Employment Specialist

About the role

• Job Title: Employment Specialist
• Location: Neosho, Missouri
• Department: Employment Services
• Employment Type: Full Time
• Join a Nationally Recognized Top Workplace

Centerstone is a nationally recognized behavioral health organization and has been named a Top Workplace. This recognition is based entirely on confidential employee feedback and reflects the workplace culture, engagement, & employee experience.

Learn more: Top Workplaces - Centerstone

Job Summary

Help people with disabilities and other barriers to employment build meaningful, lasting careers. As an Employment Specialist, you will provide individualized career planning, job placement, benefits planning, and retention support while developing strong partnerships with local employers. Join a compassionate, collaborative team committed to helping clients achieve greater independence and long-term vocational success.

This position offers

• Employee Assistance Program - 24/7 counseling services, legal assistance, & financial consultation for you and your household at no cost
• Mileage Reimbursement - Company paid for work functions requiring travel
• Employee Discounts - Hotels, Theme Parks & Attractions, College Tuition
• Workplace Culture - An environment cultivating employee wellbeing, valuing each individual's humanity, and actively promoting a healthy, joyful workforce
• Additional Perks & Benefits - Health, Dental, Life, & Much More - Scroll down to bottom of this post to for more info.

Key Responsibilities

• Guide clients through individualized career planning using interviews, vocational counseling, and community-based activities to identify their strengths, needs, abilities, preferences, and employment goals.
• Develop competitive, integrated employment opportunities by building employer relationships, understanding recruitment needs, and analyzing local labor market trends.
• Support clients throughout the employment process with job-seeking instruction, retention coaching, workplace assistance, and crisis response when needed.
• Coordinate benefits planning at the start of services, before a new job, and when clients consider changes to their hours or pay.
• Advocate for clients with employers, families, schools, referral sources, and community partners while supporting informed decisions about disclosure and workplace accommodations.
• Educate employers about the benefits of hiring people with disabilities and facilitate accommodations such as assistive technology, job adaptations, and job carving.
• Collaborate in team and planning meetings to advance shared employment goals and maintain frequent communication with referral sources.
• Promote Centerstone's services and clients professionally through employer outreach, community events, presentations, and public-speaking opportunities.
• Review vocational, medical, psychological, and educational information to inform career planning, job development, and retention services.
• Track referrals, placements, retention outcomes, and areas of concern, providing regular updates to leadership.
• Maintain confidentiality and deliver services in accordance with contractual and CARF standards.
• Travel throughout the community to conduct job development, transport clients, and provide on-site or off-site employment support.

Education, Experience, and/or Credential Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent certificate required.
• At least one year of experience providing employment services required.
• Associate or bachelor's degree in an applicable field from an accredited institution preferred.
• Knowledge of case management and rehabilitation principles related to mental health, substance use disorders, and barriers to employment, education, or independent living.
• Strong verbal and written communication, customer service, and report-writing skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, internet platforms, and other electronic media.

Additional Qualifications

• Current driver's license, acceptable driving record, and current auto insurance required.
• Ability to travel extensively, transport clients, and maintain flexible availability, including evenings, overnights, and weekends as needed.
• Successful completion of required criminal-record, driving-record, abuse and neglect, fingerprint, and other applicable background checks.

Physical Requirements

Sedentary work requiring the ability to exert up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and a negligible amount of force frequently to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects. The role involves sitting most of the time, with occasional walking or standing, as well as repetitive hand, finger, and arm movements for typing and writing during the work shift.

Build Careers and Create Lasting Opportunity

Bring your relationship-building skills, resourcefulness, and commitment to person-centered support to Centerstone. Apply today to help clients pursue meaningful employment, greater independence, and long-term success.

Position Perks & Benefits

Paid time off: full-time employees receive an attractive time off package to balance your work and personal life

Employee benefits package

• full-time employees receive health, dental, vision, retirement, life, & more
• Top-notch training: initial, ongoing, comprehensive, and supportive
• Career mobility: advancement opportunities/promoting from within
• Welcoming, warm, supportive: a work culture & environment that promotes your well-being, values you as human being, and encourages your health and happiness

Brightli is on a Mission

A mission to improve client care, reduce the financial burden of community mental health centers by sharing resources, a mission to have a larger voice in advocacy to increase access to mental health and substance user care in our communities, and a mission to evolve the behavioral health industry to better meet the needs of our clients.

As a behavioral and community mental health provider, we prioritize fostering a culture of belonging and connection within our workforce. We encourage applications from individuals with varied backgrounds and experiences, as we believe that a rich tapestry of perspectives strengthens our mission. If you are passionate about empowering local communities and creating an environment where everyone feels valued and supported, we invite you to join our mission-driven organization dedicated to cultivating an authentic workplace.

• We are an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.
• Firefly is a Smoke and Tobacco Free Workplace.