Director of Fire and Workforce Programming/CSRI (UEC)

CSU Careers•San Bernardino, CA

2d•Onsite

About The Position

University Enterprises Corporation at CSUSB (UEC) supports the university's educational mission through campus business enterprises and by serving as a grantee for research and sponsored projects. This is a temporary, exempt, full-time, benefited management staff position based at the CSRI Center in San Bernardino, funded through June 30, 2027. The appointment may be renewed annually depending on funding, available work, and satisfactory performance. Salary is $10,917–$13,333 per month. Under minimal supervision of the CSRI Chief of Staff, the Director independently leads workforce development programming across CSRI programs and locations. The role develops career pathways for justice-involved participants, with particular emphasis on fire mitigation and wildfire prevention, and coordinates training, employer partnerships, reentry employment supports, program funding, performance measurement, compliance, and continuous improvement. The schedule is generally Monday through Friday, 8:45 a.m. to 5:15 p.m., with 40 or more hours per week. Flexible hours, including early mornings, evenings, and weekends, are required as needed for training, employer engagement, community events, and field projects. Travel is required to organizational centers, employer sites, workforce and training partners, community events, fire-mitigation project locations, and funder meetings. The position is designated sensitive; the selected candidate must pass a thorough background investigation, including a criminal history check, before appointment.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration, Business Administration, Workforce Development, Social Work, Criminal Justice, Sociology, Human Services, Environmental Studies, Forestry, or a related field, and at least 5 years of progressively responsible experience in workforce development, employment services, reentry programming, vocational training, public-sector workforce programs, or a related field, including at least 3 years in a supervisory or program-management role; OR an associate degree or equivalent in a related field and at least 7 years of progressively responsible relevant experience, including at least 3 years in a supervisory or program-management role.
At least 3 years of professional firefighting experience.
Strong leadership, program development, organizational, and relationship-management skills.
Knowledge of workforce development, job development, vocational training, career pathways, and employment-retention strategies.
Knowledge of employment barriers experienced by justice-involved and reentry populations and strategies for supporting workforce reintegration.
Knowledge of, or demonstrated ability to develop programming related to, fire mitigation, wildfire prevention, vegetation management, conservation, forestry, public works, or related industries.
Ability to build partnerships with employers, public agencies, workforce organizations, training providers, and community partners.
Ability to develop and manage workforce programs, grants, contracts, performance measures, and budgets.
Ability to analyze workforce data and use outcomes to improve program performance.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to represent the organization with external stakeholders.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and workforce/program management systems.
Valid driver’s license and ability to travel to multiple locations.
Must comply with applicable safety, training, and personal protective equipment requirements when visiting field-based work or training sites.
Must successfully pass a thorough background investigation, including a criminal history check, before appointment.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in Public Administration, Business Administration, Social Work, Workforce Development, Criminal Justice, or a related field.
Experience developing workforce programs for justice-involved or formerly incarcerated populations.
Experience with fire mitigation, wildfire prevention, vegetation management, conservation, forestry, public works, or related workforce programs.
Experience developing employer partnerships, apprenticeships, pre-apprenticeships, transitional employment, or paid work-experience programs.
Experience managing workforce grants, government contracts, or performance-based employment programs.

Responsibilities

Plan, direct, and coordinate CSRI workforce development activities across programs and locations.
Develop a workforce strategy for justice-involved participants focused on career pathways, wage progression, job retention, and long-term economic stability.
Identify labor-market opportunities and align workforce programming with employer demand and participant needs.
Set performance goals and monitor enrollment, training completion, credentials, job placement, wages, retention, and advancement.
Lead the development and expansion of workforce pathways in fire mitigation and wildfire prevention, including vegetation management, fuels reduction, defensible-space work, brush clearance, forestry, conservation, public works, and related skilled trades.
Develop structured pathways from reentry services to industry-recognized training, paid work experience, and permanent employment.
Build partnerships with fire agencies, land-management organizations, conservation programs, municipalities, contractors, unions, training providers, and other relevant employers.
Coordinate safety training, certifications, personal protective equipment requirements, and worksite expectations for fire-mitigation programming.
Evaluate opportunities for transitional work crews, work-based learning, apprenticeships, pre-apprenticeships, and direct-hire pathways.
Ensure fire-mitigation initiatives provide safe, lawful, employment-centered reentry opportunities and support participant career advancement.
Oversee career-readiness programming, vocational training, industry certifications, and employment preparation services.
Coordinate with training providers to develop accessible, relevant programs for people returning from incarceration or under community supervision.
Promote career pathways that offer advancement opportunities rather than focusing solely on short-term job placement.
Identify workforce development funding opportunities and assist with grant proposals, contracts, and program budgets.
Support implementation of funded workforce initiatives and ensure services meet grant, contract, and organizational requirements.
Develop scopes of work, performance measures, program procedures, and implementation plans for workforce initiatives.
Monitor expenditures and program performance with organizational leadership and fiscal staff.
Develop consistent workforce-development practices, tools, procedures, and documentation across CSRI locations.
Coordinate with Center Managers, case management staff, and program leadership to integrate employment planning into participant reentry services.
Track and analyze workforce outcomes, including training participation, credentials, placements, starting wages, retention, and advancement.
Prepare workforce-development reports for leadership, funders, partners, and other stakeholders.
Ensure participant, employer, training, and worksite documentation is accurate, timely, and compliant with applicable requirements.
Use performance data and employer feedback to improve workforce services and employment outcomes.
Represent CSRI in workforce-development, reentry, fire-mitigation, and community partnership meetings.
Build relationships with workforce boards, community colleges, adult education programs, public agencies, community organizations, and industry partners.
Promote CSRI participants as a qualified workforce and advocate for fair-chance employment opportunities.
Coordinate with reentry partners to address transportation, tools, work clothing, identification, licensing, and other employment barriers.
Travel to organizational centers, employer sites, training partners, community events, fire-mitigation project locations, and funder-required meetings.