The Job Accommodation Network in the College of Applied Human Sciences at West Virginia University is currently accepting applications for a Consultant.
About the Opportunity
The junior level Consultant provides highly specialized disability related information and referral services to customers of the Job Accommodation Network (JAN) a nationally renowned consulting service. The Consultant provides direct services to JAN customers including individuals with disabilities, rehabilitation professionals, and others. The Consultant will be a member of the JAN Psychiatric/Cognitive team. The Consultant also assists more senior consultants with external training and assists with the supervision of the team program specialists. This position provides support to both external (more than 48,000 individuals with a disability, rehabilitation professionals, and other service users) and internal customers (10 Consultants at the Lead and Senior level as well as two Principle Consultants, 4 technical staff, and Program Director and Manager) of the JAN.
We strongly believe in work-life balance and keeping time for things we love outside our work. WVU offers generous benefits, including:
- 37.5-hour work week
- 13 paid holidays (staff holiday calendar)
- 24 annual leave (vacation) days per year or more based on years of service (employee leave)
- 18 sick days per year (for when you’re ill, for when you need time to care for sick family, for your own, or your family’s, regularly scheduled medical appointments. Who is family for the purpose of this leave? A lot of people in your life including immediate relatives and in-laws as well as others considered to be members of your household living under the same roof)
- WVU offers a range of health insurance and other benefits
- 401(a) retirement savings with 6%25 employee contribution match, eligibility to continue health insurance, and other retiree perks. Looking for more retirement benefits information? Check out retirement health insurance benefits, retirement income, and FAQ’s.
- Wellness programs
What You'll Do
Provide direct consulting entailing information and referral services to JAN customers including individuals with disabilities, rehabilitation professionals, and others.
- Respond to telephone and e-mail inquiries from rehabilitation professionals, individuals with disabilities or functional limitations, and their family members.
- Process incoming accommodation inquires for rehabilitation professionals, individuals with a disability or functional limitations and their family members especially those pertaining to the prescribed specialty area.
- Solicit information from caller to assess functional limitations of the potential worker or student with a disability, the work site, the work environment, and the job task specifications.
- Determine areas of caller concern regarding implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or other relevant legislation and provide required information.
- Creatively determines strategies to solve customer’s challenges.
- Provide information regarding job accommodations and technical assistance on requesting accommodation...
- Provide basic information about laws such as the American’s with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
- Respond to inquiries regarding Titles II and III of the ADA
- Solicit accommodation input information and document according to established procedures.
Assist in the development and maintenance of the resource and referral databases.
- Review and assist with classification of information related to the ADA and other relevant legislation.
- Obtain technical information from product manufacturers to satisfy specific inquires about accommodation implementation.
- Update and populate databases of products and organizations with assistance from Program Specialist and supervision by Senior and Lead Consultants.
- Compose and assemble accommodation abstract or other information and accompanying cover letter.
- Provide follow-up support for recipients of information, as needed.
Conduct research to fulfill JAN customer demands.
- Maintain technical expertise through personal research.
- Locate and provide referral information to inquirers on other services for people with disabilities.
- Complete call documentation forms and procedures.
- Participate in scheduled meetings and in-house staff training.
- Assist with publication updates and writing.
- Assist in the development of publication topics.
- Assist in the research and writing of reports, white papers, and peer reviewed articles.
- Support other staff members by providing input from JAN case experience.
Assist in design and development of training programs to meet JAN customer live training needs.
- Assist in the planning, development, coordination and execution of training programs for local, regional, and national presentations.
- Assist in design, development, and updating of paper and electronic materials for training programs.
- Assist in the design and development of customized training programs in response to special requests from JAN customers.
- Assist in the development of budgets and assist with training reimbursements from training sponsors.
- Supervise the graduate assistants in preparation of training materials for shipping.
- Assist in the continuous evaluation of training materials and programs for relevance to JAN customers.
Assist in design and development of training programs to meet JAN customer electronic training needs.
- Assist in the planning, development, coordination, and execution of audio, webcast, podcasts, training programs for local, regional, and national presentations.
- Assist in design, development and updating of electronic materials for on-line training programs.
- Assist in the design and development of customized training programs in response to special requests from JAN customers.
- Assist in the development of budgets and assist with training reimbursements from training sponsors.
- Assist in the continuous evaluation of training materials and programs for relevance to JAN customers.
Assist with outreach and education (O&E) strategies and tactics.
- Assist in the preparation of presentations for local, regional, and national presentations.
- Assist in developing paper and electronic materials for O&E
- Supervise program specialist and graduate assistants in preparation of O&E materials for shipping.
- Supervise program specialist and graduate assistants in preparation of marketing booth for shipping.
- Assist in staffing JAN O&E booth.
Assist in the development and maintenance of collaborative relationships.
- Assist in the development of relationships with local, regional, and national leaders in the field of disability and employment.
- Assist in maintenance of relationships with local, regional, and national leaders in the field of disability and employment
- Masters Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling, Social Work, Industrial and Labor Relations, Human Resources, Special Education, Business Administration or a related field is required.
- A minimum of one (1) year of experience in each of the following:
- Experience working with individuals with disabilities in prescribed specialty area (motor, sensory or cognitive disabilities and limitations.
- Experience in providing information concerning the Americans with Disabilities Act and related legislation as to how it relates to employment.
- Experience in communicating with individuals of all education levels both over the telephone and in writing.
- Experience with various assistive technologies for people with disabilities in prescribed specialty area.
- Experience in use of various database systems, e-mail and internet searching.
- All qualifications must be met by the time of employment.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- Knowledge of the rehabilitation process individuals of disabilities may experience in seeking services from individual communities, government programs and insurance systems.
- Excellent customer service skills.
- Ability to design, develop, implement, and evaluate quality training programs within the national context.
- Excellent organizational abilities.
- Skilled at multitasking including immediate input into database system while serving customers.
- Initiative and motivation to request, accept, and complete task as required.
- Ability to develop, implement, and monitor processes towards improving customer service.
- Ability to evaluate situations, analyze problems, identify alternate solutions, and provide practical solutions to both internal and external customers.
- Ability to adapt successfully to a changing environment, regulations, finances, and goals.
- Ability to effectively articulate complex information to individual of all education level via telephone and in writing.
- Ability to read, analyze, and interpret complex documents.
- Broad knowledge of disability issues pertaining to prescribed specialty area.
- Knowledge of quality customer service standards and procedures within a phone consultancy context.
- Knowledge of quality customer service standards and procedures for live and electronic training.
- Skill at organizing resources for effective and efficient provision of referral information to customers.
- Knowledge of employment and disability statistics.
- Knowledge of federal resources regarding disability in the federal workforce.
- Knowledge of communication principles, media, and outreach and education techniques.
- Ability to work independently and display creativity, exercise sound judgment, and demonstrate initiative.
- Demonstrated ability to work as a member of a team of diverse skill levels and expertise.
- Ability to travel at as needed to various local, regional, and national locations. Overnight may need to be required.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive information appropriately.
- Skills in the operation of a PC and in particular MS WORD, EXCEL, PowerPoint. Good typing skills are required.
- Ability to write articles, publications, and technical assistance documents.
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills to develop effective working relationships and to relate effectively to all levels of employees.
- Ability to work effectively with a wide range of customer in a diverse community.
- Analytical skills sufficient to research problem situations and to develop logical resolutions for both internal and external customers.
- Ability to maintain professionalism and composure at all times, including stressful situations.
