Career Coach

Career Coach
Detroit and Pontiac, MI
Fully Onsite/In Person

Anticipated deadline to submit application: December 31, 2025 at 3pm EST. Position may close early if application limit is met. Apply promptly for full consideration

The Opportunity

The Career Coach supports individuals returning from incarceration from the point of reentry through their first year of job retention. The Coach provides support in identifying and connecting individuals to resources that meet their holistic needs, offers intensive support related to job readiness (including interview preparation), helps individuals stay motivated in immediate transitional work, and builds trusting relationships to prepare individuals in to accessing and maintaining long-term employment. 

As part of our mission, we strongly encourage individuals who have lived experience of incarceration or involvement in the justice system to apply for this role.

About Us

The Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) provides employment services to people recently released from incarceration. Across the United States, 8,000-9,000 people participate in CEO each year, transitioning to employment that supports themselves, their families, and their communities.

What began as a demonstration project of the Vera Institute of Justice in the 1970s to address employment barriers facing the formerly incarcerated following release in New York City has grown into the leading reentry employment organization in the country, where over 30,000 formerly incarcerated individuals have secured full-time employment since 1996.

Who you are

• You have a minimum of 2+ years of related experience working directly with individuals from marginalized backgrounds. Experience working with people with criminal legal system involvement, housing instability, or mental health needs preferred.
• You have experience with providing feedback and guidance to clients to encourage their growth and continued development of their knowledge and skills.
• You are comfortable learning new technologies that an organization adopts/implements.
• You have the dedication to social justice and reentry.
• You are passionate about making an impact on people's lives and interested in guiding them to achieve their career goals through a balance of accountability and empathy.
• You have the desire to inspire others to reach a goal and perform to the best of their ability.
• You have strong customer service skills and take a human-centered approach when communicating with participants.
• You have strong time management and prioritization skills.
• You have the ability to anticipate problems, evaluate them, and determine and implement solutions.
• You understand the value of tracking data and participant interactions to fuel program improvement.

Major Responsibilities

Responsibilities of the Career Coach include but are not limited to:

Direct Services

• Provide ongoing coaching and mentorship to program participants, focusing on employment readiness, personal development, and goal setting.
• Use motivational interviewing techniques as appropriate to help guide participants to goal achievement.
• Conduct regular one-on-one coaching sessions with participants to assess progress, identify barriers, and develop actionable plans throughout every phase of their program journey, from program onboarding through 365 of employment.
• Develop and produce a professional resume for each participant.
• Facilitate mock interviews with pre-employment participants to build confidence, improve interview skills, and provide targeted feedback based on employer expectations.
• Conduct Job Start Readiness Assessments to evaluate participant preparedness before job placement, and Job Retention Assessments to gather feedback and assess alignment between participant needs and job conditions post-placement.
• Advocate for participant needs with parole officers and other constituencies.
• Collaborate with colleagues to match participants to job leads that align with their interests, qualifications, and readiness, ensuring informed referrals and strong placement outcomes.
• Make referrals to other specialized staff members when needed (job placement specialist, supportive services, advanced training pathways, etc.).

Administrative Support

• Track participant milestones and outcomes in accordance with program goals and reporting requirements.
• Distribute retention incentives to program participants who have maintained consistent employment.
• Maintain accurate client records in Salesforce; updating progress notes in Salesforce during and after each meeting with participants.
• Review participants’ daily work crew attendance and performance rating provided by their worksite supervisor.
• Participate in team meetings, trainings, and case conferencing to ensure best practices and continuous improvement.
• Perform other tasks and responsibilities that will be assigned from time to time.

Compensation and Benefits

The salary range for this position is $52,600.00 annually. In an effort to be both equitable and transparent, CEO's compensation philosophy considers a variety of factors, including, but not limited to, experience, internal equity, and home office location in making a final determination on our salary offer.

We recognize that salary is a part of the overall compensation package and also provide a comprehensive benefits package, including medical and dental coverage, as well as professional development opportunities and training, including regular training opportunities in Motivational Interviewing (MI). MI is one evidence-based skill that reentry and human service professionals can utilize when supporting participants to achieve their goals.

We also offer paid parental leave, participation in a retirement plan, sick and vacation leave, paid holidays and more. We are a workplace that promotes continual learning and teamwork, offering lunch and learns, team outings, holiday gatherings and more for our staff.

More About Us

Center for Employment Opportunities believes that everyone deserves the chance to shape a stronger future for themselves, their families, and their communities. People who are justice involved are highly encouraged to apply for vacant positions at all levels. CEO is committed to the CROWN Act, and creating an open space where our employees can present as their true authentic selves. 

All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without unlawful discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, gender, gender identity, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, military status, prior record of arrest or conviction, citizenship status, current employment status, caregiver status, or any other category protected by federal, state, or local law. We value diverse experiences, including with regard to educational background and justice system contact.

Please note that due to the volume of resumes received, we are unable to contact each applicant regarding the status of each position or reply to candidates' inquiries via phone or email.