Comprehensive Case Manager Specialist

Organization and Program Overview

Access Connections to Success (ACTS Career Center) connects individuals with employment opportunities and job training in Southaven, Mississippi, and Memphis, Tennessee. This position supports assigned ACTS workforce development programs and helps participants address barriers to employment and progress toward economic stability. Assignments may include ION (Increasing Opportunities Now), a U.S. Department of Labor-funded program serving justice-involved youth and young adults ages 18–24. ION-specific eligibility, curriculum, service, and reporting requirements apply when the Specialist is assigned to ION.

Position Summary

The Comprehensive Case Manager Specialist provides integrated participant services from outreach and recruitment through enrollment, individualized case management, workforce preparation, job development, placement, and employment retention. The Specialist manages an assigned caseload while also identifying and engaging prospective participants, cultivating employer relationships, matching participants to opportunities, coordinating interviews and placements, and supporting participants and employers after hire. The position uses strengths-based, trauma-informed practices; coordinates referrals and supportive services; and maintains timely, accurate records and outcome evidence. This is an individual-contributor position with no supervisory responsibilities.

Essential Responsibilities

1. Outreach, Recruitment, Intake, and Enrollment

Conduct outreach and recruitment to identify prospective participants through approved community organizations, justice-system partners, schools, service providers, workforce partners, and other referral sources.

Explain program eligibility, services, participation expectations, available supports, and applicable requirements accurately and respectfully.

Respond to inquiries, follow up on referrals, maintain a record of outreach and recruitment contacts, and support prospective participants through the application and enrollment process.

Conduct intake, gather eligibility evidence and required consent forms, review documentation for completeness, and route enrollment recommendations or unresolved eligibility questions for authorized review.

Track recruitment activity, referral sources, applications, eligibility determinations, enrollment conversion, and reasons prospective participants do not enroll; adjust outreach approaches with the Coordinator as appropriate.

Build trust with prospective participants through respectful, strengths-based, trauma-informed engagement and timely follow-up.

2. Assessment and Individualized Case Management

Assess participant career interests, skills, education, employment history, strengths, and barriers, including transportation, childcare, housing, identification, legal obligations, and other needs affecting employment.

Develop Individual Success Plans (ISPs) collaboratively with participants, identifying employment and career goals, service needs, measurable milestones, responsibilities, and review dates.

Manage an assigned caseload; schedule participant contacts, monitor progress, and update assessments and ISPs when needs, employment status, or program participation changes.

Maintain regular contact with participants, monitor attendance and milestone completion, respond to missed appointments and disengagement risks, and document outreach attempts and next steps.

Identify complex needs, service complaints, or safety concerns and consult the Case Management Coordinator promptly. Refer clinical needs to qualified providers and follow established escalation procedures.

Use participant-centered, strengths-based, and trauma-informed practices while maintaining professional boundaries and respecting participant choice, privacy, and dignity.

3. Supportive Services and Community Referrals

Identify service needs and coordinate referrals to education, training, transportation, housing, childcare, identification, legal resources, and other community services that support employment and stability.

Follow up on referrals to determine whether services were accessed, document unmet needs and next steps, and coordinate with providers as permitted by participant consent and program procedures.

Prepare supportive-service requests with required documentation and submit them through approved authorization procedures; communicate approved assistance, limits, and next steps accurately.

Coordinate with community agencies, workforce partners, training providers, and justice-system partners to reduce service gaps and avoid unnecessary duplication.

4. Workforce Readiness, Career Coaching, and Training Support

Coach participants on resumes, job applications, interview preparation, career goals, workplace expectations, professional communication, attendance, conflict resolution, and employment-related problem solving.

Facilitate or coordinate job-readiness workshops and employment preparation activities as assigned.

Deliver approved employment-focused cognitive behavioral curriculum only after completing required program training and receiving authorization; follow the approved curriculum and refer clinical needs to qualified providers.

Coordinate with instructors and training providers to monitor attendance, credential progress, completion milestones, and support needs.

Help participants identify realistic career pathways, required credentials, advancement opportunities, and steps toward long-term employment and economic stability.

5. Employer Engagement and Job Development

Identify, contact, and cultivate relationships with employers whose job opportunities align with participant skills, interests, readiness, training, and career goals, including employers willing to consider qualified justice-involved applicants.

Explain ACTS/ION services and the potential value of participating in a workforce partnership; maintain professional, responsive communication with employer contacts.

Gather and document information about job openings, duties, qualifications, schedules, starting wages when available, required credentials, hiring steps, and background-screening criteria when voluntarily and appropriately provided.

Maintain an organized employer and job-opportunity pipeline; document employer contacts, job leads, referrals, interviews, offers, hiring decisions, and placement outcomes in approved systems.

Match participants to suitable openings, prepare participants for hiring requirements, coordinate referrals and interviews, and follow up with employers and participants on next steps.

Coordinate hiring events, workplace tours, mock interviews, and other employer-engagement activities with ACTS staff and partners.

Share only relevant participant information with employers and other partners in accordance with participant consent, confidentiality requirements, and approved information-sharing practices.

6. Placement, Employment Retention, and Advancement

Support participants through job offers, hiring requirements, onboarding, and the transition into employment; obtain and document placement evidence required by the assigned program.

Conduct timely post-placement follow-up with participants and, when authorized and appropriate, employers during the program's required follow-up period.

Monitor employment status, attendance, workplace adjustment, job changes, advancement interests, and supportive-service needs; record contacts and outcomes in required systems.

Help participants address retention barriers such as transportation, schedule conflicts, workplace communication, professionalism, conflict resolution, and understanding employer expectations.

Develop practical intervention and re-engagement steps when a participant is at risk of losing employment, experiences a job separation, or stops responding to follow-up attempts; consult the Coordinator when additional support is needed.

Support career advancement and employment stabilization by connecting participants with additional training, credentials, services, and suitable opportunities.

Maintain respectful employer relationships and seek appropriate feedback to resolve workplace concerns without disclosing confidential participant information.

7. Documentation, Outcomes, and Program Compliance

Maintain accurate, timely, and confidential records of eligibility, consent, assessments, ISPs, participant contacts, services, referrals, supportive-service requests, recruitment, employer engagement, job matches, interviews, placements, and retention.

Enter information in approved databases and shared systems, including Salesforce or other systems used by ACTS; reconcile discrepancies and correct file deficiencies by assigned deadlines.

Obtain and document evidence for enrollment, service delivery, training and credential completion, employment placement, and retention; escalate unverified outcomes rather than recording unsupported results.

Submit caseload updates, activity logs, and reporting inputs by required deadlines; monitor due dates and outstanding participant actions.

Participate in case conferences, staff meetings, training, monitoring activities, and file reviews; complete agreed follow-up actions and comply with applicable grant requirements and ACTS procedures.

Protect confidential information, follow consent and data-sharing rules, and promptly report service complaints, safety concerns, or confidentiality incidents through established channels.

Required Qualifications

Master's degree in Human Services, Social Work, Counseling, Public Administration, Criminal Justice, or a related field.

At least two years of relevant experience in case management, workforce development, reentry services, job development, recruitment, employment retention, or related social services.

Demonstrated experience serving individuals facing employment barriers. Experience serving justice-involved youth and young adults is required for an ION assignment.

Ability to manage a caseload while conducting outreach, building employer relationships, supporting job placement, and completing timely post-placement follow-up.

Skills in participant assessment, individualized planning, community referrals, career coaching, employer communication, group facilitation, and case documentation.

Ability to organize competing priorities, follow program procedures, meet deadlines, and communicate professionally with participants, employers, and community partners.

Proficiency with Google Workspace or comparable office software, spreadsheets, and participant databases such as Salesforce or other systems used by ACTS.

Sound judgment, discretion, professional boundaries, and respect for people from varied backgrounds.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience with U.S. Department of Labor-funded or other grant-funded workforce programs and performance reporting.

Experience developing employer relationships, matching candidates to openings, recruiting participants, or supporting employment retention.

Training in trauma-informed practices, motivational interviewing, de-escalation, or approved employment-focused cognitive behavioral curricula.

Knowledge of area community resources, second-chance employment, career assessments, and labor market information.

Core Competencies

Participant-centered case management; outreach and recruitment; career coaching; employer relationship building; job matching and placement; employment retention support; clear communication; documentation accuracy; confidentiality; sound judgment; problem solving; and dependable follow-through.

Working Conditions and Essential Functions

Work occurs in office, training, community, partner, and employer settings. Local travel between assigned sites and occasional evening or weekend activities may be required.

Regular duties include computer use, maintaining records, conducting individual and group meetings, and moving between assigned service locations. Essential functions may be performed with reasonable accommodation.

Maintain professional boundaries, use approved safety and escalation procedures, and remain composed when working with participants experiencing difficult circumstances.

Grant Funding and Role Changes

When funded in whole or in part by a grant, this position is contingent upon the release, availability, and continuation of funding. Responsibilities and assignments may change with program needs and funding requirements. This description summarizes the primary duties of the role and is not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities.