Orientation & Testing Specialist

Works in partnership with the Adult Education and Literacy Call Center and direct service providers in the Tarrant County Adult Education and Literacy Consortium to conduct new student orientations, pre- and post-assessment tests, and provide secure data management for all adult education and literacy services.

*This is a grant funded (WIOA) position financed by the Texas Workforce Commission and under contract by the local Workforce Solutions Board. As a result, it is subject to changes based on annual funding allocations.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Maintains comprehensive, up-to-date knowledge of available adult education and literacy services available for adults in Tarrant, Johnson, Somervell, Erath, and Hood Counties.
• Establishes good working relations with organizations providing adult education and literacy services through the Tarrant County Adult Education and Literacy Consortium.
• Provides consistent and timely orientation sessions for adult education classes, including help with documenting information for new students while honoring confidentiality standards as required by agency guidelines.
• Maintains accurate and timely records by collecting and uploading needed information according to program standards established by the Tarrant Literacy Coalition and the Tarrant County Adult Education and Literacy Consortium.
• Conducts accurate preliminary assessments after new student orientation and coordinates post-class assessments with direct service providers in a timely and urgent fashion.
• Makes appropriate and required follow-up contacts with learners to obtain additional information and/or determine whether needs were met.
• Coordinates with the Adult Education and Literacy Call Center to make appropriate and required follow-up contacts with learners who do not make their scheduled appointments.
• Participates in Consortium meetings, community events and other activities as requested to promote access to the services provided for prospective adult students and the community.
• Is prepared to work morning, evening, occasional Saturdays, and extended hours during peak periods of enrollment, as requested.
• Performs additional projects as assigned., The Orientation and Testing Specialist reports to the Executive Director.

About Tarrant Literacy Coalition and the Tarrant County Adult Education and Literacy Consortium

The Tarrant Literacy Coalition was established in 2009 to provide training and technical support to community and faith-based literacy providers and the students they served. The Coalition has a history of providing direct services to adult learners via Project BEST (2011-2021) which were high school equivalency classes taught two nights a week at the White Settlement Family Resource Center. Today, the Coalition continues to provide professional development for adult and family literacy instructors through its Friday Forums Series, the Metroplex Literacy Conference and sometimes DFW Literacy Symposium. The Coalition partners with Literacy ConneXus to offer LEARN for Life, the Literacy Education and Reading Network, which offers individual tutoring for adults with low level reading skills. The Tarrant Literacy Coalition is a founding member of the Tarrant County Adult Education and Literacy Consortium (2014) and became a funded member in 2017 when it solidified and expanded the Literacy Helpline into the Adult Education and Literacy Call Center, the one number to call for adult learners seeking classes that best fit their needs. Our call center is the only one of its kind in the entire state and is responsible for connecting thousands of learners to classes each year. The Orientation And Testing Team (OATT) provides orientation and assessment for all adult learners entering federally funded adult education programs by streamlining and unifying messaging and testing services to our adult learners and neighbors in Tarrant, Johnson, Hood, Erath, and Somervell counties and for partner agencies Fort Worth ISD, Goodwill Industries of North Central Texas, Arlington Public Library, and Tarrant County College.

To perform this job successfully, the individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or abilities required.

• Must be eligible to work in the United States
• Must possess excellent verbal skills and adequate written skills in English; bilingual English/Spanish, English/Vietnamese, and/or English/Arabic skills are favorable and eligible for pay enhancement
• Prior customer service or social service experience is preferred
• Computer proficiency is required, with a strong ability to conduct assessments
• Previous experience in and knowledge in the field of education or social services is favorable
• Strong customer service orientation to both internal and external key constituents is essential
• Must have strong interpersonal skills, maturity and good judgment and be capable of communicating with a diverse range of individuals
• Professional email and phone etiquette skills are required; must be able to create positive working relationships among co-workers and supervisors as candidates are part of a close team
• Must be flexible, reliable and can work autonomously, as well as in a supportive/team-based environment

Education Requirements

Must have at minimum a high school diploma or equivalent.

Personal Skills and Attributes

• This position requires the highest professional and personal integrity.
• Compassion and empathy for clients served by the agency, as well as values consistent with the mission of Tarrant Literacy Coalition are required.

Physical Demands

While performing the duties of this job, the Orientation and Testing Specialist is regularly required to sit, stand, walk, speak, and hear. The position requires extensive computer use; therefore, the individual must have sufficient hand dexterity to use a computer keyboard and be capable of reading a computer screen. The individual must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable otherwise qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Travel

Reliable transportation is required for the position. Specialists will be required to travel to predetermined sites throughout Tarrant County to conduct in-person orientations and assessment test. Mileage reimbursement will be made available and is based upon IRS mileage rates updated each year.

Pulled from the full job description

• Mileage reimbursement
• Professional development assistance
• Paid time off
• Flexible schedule, * Flexible schedule
• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance