Employer Engagement Specialist

With an overarching mission to eliminate ageism and ensure the dignity and quality of life of approximately 1.8 million older New Yorkers, the NYC Department for the Aging is deeply committed to helping older adults age in their homes and creating a community-care approach that reflects a model age-inclusive city.

The Employer Engagement Specialist is responsible for developing and maintaining employer partnerships to support job placement and workforce initiatives for mature and experienced job seekers. This role focuses on connecting qualified candidates to employment opportunities, coordinating hiring events and supporting employer driven workforce strategies.

The Specialist plays a key role in advancing age-inclusive hiring practices, strengthening employer relationships, and ensuring consistent placement and retention outcomes.

The responsibilities of the Employer Engagement Specialist include, but are not limited to:

• Develop and implement strategies to build and sustain a network of employers, training partners, and stakeholders that support job placement and long-term employment outcomes for program participants.
• Conduct ongoing outreach to employers to identify hiring needs, workforce trends, and opportunities for candidate placement.
• Engage employers in defining workforce needs, hiring challenges, and required skills, and use this information to align candidate referrals and workforce activities.
• Build and maintain strong working relationships with employers, training providers, and internal teams to support program goals.
• Support job placement efforts by matching qualified candidates to available opportunities and maintaining a consistent placement pipeline.
• Coordinate and support hiring events, including on-site recruitment events, employer information sessions, and workforce initiatives such as hiring halls and community-based outreach.
• Gather and share insights from employer and industry engagement to inform workforce strategies and improve program responsiveness.
• Assess labor market demand and stakeholder input to better understand and respond to the workforce needs of older adults.
• Provide support to program participants to promote job readiness, successful placement, and employment retention.
• Track employer engagement activities, job placements, and retention outcomes, ensuring accurate and timely documentation.
• Facilitate workforce program activities, including orientations, workshops, assessments, employer engagements, and external events, while supporting service delivery and participant success.
• Track, analyze, and report program data to support Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI), program performance, and strategic workforce initiatives.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with staff, partners, and stakeholders to implement workforce strategies and translate goals into actionable outcomes.
• Manage multiple priorities independently, complete assignments in a timely manner, and support additional program needs as directed by the Program Director.

Minimum Qualifications

• A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college and two years of experience in community work or community centered activities in an area related to the duties described above; or
• High school graduation or equivalent and six years of experience in community work or community centered activities in an area related to the duties as described above; or
• Education and/or experience which is equivalent to "1" or "2" above. However, all candidates must have at least one year of experience as described in "1" above.

Preferred Skills

• Ability to communicate effectively with internal and external stakeholders through clear verbal and written communication.
• Familiarity with, or willingness to learn, the NYC workforce development ecosystem and key stakeholders.
• Recognize employer hiring needs, with experience engaging employers and/or training partners.
• Ability to manage multiple projects, prioritize tasks, and meet deadlines with limited supervision.
• Experience building relationships and fostering collaboration with clients, employers, and program partners.
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and self-motivated, with the ability to take initiative.
• Ability to interpret and work with reports, data, and program documentation.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, and Outlook.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment.
• Willingness to travel to locations across New York City for meetings, events, and employer engagement.

Residency Requirement

New York City residency is generally required within 90 days of appointment. However, City Employees in certain titles who have worked for the City for 2 continuous years may also be eligible to reside in Nassau, Suffolk, Putnam, Westchester, Rockland, or Orange County. To determine if the residency requirement applies to you, please discuss with the agency representative at the time of interview.