Employment Specialist

About Beyond Literacy (BeLit)

Beyond Literacy (BeLit) is Philadelphia’s leading adult literacy and career readiness nonprofit, serving over 1,500 striving adults annually through free workforce and education programs including a registered pre-apprenticeship program, pre-employment test-prep classes, and integrated education and training.

We believe education and job training must lead to opportunity — and opportunity must lead to family-sustaining wages.

Job Summary

Reporting to the Workforce Development Manager, the Employment Specialist will play a pivotal role in advancing BeLit’s workforce development and employment goals by connecting adult learners to advanced training, apprenticeships, and family-sustaining employment. This hybrid role blends career readiness support with employer engagement, ensuring adult students develop the job search skills needed to connect to advanced training programs, apprenticeships, and family-sustaining employment. The Specialist will provide career counseling, job readiness coaching, and cultivate and maintain employer and community partnerships that create strong pipelines to employment.

Success in this role will be measured by strong employer partnerships, job placements, and learner transitions into training and employment. The role will require some evening availability (1–2 nights per week) and travel to partner sites and employer events.

Key Responsibilities

Employer & Partner Engagement

• Build and manage relationships with employers, unions, and workforce partners — especially in energy, green jobs, and other high-demand sectors.
• Host and participate in hiring fairs, employer panels, and networking events to connect adult students to career opportunities.
• Maintain ongoing communication with employers to align training and job readiness with hiring needs.
• Collaborate with the workforce team to expand workforce programming and employment pipelines.

Apprenticeship and Advanced Training Search Support

• Provide one-on-one and group support on career readiness, including resumes, cover letters, LinkedIn profiles, job applications, interviewing (with STAR techniques), and soft skill development.
• Conduct career assessments to identify strengths, barriers, interests, and pathways; help students create and track progress on career maps and action plans.
• Set clear goals, tasks, and timelines with students and hold them accountable to progress toward employment or advanced training.
• Guide students through transitions to training programs, apprenticeships, and employment, including application and financial aid support.
• Maintain proactive communication and support for program graduates to ensure retention and long-term employment success.

Program Development & Data

• Track and document work eligibility, student progress, outcomes, and employer partnerships using BeLit’s data systems (Salesforce and MS Office 365).
• Provide stories, data, and impact measures to support grant reporting and workforce development proposals.
• Stay informed on industry trends, workforce board initiatives, and local hiring needs to inform program design and sustainability.

Qualifications

• Associate’s degree required; bachelor's degree in human resources, business administration, management/leadership, education, or related field preferred.
• Experience working directly with employers, job training programs, or apprenticeship programs with a focus on employment outcomes.
• Experience supporting workforce programs connected to construction, green jobs, infrastructure, utility maintenance, or other high-demand skilled trades sectors preferred.
• Experience working with adults, especially from low-income or immigrant communities, strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to set clear expectations, follow through on commitments, and hold adult students accountable to their goals.
• Excellent relationship-building, negotiation, and communication skills (written, verbal, and presentation).
• Strong organizational, analytical, and time management skills with the ability to balance multiple priorities.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite; Salesforce/CRM experience a plus.
• Passion for adult workforce development; culturally competent, solution-oriented, and motivated to help students achieve lasting success.

Strong Candidates Will Have: Experience that includes direct employer engagement, job placement, or workforce partnership development. Candidates with primarily classroom or case management experience should be able to demonstrate how they have supported employment outcomes.

Work Environment

• Full-time, primarily onsite, with limited hybrid flexibility (1–2 remote days per week depending on program needs).
• Some evening and occasional weekend work required.
• Weekly travel between BeLit campuses, employer sites, and partner organizations.

Benefits

• Generous Paid Time Off (PTO) bank.
• Paid Holidays including Winter Break.
• Choice of 3 Independence Blue Cross Health insurance plans (individual base policy monthly cost is 100% employer-paid) as well as optional dental and vision policies (monthly costs are 100% employer-paid for individuals).
• Flexible Savings Accounts for medical and dependent care expenses.
• Employer-paid life, disability, and accident insurance; additional voluntary life insurance available, including dependent coverage.
• Employee Assistance Program (100% employer-paid for individuals).
• Access to a network of mental health care resources through Tava Health.
• 401K with quarterly employer contributions (no match required).
• Health Reimbursement Plan to cover co-pays of mental health services up to $500 per employee annually.
• Paid parental leave program.

How to Apply

Applicants must provide a resume, cover letter, and at least two references (combined as one PDF or as separate attachments). Applicants must complete the pre-screening questionnaire.

Applications without a resume, cover letter, and completed questionnaire will NOT be considered.

Please address the cover letter to the Workforce Development Manager.