Offender Employment Specialist (OES)

Day-to-day tends to involve client meetings on job readiness, employer outreach, job placement work, follow-up with clients in new positions, and coordination with probation, parole, or reentry programs. The work happens at the intersection of workforce development and reentry — addressing both employment skills and the systemic barriers facing job seekers with records.

Coordination tends to happen with clients, employers, probation/parole officers, reentry programs, and the broader workforce development network. Building a network of fair-chance employers is much of the long-term work — placements depend on businesses willing to look past records, and maintaining those relationships requires consistent communication and good matches.

People who tend to thrive here are patient, persistent, and grounded in the reality that recidivism drops dramatically with stable employment. If you struggle with the slow arc of the work or with the systemic barriers, the role can wear. If you find satisfaction in being the person who helps someone build a working life that actually changes their trajectory, the role can be among the most meaningful in workforce and reentry services.