Bridgewater, VA, USA+1 moreMore locations: Harrisonburg, VA, USA
In PersonCommunity-based work requires travel throughout Bridgewater, Harrisonburg, and surrounding Rockingham County communities; participant transport may be required.
Social & Community Services
About the job
Requirements
Maintain a consistent work schedule and demonstrate dependability.
Have strong communication, organization, problem-solving, and relationship-building skills.
Work independently and make responsible decisions in community settings.
Complete electronic documentation accurately and on time.
Have basic computer skills, including email and electronic documentation systems.
Have a valid driver's license and reliable personal transportation.
Be able and willing to travel throughout Bridgewater, Harrisonburg, and surrounding communities, and transport participants when required.
Have an acceptable driving record and required automobile insurance.
Satisfy applicable background-screening and employment requirements.
Responsibilities
Provide individualized job coaching at employer worksites and in community settings.
Help participants learn job duties, workplace routines, safety procedures, and employer expectations.
Teach workplace communication, professional behavior, time management, and problem-solving skills.
Help participants communicate effectively with supervisors and coworkers.
Identify and develop natural workplace supports.
Encourage independence without completing participants' work for them.
Monitor progress and adjust coaching strategies as participants develop new skills.
Provide ongoing support to promote successful job retention.
Help participants identify their strengths, interests, abilities, support needs, and employment goals.
Assist with resumes, applications, job searches, and interview preparation.
Conduct mock interviews and employment-readiness activities.
Identify employment opportunities that match participants' interests, abilities, experience, and goals.
Coordinate interviews, hiring activities, and onboarding support.
Help participants understand workplace expectations and identify reasonable accommodations when appropriate.
Develop professional relationships with employers throughout the Harrisonburg and Rockingham County area.
Contact businesses to identify potential employment opportunities.
Educate employers about inclusive hiring and available workplace supports.
Communicate professionally with participants, families, employers, counselors, schools, and community partners.
Attend hiring events, team meetings, training, and other scheduled activities.
Complete accurate progress notes and required service documentation within established deadlines.
Maintain participant records according to organizational and funding-source requirements.
Track employment activities including job searches, applications, interviews, placements, wages, scheduled hours, and employment retention.
Communicate participant progress, concerns, schedule changes, and significant developments to the appropriate supervisor.
Participate in service-planning and team-coordination activities.
Desired Qualifications
Experience supporting individuals with disabilities or people who experience barriers to employment is helpful but not required. Relevant experience may include teaching or education, coaching or mentoring, direct support, human services, behavioral health, case management, workforce development, retail or restaurant supervision, customer service, or community-based services.
Experience in Supported Employment or Individual Supported Employment, job coaching or job development, intellectual/developmental disability services, vocational rehabilitation, Medicaid Waiver services, employer outreach or recruiting, Americans with Disabilities Act accommodations and disability employment, or working with schools, support coordinators, vocational rehabilitation counselors, or community organizations is helpful but not required.
Certified Employment Support Professional, ACRE, DSP, or similar employment-support credentials are helpful but not required.
Location: Bridgewater, Virginia Service Area: Bridgewater, Harrisonburg & surrounding Rockingham County communities Pay: $21.00–$22.00 per hour, based on experience Hours: Up to 29 hours per week, with potential to transition to full-time Schedule: Predominantly daytime hours, Monday–Friday Work Setting: Community-based with regular local travel Mileage: Reimbursement for approved work-related travel
Help People Build Careers and Greater Independence
RISE Services is seeking a compassionate, dependable, and resourceful Job Coach / Employment Specialist to help individuals with disabilities prepare for, obtain, and maintain meaningful employment.
This is a hands-on, community-based position. You will meet participants at employer worksites and other locations throughout Bridgewater, Harrisonburg, and surrounding Rockingham County communities.
Depending on each participant's needs and employment goals, you may help someone search and apply for jobs, prepare for an interview, communicate with an employer, learn a new job, develop workplace skills, or maintain successful employment.
A bachelor's degree and previous job-coaching experience are not required. Training is provided.
We welcome applicants with relevant experience in human services, disability services, education, behavioral health, direct support, workforce development, career coaching, case management, retail or restaurant supervision, customer service, or other positions involving teaching, mentoring, problem-solving, or helping others succeed.
Schedule and Hours
This position offers up to 29 hours per week, with most services provided during daytime hours Monday through Friday.
Occasional weekend availability may be requested to provide coverage when another employee is unavailable, but this is not a regularly scheduled weekend position.
Your schedule may include:
On-site job coaching
Participant meetings in the community
Job searching and completing applications
Resume and interview preparation
Employer outreach and job development
Employment-readiness activities
Progress notes and required documentation
Team meetings and training
When a participant is not working all of their authorized service hours, you may provide other approved employment services such as job searching, applications, resume development, interview preparation, employer contacts, and workplace-readiness training.
Employees interested in additional hours may have opportunities to transition to full-time as caseloads and service needs grow. Full-time hours are not guaranteed and depend on participant referrals, scheduling needs, employee availability, performance, and organizational needs.
What You'll Do
Job Coaching & Workplace Support
Provide individualized job coaching at employer worksites and in community settings.
Help participants learn job duties, workplace routines, safety procedures, and employer expectations.
Teach workplace communication, professional behavior, time management, and problem-solving skills.
Help participants communicate effectively with supervisors and coworkers.
Identify and develop natural workplace supports.
Encourage independence without completing the participant's work for them.
Monitor progress and adjust coaching strategies as participants develop new skills.
Provide ongoing support to promote successful job retention.
Job Search & Career Preparation
Help participants identify their strengths, interests, abilities, support needs, and employment goals.
Assist with resumes, applications, job searches, and interview preparation.
Conduct mock interviews and employment-readiness activities.
Identify employment opportunities that match participants' interests, abilities, experience, and goals.
Coordinate interviews, hiring activities, and onboarding support.
Help participants understand workplace expectations and identify reasonable accommodations when appropriate.
Employer & Community Engagement
Develop professional relationships with employers throughout the Harrisonburg and Rockingham County area.
Contact businesses to identify potential employment opportunities.
Educate employers about inclusive hiring and available workplace supports.
Communicate professionally with participants, families, employers, counselors, schools, and community partners.
Attend hiring events, team meetings, training, and other scheduled activities.
Documentation & Service Coordination
Complete accurate progress notes and required service documentation within established deadlines.
Maintain participant records according to organizational and funding-source requirements.
Track employment activities such as job searches, applications, interviews, placements, wages, scheduled hours, and employment retention.
Communicate participant progress, concerns, schedule changes, and significant developments to the appropriate supervisor.
Participate in service-planning and team-coordination activities.
Qualifications
Required:
Dependability and ability to maintain a consistent work schedule.
Strong communication, organization, problem-solving, and relationship-building skills.
Ability to work independently and make responsible decisions in community settings.
Ability to complete electronic documentation accurately and on time.
Basic computer skills, including email and electronic documentation systems.
Valid driver's license and reliable personal transportation.
Ability and willingness to travel throughout Bridgewater, Harrisonburg, and surrounding communities.
Ability to transport participants when required.
Acceptable driving record and required automobile insurance.
Ability to satisfy applicable background-screening and employment requirements.
A bachelor's degree is not required.
Experience supporting individuals with disabilities or people who experience barriers to employment is preferred but not required.
Relevant experience may include:
Teaching or education
Coaching or mentoring
Direct support
Human services
Behavioral health
Case management
Workforce development
Retail or restaurant supervision
Customer service
Community-based services
Preferred Experience
Experience in any of the following is helpful, but not required:
Supported Employment or Individual Supported Employment
Job coaching or job development
Intellectual/developmental disability services
Vocational rehabilitation
Medicaid Waiver services
Employer outreach or recruiting
ADA accommodations and disability employment
Working with schools, support coordinators, vocational rehabilitation counselors, or community organizations
CESP, ACRE, DSP, or similar employment-support credentials
Who Will Succeed in This Position?
This position may be a great fit if you are:
Dependable and able to manage a changing community-based schedule.
Compassionate, patient, and encouraging.
Comfortable traveling to different employer and community locations throughout the workday.
Able to teach and motivate people while promoting independence.
Professional and confident when communicating with employers.
Resourceful and willing to find solutions when challenges arise.
Organized and able to manage appointments, follow-ups, and documentation.
Flexible when participant or employer schedules change.
Comfortable working independently without constant direct supervision.
Motivated by seeing someone achieve greater independence through employment.
Why Join RISE Services?
Make a meaningful difference in the lives of individuals with disabilities.
Help people build careers, confidence, and greater independence.
Work predominantly during weekday daytime hours.
Receive mileage reimbursement for approved work-related travel.
Participate in paid training and professional development.
Build experience in disability services, human services, workforce development, and career coaching.
Potential opportunities for additional hours and advancement as RISE Services grows.
Join a collaborative, growing, mission-driven organization.
Part-Time Benefits
Eligible part-time employees may receive:
Employee Assistance Program
Employee Tenure Bonus Program
Mileage reimbursement for approved work-related travel
Paid training and professional development
Employees who later transition to an eligible full-time position may have access to additional benefits, including medical, dental, and vision insurance; paid time off; paid holidays; short-term disability insurance; life insurance; and a long-term care option.
Benefit eligibility requirements apply. Additional hours or future full-time employment are not guaranteed.
Please Consider the Work Setting Before Applying
This is a community-based position, not a remote or traditional office-based position.
Services are provided at employer worksites and other community locations throughout Bridgewater, Harrisonburg, and surrounding Rockingham County communities.
Applicants must have reliable transportation and be comfortable driving between locations throughout the workday. Transporting participants may be required as part of the position.
Equal Opportunity Employer
RISE Services is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We recruit, hire, train, compensate, and promote employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.
Apply Today
If you enjoy teaching, encouraging others, solving problems, and helping people accomplish meaningful employment goals, we encourage you to apply for the Part-Time Job Coach / Employment Specialist position with RISE Services.
No bachelor's degree or previous job-coaching experience is required. Training is provided.
Relevant experience, dependability, professionalism, sound judgment, reliable transportation, and a genuine commitment to helping others succeed are strongly valued.