Employment Specialist, Basic Food Employment and Training

What You'll Do
Help people turn their strengths into opportunities. This full-time position offers meaningful work supporting individuals as they build skills, explore career paths, and take their next steps toward employment.
Based in Seattle and serving King County, the BFET Employment Specialist uses coaching, relationship-building, and organizational skills to help participants identify their strengths, develop employment goals, and navigate job searches and training opportunities. You will provide individual guidance, facilitate workshops, and connect participants with resources that help them overcome barriers and move forward.
You will also build relationships with employers and community partners, coordinate referrals with the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS), and maintain accurate records and reports that support effective program delivery.
This role is well suited to someone who enjoys connecting with people, recognizes that success looks different for each participant, and brings both encouragement and practical follow-through to their work. It is an opportunity to see the impact of your efforts while helping participants build greater economic stability.
This is a full-time position working 40 hours per week, with onsite work based in Seattle and services focused on King County. Occasional local travel is required to community partner locations, WorkSource offices, college campuses, housing programs, employer sites, job and resource fairs, and other YWCA locations in King and Snohomish counties.

Expectations of your role:

- Recruit, interview, screen, enroll, and orient eligible Basic Food recipients to the BFET program.

- Receive referrals from DSHS and determine participants’ eligibility for program services.

- Conduct outreach to DSHS, college partners, and community service providers to build referral relationships and connect eligible individuals with services.

- Assess participants’ job readiness, career interests, occupational training needs, and barriers to employment.

- Work with participants to develop realistic, individualized employment and education goals and monitor their progress.

- Provide individual job search assistance, including resume and cover letter development, interview preparation, and guidance on workplace expectations and communication.

- Facilitate program orientations and job readiness workshops that help participants build confidence and practical employment skills.

- Connect participants with appropriate education and occupational training programs and coordinate training arrangements as applicable.

- Coordinate supportive services and community referrals to address barriers to training, job searches, and employment.

- Develop relationships with employers to identify job opportunities and support participant placement.

- Provide follow-up after placement to support job retention, wage progression, financial literacy, and time management.

- Collaborate with the Work$ Team, YWCA Economic Advancement staff, BFET partners, and the WorkSource system to coordinate services.

- Maintain accurate and timely participant files, document services and progress, and enter required information into e-JAS.

- Complete monthly and quarterly data and narrative reports on participant demographics, services, and program outcomes.

- Apply YWCA’s social justice and antiracism principles in daily work, recognizing how racism, sexism, classism, and other forms of oppression intersect with poverty and employment barriers.

- Treat participants, staff, volunteers, employers, and community partners with respect and dignity.

- Follow Volunteer Services protocols when volunteers support program activities.

Must have's to be successful:

- One to two years of experience in employment services, case management, community services, or a related field. Relevant education and transferable experience will be considered.

- Ability to provide supportive, participant-centered guidance to people facing employment barriers.

- Commitment to YWCA’s mission, racial equity, and working respectfully with diverse communities.

- Strong communication, customer service, and organizational skills, with attention to accurate records and follow-through.

- Basic proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook and willingness to learn program databases.

- Ability to manage priorities within a 40-hour workweek and travel locally as needed.

· Familiarity with King County resources, WorkSource, or BFET is helpful but not required.

Hours, Rate, and Benefits

- Hourly Rate: $28.00

- Hours: 40 Hours per week

- Excellent benefits package including medical insurance, retirement plan, plus generous vacation, holiday, and sick leave plans. For more information about our benefits, please visit: YWCA Careers & Benefits Information (https://www.ywcaworks.org/careers)

- At the time of hire, employees may enroll voluntarily in the Fidelity 403b Plan

- After two years of employment, employees are eligible to participate in the YWCA Retirement Fund

Physical Requirements

- #### The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an individual to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. In performing this position, the employee:
- All positions at YWCA Seattle | King | Snohomish are exposed to clients who have experienced or are experiencing trauma in various forms including but not limited to domestic violence, sexual violence, homelessness, unemployment, financial hardship, etc. As a result, staff are at risk of secondary trauma. Employees are encouraged to seek external support and maintain self-care when working indirectly or directly with clients.

- Regularly communicate with participants, coworkers, employers, and community partners in person and by phone.

- Sit, stand, walk, and move between offices and community locations.

- Use a computer, telephone, and other office equipment to document services, communicate, and prepare materials.

- Read participant records and program information and perform computer work.

- Frequently lift and carry paperwork, files, and training materials weighing up to 5 pounds and occasionally lift and carry materials weighing up to 40 pounds.

- Occasionally bend, kneel, reach, push, and pull when accessing files or supplies.

- Occasionally stand for extended periods while facilitating workshops or attending job fairs.

*Continuously = Over 80% of the time *Frequently = 20-80% * Occasionally = Under 20%

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YWCA encourages applicants with a variety of experiences to apply!
At YWCA, we recognize that lived expertise is a powerful asset. This refers to the insights, knowledge, and skills developed by those who have navigated systems and experienced inequity.

Valuing lived expertise helps build trust with program participants, develop culturally responsive programs, and break down barriers to equity. It enriches our collective understanding and enhances our ability to serve communities that are furthest from opportunity.

Mental Health Considerations
All employees of the YWCA interact with clients who have experienced or are experiencing trauma in various forms, including but not limited to, racial trauma, domestic violence, sexual violence, homelessness, unemployment, and financial hardship. As a result, employees are at risk of secondary trauma. We encourage employees to seek support inside and outside the workplace and maintain self-care routines.

Equal Opportunity Employment
YWCA Seattle King Snohomish is an Equal Opportunity Employer.  To read more about this, view the EEO is the Law Poster and this EEO is the Law Poster Supplement.

For more information
Contact us at [email protected] with any questions or if you need accommodation for your application.