
• Build relationships with new business partners that match participants’ interests.
• Provide on-the-job support and coaching, using strengths-based and trauma-informed strategies.
• Monitor progress and celebrate success—big and small.

Employer Engagement & Job Development

• Identify and cultivate relationships with inclusive employers across industries.
• Networking with businesses 
• Touring businesses
• Identifying decision makers at businesses and building and maintaining relationships with them.
• Match job seekers with roles that are meaningful and sustainable.
• Support employers in creating natural supports and accommodations that help employees succeed.

Collaboration & Documentation

• Work closely with families, guardians, funders, and other support professionals to ensure wraparound success.
• Maintain accurate, timely documentation using cloud-based tools on a smartphone or company Chromebook.

Other Responsibilities

This is a direct service position and most services need to be provided in person. Staff are expected to provide 70% - 80% of services in person and 20% - 30% of hours worked may be completed remotely, depending on the needs of the assigned caseload. 

Scheduled hours breakdown:

In person work (Discovery + JD + Coaching) = 70 - 80% of your work time

Remote work (Record Keeping + team meetings + some travel) = 20 - 30% of your work time

• Must be able  to travel between work sites, attend off-site meetings, and efficiently meet with clients and business partners in the community as required to fulfill job responsibilities.
• Creating and maintaining safe, supportive environments that honor emotional and physical boundaries.
• Other duties as assigned.

What you'll bring:

• At least 1 year of experience in employment services, social work, education, disability services, workforce development, or a related field.
• OR a bachelor’s degree in a related field in place of experience.
• Reliable transportation
• Lived experience and experience working with individuals with disabilities in a community setting is preferred.

Required Skills & Abilities:

Communication Excellence: Ability to communicate clearly, respectfully, and professionally—both verbally and in writing—with a wide range of internal and external partners, including job seekers, families, employers, coworkers, community partners, and funders. Skilled at adapting communication style to meet the needs of different audiences and situations.

Cultural Competency and Humility: Commitment to equitable, inclusive, and respectful practices in all interactions. Demonstrates openness to learning from diverse cultural perspectives, lived experiences, and communication styles.

Ethical Judgment and Professional Boundaries: Consistently upholds confidentiality, ethical standards, and professional boundaries. Builds and maintains supportive relationships while safeguarding the emotional and physical well-being of others.

Dependability and Collaboration: Reliable in meeting deadlines, following organizational protocols, and following through on commitments. Receptive to feedback and willing to adjust practices for growth. Shares information, resources, and credit generously with colleagues.

Values-Driven Practice: Models PROVAIL’s mission and values through empathy, active listening, accountability, and teamwork. Promotes a strengths-based, person-centered approach in supporting participants and engaging with the community.

Technology Proficiency: Comfortable using Microsoft Office (Windows environment), Google Workspace, and other digital tools to manage information, track progress, collaborate with team members, and support service delivery.

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described below are representative of those required to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.

This role requires the ability to sit, stand, and/or walk for extended periods, communicate effectively with others verbally & in writing, lift and carry items up to 25 pounds, and operate computer hardware and related systems. The position also requires sufficient visual and hearing abilities to perform job duties safely and effectively, including close and distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, ability to adjust focus, and the ability to hear and respond to verbal communication and environmental sounds.

WORKING CONDITIONS

Work involves frequent interaction with people in dynamic and, at times, unpredictable situations. Employees must be able to assess and adapt in real time.

• Engage in and respond to difficult or sensitive conversations with participants, residents, clients, family members, coworkers, supervisors, and external partners.
• Maintain clear, consistent, and professional boundaries, even in emotionally charged situations.
  Navigate ambiguity, competing needs, and changing priorities.
• Demonstrate emotional regulation, sound judgment, and professionalism under stress.
• Acknowledge that discomfort may occur and remain effective while upholding organizational values and expectations.
• Adherence to all agency safety protocols, including infection control, incident reporting, and emergency response procedures.
• Participation in required trainings (e.g., de-escalation, CPR/First Aid, workplace safety).
• Use of personal protective equipment (PPE) as required by role or setting.

PROVAIL is committed to diversity & inclusion and continually working to build an organizational culture and climate in which every voice is valued, staff have a sense of belonging and connection with one another and to the organization, and staff feel empowered to do their best work. We specifically encourage people of color, individuals who identify as LGBTQ and individuals with disabilities to apply for this position.

PROVAIL is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Similar job titles: Social Work, Special Education, Human Services, Transition Services, Job Placement Specialist, Employment Consultant, Employment Specialist, Job Coach, Education careers