Reentry Program Specialist - Youth, Young Adu

Job Description

Job Description

Reentry Program Specialist - Youth, Young Adult

Department:

Reentry

Reports To:

Reentry Services Manager

Pay Grade:

Level B

Supervises:

No supervision duties

FLSA Classification:

Exempt

Approved By:

Chief Executive Officer, 2026

JOB PURPOSE:

Through the U.S. DOL Reentry Employment in Skilled Trades, Advanced Manufacturing, Registered Apprenticeships, and Training (RESTART) Initiative, the Wisconsin Workforce Development Association (WWDA) will fund the Building Reentry Integration & Development for Growth in Employment Wisconsin (BRIDGE-WI), a statewide workforce strategy focused on preparing justice-involved youth and young adults for careers in Wisconsin’s most in-demand industries. Statewide, BRIDGE will serve youth and young adults ages 15 to 24 across urban and rural communities, connecting participants to career pathways in advanced manufacturing, transportation, shipbuilding, information technology, construction trades, and emerging AI-related industries. The initiative will provide workforce training, work-based learning opportunities, Registered Apprenticeships, supportive services, and employment placement assistance.

Working in conjunction with project staff, the Program Specialist will lead the implementation of the BRIDGE program. Typical duties include planning, developing, implementing, and evaluating programs and projects, coordinating project activities, collaborating with project team members, developing measurable project goals and objectives, and monitoring progress toward achievement.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES and RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Project planning and implementation, marketing, and promotion, and coordination with business solutions for developing talent supply chains for employers, clusters, or industries.
• Develop and implement program participant recruitment strategies.
• Conduct info sessions to inform interested individuals about Employ Milwaukee training programs.
• Service connection with opportunities for occupational training, OJTs, paid work experiences, potential enrollment in a certified pre-apprenticeship or registered apprenticeship (Young Adult, 18-24), incentives, supportive services, and needs related payments.
• Community outreach and engagement for program marketing and interest.
• Facilitate intake, enrollment, and assessment processes (employment interest and aptitude and support services, basic needs).
• Create and foster a positive relationship with program participants, identify and arrange, provide goal development and tracking within Individual Developmental Planning to ensure success.
• Coordinate the delivery of services utilizing a variety of virtual platforms.

• Collaborate with Reentry Manager to provide oversight on all pre and post-award activities that include but not limited to government and non-government grants, foundation awards and contracts.
• Coordinates, schedules, and attends various meetings and seminars and present as appropriate.
• Collaborate with relevant Local, Regional and Federal workforce and educational programs.

• Coordinate with other departments as necessary to ensure a productive environment.
• Maintain knowledge of guidelines and policies governing workforce training programs.
• Collect, organize, and analyze data required in planning contractual and informational documents.

• Assist in the preparation, review, and submission of required reports, papers, correspondence, and other documents, ensuring clarity, completeness, accuracy, and conformance with applicable policies.
• Record and update participant information in applicable databases (i.e., Efforts-to-Outcomes, ASSET).
• Manage and monitor data collection under state and federal data collection systems and coordinate implementation of additional data collection programs such as Efforts to Outcomes (ETO).
• Ensure, upon contract award, that systems are in place to gather all information required to meet internal and external contract conditions and coordinate regularly with relevant contract monitors, data and fiscal staff ensuring that information flow is timely and appropriate actions are taken as needed.
• Recommend redesign options and implications at key decision points to assist the Manager in meeting program and service outcomes and contract requirements.
• Other Duties as assigned.

Agency Activities

• Attend scheduled meetings deemed necessary by the Manager of Reentry Services or other Employ Milwaukee administration to include community meetings and in-services.
• Offer job readiness workshops pertaining to attendance, punctuality, appearance, and how to effectively verbalize work skills/values to employers.
• Identify motivation, strengths, challenges, and risks for engagement, placement, and/or retention.
• Participate in the assigned organization and stakeholder meetings.
• Other Duties as assigned.

An individual in this position must be able to successfully perform the essential duties and responsibilities listed above. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position.

KEY ABILITIES, KNOWLEDGE, AND SKILLS:

• Knowledge of current issues, concepts, and practices related to domestic workforce development, community economic development, urban planning, and/or public policy.
• Ability to work effectively under pressure of deadlines, and within budget constraints.
• Ability to work in a team environment, while also working independently.
• Ability to facilitate workshops or trainings.
• Knowledge of employment barriers facing urban disadvantaged youth and young adults and employer demand for skilled and educated workers.
• Demonstrated capacity to handle multiple tasks, projects, and meet deadlines.
• Public relations, community organizing, mediation, conflict management and meeting facilitation skills.
• Strong interpersonal communication skills, group and individual settings, including e-mail and phone. Ability to exercise tact and discretion in dealing with persons at various levels and job categories.
• Experience with the use of a range of computer-related tools, including PowerPoint, Excel, Access and other data-management software packages, and online survey instruments.
• Must have strong administrative and organizational skills including project management, and grant administration and reporting.

MINIMUM PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Education: Associates degree or equivalent
• Experience: 3 to 5 years of work experience that involves program coordination, job training, or workforce development, grant management, project management or related field
• Technology/Equipment: Experience using PC and/or Mac computers. Experience with data-entry systems, Microsoft Office products including Excel and experience with using such platforms as WEBEX, Zoom, and Teams. Experience with cloud-base technology.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Social Sciences, Public Administration, Education, or related field.
• Experience and/or Training: 5 to 7 years of experience that involves program coordination, job training, higher education, workforce development, grant management, project management, business development, related field, work with community based organization, work with at-risk youth.
• Licenses/Certificates: Trauma Informed Care and Motivational Interviewing certification preferred.
• Technology/Equipment: Proficiency in Microsoft Office including Excel, social media platforms, participant data tracking systems including Efforts to Outcomes (ETO).
• Candidates with lived experience within the justice system will be prioritized for the role to ensure culturally responsive provision for program youth.

PHYSICAL AND MENTAL DEMANDS:

The mental and physical requirements described here are representative of those that must be met by an individual to successfully perform the essential functions of this position.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit, talk and/or hear, and/or use hands to finger, handle, or touch objects, tools, or controls. The employee is occasionally required to stand, and/or walk. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 pounds while moving files or small packages. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus. The mental and physical requirements described here are representative of those that must be met by an individual to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Decision making, troubleshooting, change agility, is aware, and positively adapts quickly to frequently changing work environments. Strong leadership, organizational, and analytical skills. Must be able to maintain confidentiality related to all agencies program data. Local travel is required to perform job duties.

WORKING ENVIRONMENT:

Work is performed in an office environment. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those individual encounters while performing the essential functions of this position. May occasionally be required to perform job duties outside of the typical office setting within correctional facilities. Local travel possible. I have read and understand the duties, responsibilities, and requirements for this position. *

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Employee Acknowledgement Date

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Supervisor Date

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Human Resources Date

*This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an "at-will" employment relationship. Employ Milwaukee retains the discretion to add duties or change the duties of this position at any time.