Economic Mobility Specialist
Job Summary
The Economic Mobility Specialist advances Family Gateway's commitment to long-term economic mobility by helping families transition from housing stability to financial independence. This position develops strategic partnerships with employers, educational institutions, workforce development agencies, apprenticeship programs, industry associations, financial institutions, and community organizations that create sustainable career pathways for adults participating in Supportive Housing.
The Specialist moves beyond rapid employment by guiding participants through individualized career pathways that increase education, workforce skills, industry-recognized credentials, professional networks, wage progression, and opportunities for advancement. Through coaching, resource navigation, and employer engagement, the Vocational Specialist empowers families to build careers that support long-term housing stability, wealth creation, and intergenerational economic mobility.
Success in this role is measured not only by employment outcomes, but by educational attainment, credential completion, career advancement, increased household income, financial capability, asset building, employment retention, and progress toward economic self-sufficiency.
Job Duties & Responsibilities
Community Outreach & Strategic Partnership Development
- Develop and maintain strategic partnerships with employers offering career pathways, advancement opportunities, competitive wages, and family-sustaining benefits.
- Cultivate relationships with colleges, universities, technical schools, adult education providers, apprenticeship programs, workforce boards, trade organizations, certification providers, and community-based organizations.
- Identify employers committed to second-chance hiring and creating opportunities for individuals with barriers such as criminal backgrounds, employment gaps, limited work history, or low educational attainment.
- Collaborate with community partners to expand access to workforce development, higher education, occupational certifications, internships, apprenticeships, and leadership development opportunities.
- Establish partnerships with financial institutions and community organizations that provide financial literacy, credit improvement, matched savings programs, homeownership education, and other asset-building initiatives.
- Coordinate career fairs, employer networking events, hiring events, educational expos, and workforce development workshops.
- Maintain collaborative relationships with community stakeholders to continually expand career opportunities and resources available to participants.
Career Development & Economic Mobility Services
- Establish supportive coaching relationships with adults participating in Family Gateway's Supportive Housing Program.
- Conduct comprehensive career, education, and workforce assessments to identify participant strengths, transferable skills, interests, barriers, and long-term career aspirations.
- Develop individualized Career Advancement Plans that incorporate education, employment, credential attainment, wage progression, promotions, financial capability, and long-term economic mobility goals.
- Utilize career lattice models to assist participants in identifying multiple pathways for professional growth rather than limiting career planning to a single occupation.
- Collaborate with Supportive Housing Case Managers to integrate employment, education, financial wellness, and housing stability into a comprehensive self-sufficiency plan.
- Connect participants with GED completion, ESL instruction, college enrollment, vocational training, apprenticeships, industry-recognized certifications, and continuing education opportunities.
- Assist participants in accessing scholarships, tuition assistance, grants, Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) funding, employer-sponsored education benefits, and other workforce resources.
- Provide individualized coaching related to career exploration, resume development, interviewing, networking, professional communication, workplace expectations, and career advancement strategies.
- Encourage participants to pursue occupations with opportunities for promotion, wage progression, leadership development, and long-term career sustainability.
- Identify and reduce barriers to career advancement, including transportation, childcare, technology access, licensing requirements, legal documentation, and educational supports.
- Incorporate financial capability coaching by connecting participants to budgeting resources, credit-building opportunities, banking services, debt reduction strategies, and savings programs that strengthen long-term financial stability.
- Support participants in establishing measurable economic self-sufficiency benchmarks using household income, employment retention, credential attainment, wage progression, debt reduction, emergency savings, and other indicators of financial wellness.
- Promote intergenerational mobility by encouraging educational planning, career advancement, financial stability, and wealth-building strategies that positively impact future outcomes for participants' children.
- Coordinate workshops related to career planning, leadership development, digital literacy, financial capability, entrepreneurship, workplace professionalism, and lifelong learning.
- Develop and maintain a comprehensive career resource center highlighting educational opportunities, certifications, apprenticeships, internships, scholarships, career ladders, and professional development resources.
- Maintain ongoing coaching relationships following employment to support retention, promotion, wage increases, and career progression.
Data, Outcomes & Program Evaluation
- Track participant progress using economic mobility indicators rather than employment placement alone.
- Monitor outcomes including:
- Educational enrollment and completion
- Credential and certification attainment
- Employment placement and retention
- Wage progression and promotions
- Household income growth
- Career advancement
- Financial capability milestones
- Asset-building participation
- Progress toward economic self-sufficiency
- Prepare monthly, quarterly, and annual reports demonstrating program outcomes and continuous improvement opportunities.
- Utilize data to evaluate partnership effectiveness, participant outcomes, and emerging workforce trends.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Education, Experience & Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in Human Services, Social Work, Workforce Development, Education, Business Administration, Counseling, Public Administration, or a related field; equivalent experience may be substituted.
- Three or more years of experience in workforce development, career coaching, economic mobility, vocational rehabilitation, employer engagement, higher education, human resources, or related fields preferred.
- Experience developing partnerships with employers, educational institutions, workforce agencies, and community organizations.
- Knowledge of career pathway frameworks, adult learning principles, financial capability, workforce development systems, and economic mobility strategies preferred.
- Strong motivational interviewing, coaching, facilitation, presentation, and relationship-building skills.
- Ability to analyze labor market trends and align participant career goals with high-demand occupations.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to travel to various community locations up to 100% of the time.
- Ability to work Monday through Friday with occasional evenings and one Saturday per month to support employer engagement, workforce events, and educational programming.
Pay: From $45,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Flexible schedule
- Flexible spending account
- Health insurance
- Health savings account
- Life insurance
- Mileage reimbursement
- On-the-job training
- Paid time off
- Parental leave
- Vision insurance
Education:
Experience:
- working with indivuals seeking employment/career advancement: 3 years (Preferred)
License/Certification:
- Driver's License (Required)
Ability to Commute:
- Dallas, TX 75247 (Required)
Willingness to travel:
Work Location: In person
