ODSP Employer Services and Retention Specialist

About The Career Foundation:

The Career Foundation is a dynamic non-profit organization and registered charity that offers a wide range of employment, training, and workforce development services to job seekers and employers. Since its inception in 1988, The Career Foundation has steadily expanded its services. Operating out of seven locations in the Greater Toronto Hamilton Area, as well as offices in British Columbia, Alberta, and Nova Scotia, we now help thousands of people each year successfully achieve their employment goals. Our team of dedicated professionals has described The Career Foundation as caring, compassionate, innovative, and team-oriented. For more information about us and our services, please visit our website at CareerFoundation.com.

Some of the benefits and features available to our employees include:

• Competitive compensation
• A comprehensive health benefits plan that includes massage therapy, naturopath services, travel coverage, and much more
• A comprehensive dental insurance plan
• An RRSP Matching benefit
• An Employee & Family Assistance program
• Employee wellness initiatives
• Paid days off for religious observance purposes
• Paid days off for personal wellness purposes

Program and Role Description:

The Career Foundation’s Disability Employment Services program is dedicated to supporting job seekers accessing the Ontario government’s OntarioDisability Support Program (ODSP). Our program offers comprehensive services to these job seekers, including job search assistance, job matching and placement, job coaching, retention support, and more. Employers committed to inclusive hiring can also benefit from our tailored services, such as direct access to skilled job seekers with disabilities, assistance in organizing and hosting community hiring events, and guidance on effectively onboarding and coaching new hires to ensure long-term job retention.

As an ODSP Employer Services and Retention Specialist , you will be an important member of the program team responsible for building and maintaining effective relationships with employers in various industries through targeted outreach and employer engagement to promote the benefits available to employers and secure their commitment to hiring qualified job seekers from the program. You will identify and develop suitable employment opportunities for program participants and work closely with employers to facilitate successful job placements.

You will also work directly with program participants to provide tailored job search assistance, job matching, job development, coaching, and retention support.

You will be responsible for meeting ongoing individual performance targets that contribute to the team’s collective ability to meet and exceed all contractual obligations with our funder and support participants in achieving successful employment outcomes.

Position Type:

Full-time (37.5 hours per week), contract until March 31, 2027 with strong potential for permanency.

Starting Salary:

The starting annual salary for this position is $57,000.00 (or $58k if the successful candidate holds a master’s degree, full bilingualism in French, or full proficiency in Sign Language).

Base Location and Travel Requirements:

This position is based at The Career Foundation’s York office, located near Weston Road & Lawrence Avenue West, and requires frequent travel within all communities served by our Disability Employment Services Program, including Scarborough , where the program also operates.

Frequent travel within the communities served by the program is essential to fulfill the core deliverables of the position. The successful candidate should possess a valid Ontario G driver's licence and a reliable vehicle to perform the responsibilities of the position that require frequent local travel

The position also permits periodic work-from-home days on a rotational basis, contingent on program needs, operational requirements, and performance, and is therefore subject to change at any time.

Vacancy Status:

This posting is for an existing vacancy.

Start:

As soon as possible.

Reporting to:

Program Coordinator

Vulnerable Sector Check:

An offer of employment for this opportunity will be contingent on the incumbent providing an acceptable Vulnerable Sector Check (VSC).

Use of Artificial Intelligence:

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is not currently used to screen, assess, or select applicants at any stage of the hiring process.

Responsibilities include:

Employer Relations and Job Development

• Conducts targeted employer outreach through cold calling, networking, meetings, presentations, and sector-specific engagement activities to promote incentives and benefits available to employers and secure employer commitment to hiring program participants.
• Develops relationships with new employer contacts each week across a variety of industries to generate job placement opportunities for program participants.
• Maintains consistent communication with employers and delivers high-quality service to foster long-term partnerships and repeat business that generate employment opportunities for program participants.
• Plans and organizes employer engagement activities, including hiring fairs, recruitment events, and employer information sessions, to support employer needs and attract new program participants.
• Identifies labour market trends, hiring needs, and sector opportunities to inform job development and placement strategies.
• Meets or exceeds ongoing individual performance targets related to job placements, employer engagement, and employment outcomes.
• Performs other relevant duties as assigned.

Job Matching, Placement, and Employment Retention

• Matches and places program participants in suitable employment opportunities by aligning skills, experience, and career goals with employer needs.
• Conducts in-person site visits at employers’ locations to assess service eligibility and workplace safety standards prior to facilitating job placements and negotiating incentive-based agreements, ensuring employers meet all program eligibility requirements.
• Develops accommodation plans with employers and utilizes appropriate support funds from the program’s budget to best serve program participants.
• Negotiates employment terms, placement agreements, and wage incentives with employers, ensuring alignment with employer and program requirements, and collects all required documentation, pay stubs, and other information for payment processing
• Monitors participants’ job placements and oversees the development of training plans with employers.
• Conducts regular check-ins to monitor placements and provides ongoing support to employers and program participants to address challenges and support retention, ensuring milestone targets are achieved.
• Coordinates experiential learning opportunities, including job trials and training-based placements, to support program participants in achieving successful employment outcomes.
• Performs other relevant duties as assigned.

Participant Coaching and Job Readiness

• Guides program participants in navigating employment opportunities aligned with their career goals and labour market conditions by facilitating job search workshops, supporting employer cold calls, providing résumé development assistance, and delivering other services that contribute to successful employment outcomes.
• Coaches and prepares program participants for interviews and supports them during the initial stages of their work placements.
• Utilizes digital systems and technologies provided by The Career Foundation to support participants in achieving successful outcomes.
• Collaborates with internal team members to ensure coordinated and seamless service delivery.
• Performs other relevant duties as assigned.

Data and Record Keeping

• Maintains accurate records of employer engagement activities, contacts, placement outcomes, and other relevant information within online reporting systems, ensuring all documentation meet program compliance and audit-readiness requirements.
• Tracks and maintains employment outcomes, employer partnerships, and job development activities in accordance with reporting requirements.
• Maintains strict confidentiality of client and employer information in accordance with privacy and security protocols and policies.
• Provides reports to management upon request related to employer engagement, job placements, and other relevant activities.
• Supports program management in preparing marketing-related communications, including success stories and annual report content.
• Performs other relevant duties as assigned.

Qualifications & Skills Required:

• Post secondary diploma or degree in Business, Career Development, Sales Administration, or another related field relevant to the position’s duties is highly preferred, or an equivalent combination of education and experience is required.
• Minimum of two years’ experience in employer engagement, job development, business development, sales, community outreach, recruitment, or other directly transferable experience related to the position’s responsibilities is required.
• Demonstrated confidence and aptitude for sales and business development activities, including cold calling, door-to-door employer outreach, networking, and prospecting to promote services, identify employment opportunities, and achieve successful outcomes.
• Ability to confidently negotiate incentive-based agreements with employers.
• Experience serving individuals with disabilities in an employment services context and working within government-funded employment programs is considered an asset.
• Valid Ontario G driver’s licence and access to a vehicle to conduct essential work-related travel within the GTHA in support of the position’s core responsibilities.
• Exceptional relationship-building skills, with a proven ability to develop rapport with people from all stakeholder groups.
• Proven track record in a results-driven environment, with experience meeting assigned targets.
• Professional and courteous approach to client service, with a high level of respect for the diversity of the people served.
• High emotional intelligence, demonstrating patience, empathy, and the ability to build meaningful connections when working with participants of various experiences, needs, and abilities.
• Excellent verbal and written English communication skills. Bilingualism is considered an asset.
• Exceptional customer service skills and the ability to uphold the organization’s service standards, policies, and core values.
• High ethical and confidentiality standards, with proven experience maintaining sensitive information and exercising tact, diplomacy, and good judgment.
• Excellent time management and organizational skills, with the ability to multitask to meet deadlines and achieve targets and objectives.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, PowerPoint, Excel) and Microsoft 365 applications, including Teams and SharePoint. Must possess the aptitude and willingness to learn and work with new online systems and technologies.
• Willingness to occasionally work outside normal business hours when needed to meet client and program needs.
• Dedicated work ethic, with a demonstrated ability to remain flexible and resilient, adapting quickly to changing priorities while maintaining trust and positive working relationships.

The Career Foundation’s Commitment:

The Career Foundation is committed to diversity and inclusion and aims to create a healthy and rewarding environment for all. We welcome applications from qualified individuals who represent the diversity of the people we proudly serve, including, but not limited to, visible minorities, women, persons with disabilities, Indigenous peoples, and individuals of all genders and sexual orientation. The Career Foundation, in accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), is also committed to accommodating applicants with disabilities throughout the recruitment process. We will work with candidates requesting accommodation at any stage of the hiring process.