Retention/Outreach Specialist

Retention/Outreach Specialist
Full-time, in-person availability at our Michigan offices (Detroit, Pontiac)

Anticipated deadline to submit application: March 12, 2025 before 9am EST. Position may close early if application limit is met. Apply promptly for full consideration.

The Opportunity

CEO is looking for a result-driven Retention/Outreach Specialist who will serve as the face of the organization within Michigan's Department of Corrections and Community Supervision and Community Based Organizations, developing and deepening relationships with parole officers, providing them with information about our work, and building their commitment to referring a strong pipeline of participants for our programs. They meet with parole officers, facilitate program referrals for prospective clients, lead presentations about our service offerings, and share feedback with parole officers about client progress at CEO.

The Outreach and Retention Specialist also keeps participants engaged in the labor force for twelve months once they’ve secured a full-time position. Methods of engagement include maintaining frequent contact and spending time in the field with participants, connecting participants with educational and vocational opportunities, providing participants with continued life skills education, advocating for participant needs with parole officers, and distributing retention incentives to participants. 

As part of our mission, we strongly encourage individuals who have lived experience of incarceration or involvement in the justice system to apply for this role.

Who We Are

The Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) provides employment services to people recently released from incarceration. Across the United States, 8,000-9,000 people participate in CEO each year, transitioning to employment that supports themselves, their families, and their communities.

What began as a demonstration project of the Vera Institute of Justice in the 1970s to address employment barriers facing the formerly incarcerated following release in New York City has grown into the leading reentry employment organization in the country, where over 30,000 formerly incarcerated individuals have secured full-time employment since 1996.

Who You Are

• You are passionate about making an impact on people's lives and interested in guiding them to achieving their career goals through a balance of accountability and empathy  
• You are experienced in providing feedback and guidance to clients to encourage their growth and continued development of their knowledge and skills  
• You have excellent interpersonal skills as well as written communication skills with the ability to adjust to particular personalities and interaction styles on the spot  
• You’re a strong task manager and organized worker with the ability to maintain oversight of all of the details as you coordinate many moving pieces  
• You have  an understanding of the importance of strong customer relationship management and achieving programmatic outcomes
• You are able to travel throughout the area, stand for long periods of time, and walk up and down stairs
• You have the ability to take into account and analyze various points of view and data to form a perspective appropriate to a particular context
• You have the willingness to travel, train, and support between our Detroit and Pontiac offices
• It is also strongly preferred that you have some knowledge of Michigan’s labor force

What You'll Be Responsible For

Key Responsibilities of the Retention/Outreach Specialist include but are not limited to:

Outreach and Recruitment

• Conduct outreach & engagement activities by visiting Probation, Parole and other Community Based Organizations (CBOs)
• Develop and maintaining relationships with Probation/Parole officers (POs), CBOs and key stakeholders; attend Community Partnership Meetings
• Present CEO’s programs and services to interested potential enrollees and community partners; distribute marketing materials; responds to email and phone inquiries
• Assist our vocational team with obtaining proof of self-obtained employment; lead follow-up efforts with POs as well as keep POs in the loop regarding individual participants

Retention Services

• Maintain frequent contact with participants
• Research and connect participants to educational and vocational opportunities as related to their short- and long-term goals
• Provide participants with continued life skills education and relevant resources
• Advocate for participant needs with parole officers and other constituencies
• Distribute retention incentives to participants
• Using motivational interviewing techniques as appropriate to help guide participants to goal achievement   
• Spend 50% of time conducting field visits with Participants.

Administrative Support

• Create participants and consistently/accurately document all participant contact and progress in our case management system (Salesforce)
• Escort participants to nearby agencies to apply for documents when needed
• Perform other tasks and responsibilities that will be assigned from time to time; including but not limited to outreach by phone-call, email and mail to exited participants to obtain and record positive employment outcomes

Compensation and Benefits

The salary for this role is $46,288/annually. In an effort to be both equitable and transparent, CEO's compensation philosophy considers a variety of factors, including, but not limited to, experience, internal equity, and home office location in making a final determination on our salary offer.

We recognize that salary is a part of the overall compensation package and also provide a comprehensive benefits package, including medical and dental coverage, as well as professional development opportunities and training, including regular training opportunities in Motivational Interviewing (MI). MI is one evidence-based skill that reentry and human service professionals can utilize when supporting participants to achieve their goals.

We also offer paid parental leave, participation in a retirement plan, sick and vacation leave, paid holidays and more. We are a workplace that promotes continual learning and teamwork, offering lunch and learns, team outings, holiday gatherings and more for our staff.

More About Us

Center for Employment Opportunities believes that everyone deserves the chance to shape a stronger future for themselves, their families, and their communities. People who are justice involved are highly encouraged to apply for vacant positions at all levels. CEO is committed to the CROWN Act, and creating an open space where our employees can present as their true authentic selves.

All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without unlawful discrimination based on race, color, creed, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, military status, prior record of arrest or conviction, citizenship status, current employment status, caregiver status, or any other category protected by federal, state, or local law. We value diverse experiences, including with regard to educational background and justice system contact.

Please note that due to the volume of resumes received, we are unable to contact each applicant regarding the status of each position or reply to candidates' inquiries via phone or email.

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