The Enrollment & Retention is a critical member of the JobsWork! Arundel (JWA) team and serves as a primary point of contact for SNAP and TANF participants referred through the Maryland Department of Human Services and other approved referral sources.

Enrollment & Retention is responsible for supporting participants from the point of referral through enrollment, engagement, retention, and successful connection to appropriate JWA and community-based services. This position plays a central role in ensuring that referred participants are contacted promptly, accurately assessed, appropriately enrolled, and connected to individualized employment, education, training, work experience, volunteer, and supportive-service opportunities.

Enrollment & Retention will conduct participant outreach, pre-screening, intake, orientation, work readiness and barrier assessments, and ongoing engagement activities. The position is also responsible for identifying barriers that may affect participation and coordinating appropriate referrals to supportive and wrap-around services, including transportation, childcare, identification and documentation, housing and community resources, behavioral health resources, substance-use services, education, and other employment-related supports.

Enrollment & Retention will maintain consistent communication with participants through telephone, text, email, virtual platforms, and in-person meetings. E&R is expected to make proactive and timely attempts to engage participants who are difficult to reach, have missed appointments, or have become disengaged from services.

This position works closely with the JWA Program Manager, Career Coaches, Job Developer, Workshop Coordinator, community partners, and administrative staff to ensure participants are successfully transitioned into the most appropriate program activity, including Career Corner Bootcamp, career coaching, occupational training, work experience, work-based learning, volunteer placements, job development, and other workforce development services.

Enrollment & Retention is responsible for accurate and timely documentation of participant contact, assessments, enrollment activities, referrals, outcomes, and follow-up within the appropriate workforce databases and tracking systems. The position contributes directly to JWA’s performance outcomes, including participant engagement, enrollment, retention, activity participation, measurable skill gains, training participation, employment outcomes, and compliance with contractual and reporting requirements.

The ideal candidate is highly organized, participant-centered, persistent, comfortable working with individuals facing multiple barriers, and able to balance high-volume outreach with accurate documentation and exceptional customer service.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities

  Participant Outreach and Engagement

• Conduct timely outreach to newly referred SNAP and TANF participants through telephone, text messaging, email, virtual      communication, and other approved methods.
• Establish initial contact with participants and clearly communicate JWA program expectations, available services, participation opportunities, and next steps.
• Maintain consistent follow-up with participants throughout the referral, enrollment, and engagement process.
• Conduct persistent outreach to participants who are difficult to contact, miss scheduled appointments, fail to attend      orientation, or become disengaged from assigned activities.
• Utilize multiple communication strategies and make reasonable documented attempts to re-engage participants in services.
• Maintain accurate records of all outreach attempts, participant responses, appointments, referrals, and engagement      outcomes.
• Escalate participant concerns, repeated non-response, significant barriers, or potential compliance issues to the appropriate JWA leadership or staff member.

Enrollment and Intake

• Review and pre-screen participant referrals to determine eligibility and readiness for JWA services.
• Complete participant enrollment and intake activities in accordance with JWA, AAWDC, Maryland Department of Human Services, and contractual requirements.
• Collect, review, and verify required participant documentation and assist participants in obtaining missing documents when necessary.
• Ensure participant records are complete, accurate, and maintained in accordance with organizational and program requirements.
• Conduct comprehensive work readiness and barrier assessments to identify employment goals, current skills, experience, education, immediate needs, and barriers to participation.
• Identify appropriate next steps and coordinate participant transitions to Career Coaches, workshops, training opportunities, work-based learning, volunteer activities, employment services, or other JWA programming.
• Assist with the development and coordination of individualized participant service plans in collaboration with the appropriate JWA team members.

Orientation and Program Navigation

• Conduct individual and group orientations for newly referred and enrolled participants.
• Clearly explain program requirements, attendance expectations, participant responsibilities, available services, and the importance of continued engagement.
• Educate participants about the full range of JWA and AAWDC workforce development opportunities.
• Provide participants with clear instructions regarding appointments, workshops, assessments, required activities, and program next steps.
• Support participants in navigating the workforce development system and understanding how various services can support their employment and career goals.

Barrier Identification and Supportive Services

• Identify barriers that may interfere with participant engagement, employment, training, or successful program completion.
• Provide information and referrals to appropriate supportive and wrap-around services within AAWDC, JWA, Anne Arundel County, and the broader community.
• Assist participants with accessing resources related to transportation, childcare, identification and vital documents, housing, education, behavioral health, substance-use support, financial stability, and other employment-related barriers.
• Track supportive-service referrals and conduct follow-up when appropriate to determine whether participants successfully connected to recommended resources.
• Work collaboratively with Career Coaches and Program Management to identify strategies for participants experiencing significant or multiple barriers.

Retention and Re-Engagement

• Monitor participant engagement and identify individuals who may be at risk of disengaging from JWA services.
• Conduct scheduled retention and re-engagement outreach to participants who are no longer actively participating.
• Work collaboratively with participants and JWA staff to identify barriers contributing to disengagement and develop appropriate strategies for re-engagement.
• Maintain timely documentation of all retention and re-engagement efforts and outcomes.
• Support the achievement of program retention, participation, and engagement benchmarks.

Program Coordination and Team Collaboration

• Work closely with Career Coaches to ensure a smooth and timely handoff of enrolled participants into ongoing services.
• Coordinate with the Job Developer regarding participants who may be ready for employment, work experience, volunteer opportunities, or employer engagement activities.
• Collaborate with workshop and training staff to monitor participant attendance and participation.
• Participate in JWA team meetings, case conferences, program planning meetings, and performance review discussions.
• Communicate participant needs, barriers, and service updates to appropriate team members while maintaining confidentiality.
• Support special initiatives, recruitment activities, hiring events, community outreach, orientations, and workforce development events as assigned.

Documentation, Data Management, and Reporting

• Enter and maintain accurate, timely, and complete participant information in the appropriate workforce databases, including the WORKS system and other approved internal tracking tools.
• Document participant contacts, case activity, assessments, referrals, attendance, engagement efforts, supportive-service needs, and outcomes in accordance with JWA and program standards.
• Ensure case notes clearly reflect services provided, participant progress, barriers, follow-up activities, and next steps.
• Maintain participant files and documentation in compliance with confidentiality, organizational, contractual, and audit requirements.
• Assist Program Management with the collection and reporting of participant engagement, enrollment, retention, activity participation, and outcome data.
• Participate in quality assurance reviews and promptly correct documentation or data discrepancies.
• Meet established timelines and performance expectations for data entry, case documentation, and reporting.

Performance and Outcome Expectations

The Enrollment & Engagement Specialist will be expected to contribute to the achievement of JWA program outcomes and may be evaluated on performance measures including, but not limited to:

• Timeliness of initial contact with newly referred participants.
• Percentage of referred participants successfully contacted.
• Number and percentage of participants completing intake and enrollment.
• Timeliness and accuracy of participant documentation and database entry.
• Participant orientation completion rates.
• Successful transition of participants into appropriate JWA services and activities.
• Participant engagement and retention rates.
• Re-engagement of previously inactive participants.
• Completion of required outreach and follow-up attempts.
• Accuracy and completeness of case notes and participant records.
• Contribution to program enrollment, participation, training, work activity, measurable skill gain, and employment outcomes.
• Ability to meet individual and team performance benchmarks established by JWA Program Management.

Essential Competencies

The successful candidate must demonstrate:

• Strong customer service and participant engagement skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• The ability to build rapport and establish trust with individuals from diverse backgrounds.
• Persistence and professionalism when engaging difficult-to-reach participants.
• Strong organizational, time-management, and follow-up skills.
• The ability to manage a high volume of referrals, appointments, outreach activities, and participant records.
• Strong problem-solving and critical-thinking skills.
• The ability to identify barriers and connect participants with appropriate resources.
• Attention to detail and commitment to accurate documentation.
• The ability to work independently while maintaining strong communication with a collaborative team.
• Professional judgment and the ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Cultural awareness and the ability to effectively serve Anne Arundel County’s diverse populations.
• Adaptability and the ability to respond effectively to changing program priorities and participant needs.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities 

• Knowledge of workforce development principles, employment services, career pathways, and work readiness programming.
• Knowledge of barriers commonly experienced by individuals seeking employment and training.
• Familiarity with supportive and community-based resources available to individuals and families.
• Ability to conduct effective participant interviews and assessments.
• Ability to manage sensitive and confidential information appropriately.
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, and PowerPoint.
• Ability to learn and effectively utilize the WORKS database and other required internal systems.
• Ability to prepare clear, concise, and professional case notes and written communications.
• Ability to prioritize multiple responsibilities and consistently meet deadlines.
• Ability to work effectively in both an independent and team-based environment.
• Demonstrated commitment to participant success, quality service delivery, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work

This is a full-time position. Standard office hours are Monday – Friday 8:30 am – 4:30 pm. This role may require evening hours, depending on the organization's needs.

This position description does not imply that the stated requirements are the only expectations for the position. Other duties may be assigned depending on departmental and organizational needs. AAWDC has the right to revise this position description at any time. AAWDC is an “at will” employer, and as such, neither this position description nor your signature constitutes any form of a contractual agreement between you and AAWDC