Customized Employment Specialist
Full-Time, Permanent | Tri-Cities, BC
Open Door Group (ODG), a mission-driven non-profit organization serving communities across British Columbia and Alberta, is looking for a Customized Employment Specialist to join our team!
Wage: $33.49 to $35.31 per hour, Grid 34 (Health Sciences Association, Community Bargaining Association)
Status: Full-Time, Permanent
Schedule: This position has flex-time scheduling, with employees working 72 hours over a two-week period. Flexibility is required to work evenings or weekends as needed to best meet the needs of clients.
Location: Community outreach in the Tri-Cities area (Port Moody, Port Coquitlam and Coquitlam), with a home office. This is a highly community-based role, with much of the work taking place with clients, employers and community partners outside of the office.
As a secondary work location, you will be expected to attend any of the Open Door Group locations in the Vancouver area as needed.
Internal Posting Closing Date: October 26, 2027
Your Role
The Customized Employment Specialist supports individuals who may not be well served by traditional employment approaches to pursue meaningful employment, build independence, achieve personal goals and increase their connection to their communities.
This position may support the delivery of CLBC Employment Servicces provided by Open Door Group in the Tri-Cities area. Depending on client needs, supports focus on meaningful employment as well as learning, independence, community participation and other goals that contribute to a fulfilling and self-directed life.
This isn't a traditional, desk-based employment counselling role. Much of your work will happen in the community. You'll spend time getting to know people through conversation, activities and observation; exploring their strengths, interests and goals; supporting participation in the community; building relationships with employers and community partners; and providing hands-on support as individuals work toward outcomes that are meaningful to them.
For clients pursuing employment, you'll use the Discovery process to understand their strengths, interests, abilities, employment needs and ideal conditions for success. This can include interviewing and observing clients and gathering information from families, care providers and other members of their support network.
Using what you learn through Discovery, you'll explore possibilities in the community and build relationships with employers. Rather than simply matching someone to an existing job posting, you'll learn about workplaces, understand employers' needs and identify opportunities to carve or create positions that work for both the job seeker and employer. You may also provide job coaching and ongoing workplace support to help individuals build skills, independence and sustainable employment.
Your day may include meeting a client in the community as part of Discovery, connecting with families or support networks, reaching out to an employer or community partner, visiting a workplace to learn about an employer's needs, providing job coaching at a worksite, or documenting client progress and managing your caseload.
This role is a great fit for someone who is curious, creative and relationship-oriented, enjoys being out in the community, and can see strengths and possibilities where others might not. You'll need to be comfortable building trusting relationships with clients, working independently in the community and connecting with employers, families, support networks and community partners.
The people you support may have developmental disabilities, autism, FASD, mental health challenges, substance use concerns, health conditions, unstable housing or other personal or systemic barriers. Success in this role requires empathy, flexibility, strong professional boundaries and a respectful, non-judgmental approach.
The successful candidate will have flexibility in their scheduled hours of work and the ability to travel throughout the day to accommodate the needs and schedules of clients.
Please see the full job description for a detailed description of the responsibilities included in this position. Full posting and job description are available here: Careers at Open Door Group.
Why Open Door Group?
Champion of Great Workplaces:
ODG proudly holds the title of one of Canada's Certified Great Places to Work, fostering a culture of compassion and authenticity. Join a team that values your unique contribution and believes in the boundless potential of every individual.
Competitive Compensation and Benefits:
As a Certified Living Wage Employer, ODG is committed to offering more than just a job. Enjoy a comprehensive 100% employer-paid benefits package and enrollment in the Municipal Pension Plan. Your well-being matters, and we provide an Employee and Family Assistance program to support you. Invest in your future with our professional development fund. Pursue courses, workshops, or certifications to enhance your skills and advance your career.
Community Impact:
Be part of an organization that goes beyond the conventional, providing tailored employment services to build strong workforce ecosystems and thriving communities. Your work will directly contribute to the social and economic well-being of the community.
What you bring
If you meet most of the qualifications and are passionate about supporting people to pursue meaningful goals, we encourage you to apply. Your experience may come from customized or supported employment, community support, outreach, job coaching, disability services, employment services or another related field. We recognize that career paths are not always linear and welcome equivalent combinations of education and experience.
- Diploma in Social Sciences, Community Support, Human Services or another relevant discipline, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Two (2) years of recent, related experience in customized or supported employment, community support, outreach, job coaching, disability services or another related field. Experience with Discovery assessments and customized employment is an asset.
- Experience supporting individuals with complex needs, which may include developmental disabilities, autism, FASD, mental health challenges, substance use, health concerns, unstable housing or other personal or systemic barriers.
- Experience building trusting relationships with clients and providing individualized, strengths-based support.
- Experience maintaining accurate client documentation, case notes or service records and using digital systems to organize and manage work.
- Comfort working independently in community settings and travelling between client meeting locations, employer worksites and community locations.
- A valid driver's licence and reliable access to a vehicle or car-share service for work-related travel. Must maintain a clean driving record.
- Must maintain a satisfactory criminal record check, including vulnerable sectors check.
- Valid First Aid and CPR.
What will help you succeed
- You're curious about people and take the time to understand their strengths, interests, abilities, experiences, choices and goals.
- You can use person-centred approaches to help individuals identify and work toward goals related to employment, learning, independence, friendship and community inclusion.
- You can think creatively about employment possibilities and identify opportunities beyond traditional job-search approaches.
- You're comfortable building relationships with employers, learning about their workplaces and identifying needs that could lead to customized or supported employment opportunities.
- You can provide individualized job coaching and other hands-on support that helps people build skills, confidence and independence.
- You understand employment barriers, workplace accommodations, community resources and wrap-around supports.
- You communicate effectively and can build respectful relationships with clients, families, support networks, employers, community service providers and other partners.
- You listen carefully, ask thoughtful questions and recognize strengths and possibilities that may not be immediately obvious.
- You can maintain professional boundaries, navigate challenging situations and remain composed under pressure.
- You're organized and able to balance direct client support, community-based work, relationship-building, documentation and other administrative responsibilities.
- You're comfortable using digital systems and workplace technology and can maintain comprehensive, accurate and timely records.
- You can work independently while also contributing effectively as part of a team.
- You take initiative, adapt to changing circumstances and creatively solve problems as client needs evolve.
Nice to have
These qualifications are considered assets, but don't let their absence stop you from applying:
- Non-Violent Crisis Intervention Training. This can also be acquired after hire.
- Mental Health First Aid Training. This can also be acquired after hire.
- Motivational Interviewing Training and Certification.
- Trauma-Informed Practice Training and Certification.
- CCDP Certification.
Open Door Group values diversity and is committed to providing an inclusive work environment. We are looking for qualified individuals who represent, at all job levels, the diversity of the people we serve and encourage applications from Indigenous peoples, individuals of all genders and sexual orientations, origins and ethnic affiliations, disabilities, ages and religions.
We strive to ensure an accessible experience for candidates. If you require an alternative method to submit your application, please contact us toll-free at 1 866 377 3670 and ask to speak with an HR representative, or email us at humanresources@opendoorgroup.org.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
Thank you for your interest in joining the Open Door Group team!
