Director Of Workforce Development

Position: Director of Workforce Development 

The Director of Workforce Development is a management position responsible for the oversight of LCW’s Workforce Development Department  and its programs, staff, volunteers and interns. The Director will lead an array of reputable workforce programs, and a department of hard-working dedicated staff, in meaningful high-impact life-changing work for residents and the community. We are seeking a highly-motivated, visionary, knowledgeable, organized and enthusiastic leader with a passion for positive community and systemic change. The candidate will demonstrate strong strategic thinking skills and expertise in mission-driven approaches to individual and community economic mobility and empowerment. 

Responsibilities

• Successful delivery of programs and initiatives. Programs include: Medical Customer Service, Latinos in Banking, Digital Skills for Life, Paraeducator, LISC-Bridges to Green Jobs, Adult Basic Education/English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) programs as well as collaborative employment program strategies: i.e., the Lawrence Working Families Initiative (LWFI). 

• Ensure program delivers on mission and department goals: Making certain that the Workforce Program meets and exceeds operational standards and guidelines as established by funders according to contracts and funding agreements.

• Develop and maintain knowledge of the local and regional labor market key indicators and trends.

• Oversee delivery of programs and program flows: intake process, file maintenance, coaching/counseling activities, educational workshops, etc.

• Ensuring staff organization and production is efficient to meet organizational and department goals and the needs of our members/participants.

• Providing leadership to a talented and passionate team of staff, instructors, interns, and volunteers.

• Provide guidance and support for the training and development of workforce staff; ensure staff are properly trained and maintain industry required certifications; promote culture of learning, skills development and professionalism.

• Fostering an aspirational, positive, can-do culture; celebrating and championing staff, program and participant accomplishments and successes.

• Applying LCW network-centric principles, including the design and integration of activities that promote peer to peer support, connectivity and community engagement in a financial empowerment setting.

• Sustain a culture of open dialogue and communication. 

• Upholding sound department financial management practices: developing program budgets and following fiscal control protocols, following the direction of the Chief Financial Officer (CFO).

• Collaboratively supporting fundraising strategies in coordination with the Resource Development Department, including providing timely performance reports and guidance and participating in relationship building with funders. 

• Applying “continuous improvement” performance evaluation practices: ensuring proper data collection, quantitative and qualitative analysis and measurement, reporting, and feedback loops.

• Build partnerships with pertinent professionals, organizations and institutions that will enhance LCW’s employment programs.

• Develop and coordinate marketing/outreach strategies and protocols in collaboration with LCWs’ Marketing Committee.

• Coordinate efforts related to advocacy and consumer protection policies for consumers that combat scams/schemes that are financially harmful to members of the community.

• Engage in organization-wide initiatives 

• Any other duties as assigned by Senior Management.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree preferred

• Minimum 3 years supervisory experience ideally in a workforce development, financial education and/or coaching, community organizing, or community-based service setting

• Demonstrated experience in leading employment training, adult education and/or asset building programs; deep content knowledge of program curricula and strategies

• Profound knowledge of socio-economic factors and their influence on family and individual financial progress

• Understanding of employment development strategies including employer demand side needs, personal hard and power skills development, job procurement processes, supply side barriers to employment and strategies to overcome them

• Ability to lead a complex multi-faceted team through a variety of dynamic initiatives and projects

• Able to coach, train and develop talent

• Analytical, results oriented, critical and independent thinker

• Excellent organizational skills and ability to proactively manage multiple priorities

• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain multi-level relationships and networks – junior and senior, for-profit and nonprofit, and with diverse backgrounds 

• Willingness to learn, absorb, and practice LCW’s Network-centric approach to community-building

• Remain focused in the face of pressure, deliver against timelines, not intimidated by tasks/time limitations

• Excellent written and oral communication and interpersonal skills

• Fluency in Spanish and English preferred