Reentry Employment Coordinator The Reentry Employment Coordinator serves as a workforce development subject-matter expert within the Division of Reentry and Rehabilitation, responsible for building and expanding sustainable career pathways for individuals transitioning from state correctional facilities or community supervision. Operating under general direction, this specialist builds strategic networks with fair-chance employers, trade unions, workforce boards, and vocational training programs. Recognizing that employment retention depends on overall stability, the Coordinator addresses holistic barriers—including housing proximity, transportation, shift-schedule compliance with court supervision, and life skills.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities:
Employer & Workforce Network Development: Cultivate and expand a statewide network of fair-chance employers, trade unions, apprenticeship programs, and commercial partners. Utilize Work Opportunity Tax Credits (WOTC), federal bonding programs, and workforce development grants to incentivize hiring.
Job Readiness & Barrier Resolution: Evaluate client job readiness and map career plans against critical stabilization needs, including transportation access, housing proximity, childcare, and workplace life skills.
Pre-Release Facility Coordination: Partner directly with pre-release specialists and vocational/educational instructors inside state correctional facilities to align facility job training with immediate post-release employment opportunities.
Supervision Alignment & Schedule Clearance: Serve as the primary liaison between private employers and probation/parole officers. Ensure work hours, job sites, and travel routes strictly align with court-mandated curfews, drug testing schedules, and supervision guidelines.
Retention Tracking & Outcome Analysis: Track 30/90/180-day employment retention, wage growth, and career advancement metrics in the case management system. Monitor external workforce training contracts for service quality.
Qualifications & Competencies:
Workforce Systems & Fair-Chance Hiring: Operational knowledge of Utah labor market trends, career and technical education (CTE) pathways, Department of Workforce Services (DWS) resources, fair-chance hiring policies, and commercial licensing restrictions.
Holistic System Navigation: Understanding of how job retention directly depends on housing stability, reliable public transit, mental health/recovery schedules, and personal life skills.
Supervision & Compliance Awareness: Familiarity with probation and parole supervision frameworks, facility movement procedures, and risk-reduction principles to ensure safe job placements.
Employer Advocacy & Negotiation: Proven ability to educate business leaders on risk mitigation, overcome social stigma surrounding past convictions, and negotiate fair wages and career advancement for clients.
In Utah, we believe hard work is important, but balance is essential. Finding work/life balance is a vital element to our culture. To find out more about WHY Utah. Other benefits may include:
The Utah Department of Corrections as a dedicated team of professionals ensures public safety by effectively managing offenders while maintaining close collaboration with partner agencies and the community. Our team is devoted to providing maximum opportunities for offenders to make lasting changes through accountability, treatment, education, and positive reinforcement within a safe environment.
The State of Utah is committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, or Veteran status. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. For accommodations, please contact (801) 957-9390.
