Director Of Workforce

YouthBuild Philly • Philadelphia, PA

2d • $80,000 - $95,000

About The Position

The Director of Workforce leads the strategic development of YB’s workforce programming in the Building Trades, Healthcare, and Culinary fields, ensuring alignment with evolving industry trends and employer needs. This role manages all of the logistical elements of workforce programming from worksite safety to supply ordering and partnership agreement management. A member of the School Leadership Team, the Director of Workforce is a strategic connector and systems-builder, collaborating with staff members and leaders across departments to ensure students have access to meaningful experiences and industry certifications that set them up for career success. The ideal candidate is a proven, equity-focused leader, with experience in programmatic leadership, building industry connections, operationalizing bold visions, managing complex logistics and competing priorities, and creating transformative workforce pathways for young people.

Requirements

• Passionate about workforce development and postsecondary success, with deep expertise in vocational education, career pathways and readiness, real-world skill development, industry certifications, and postsecondary transition strategies
• A strategic leader who can evolve and modernize YouthBuild’s 32-year-old workforce model to reflect industry trends and best practices.
• An operational problem-solver who can oversee complex logistics, manage multiple programs, and ensure seamless execution of vocational programming.
• Strong partnership-building skills, with the ability to engage employers, unions, industry leaders, postsecondary institutions, and community organizations.
• Exceptional communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to analyze data and use insights to drive programmatic decisions.
• A deep commitment to educational equity and youth development with a strong understanding of how systemic barriers impact employment and education access.
• 5+ years of experience in workforce development, vocational education, postsecondary counseling, or related fields.
• 2+ years of leadership experience, preferably in a school, workforce development, or nonprofit setting.
• Bachelor's Degree required

Nice To Haves

• Master’s Degree from an accredited college or university is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead the strategic development of YB’s workforce programming in the Building Trades, Healthcare, and Culinary fields
• Cultivate strong relationships with industry partners and sector experts and monitor local and national industry trends
• Drive the ongoing evolution of workforce programming at YB, revising curriculum and programming to align with changing industry standards, emerging trends, and employer expectations to maximize student employability.
• Lead the strategic development and expansion of YouthBuild’s social enterprise initiatives, ensuring alignment with organizational goals
• Implement effective data collection, analysis, and reporting to monitor program outcomes, identify gaps, and inform strategic improvements.
• Manage all logistical components of YB’s vocational programming
• Oversee all worksite operations, including planning, staffing, supervision, quality control, and ensuring safe, effective workforce training environments that provide significant career exposure opportunities for students.
• Manage procurement and inventory, including ordering supplies, tools, equipment, and materials needed for workforce training, enterprise projects, and student certifications.
• Develop and maintain MOUs and relationships with partner organizations providing programmatic support, including those providing additional healthcare certifications to healthcare students.
• Collaborate with the Director of Compliance & Implementation to ensure that workforce programming meets all grant requirements including contributing to grant reporting
• Oversee the coordination and delivery of industry-recognized certifications, ensuring students have access to high-quality training that meets credentialing standards and ultimately earn industry certifications.
• Directly manage the Partnership Coordinator, supporting them in creating and managing robust internship programming.
• Collaborate closely with the Director of Academics, who manages workforce instructors and provides instructional feedback and support, to ensure alignment between instructional feedback and curriculum and programmatic priorities including supporting leading staff professional development.
• Serve as a member of the School Leadership Team and Extended Leadership Team, contributing to organizational initiatives and collaborating across departments.
• Collaborate with the Postsecondary team to ensure alignment between workforce programming, internship programming, and postsecondary exposure and placement activities.
• Collaborate with the Principal and other members of the Leadership Team including the CEO, CFO, and Chief of Staff and Strategy to align the evolution of workforce programming to organizational goals and priorities.
• Directly manage the Associate Director of Building Trades.
• Other duties as assigned by the Principal.

Benefits

• Generous time off
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Flexible spending accounts
• 401(k) savings plan with an employer match
• Employer-paid life insurance, short-term disability, and long-term disability
• Educational assistance and professional development opportunities to enhance skills and career growth
• Supportive and collaborative work environment, strong community support and involvement

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Number of Employees: 101-250 employees