Employer Engagement Manager

ReadyCT•Hartford, CT

4d•$70,000 - $85,000•Onsite

About The Position

ReadyCT is seeking a strategic Employer Engagement Program Manager to champion employer recruitment and cultivate high-quality internships. This role focuses on bridging the gap between student potential and local industry, transforming business partnerships into direct employment pathways for Connecticut's youth. The organization aims to build and sustain a youth-centric talent pipeline across the state. ReadyCT is a statewide 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing academic excellence and career-connected learning for all Connecticut public school students, working closely with business leaders to expand real-world opportunities and strengthen Connecticut’s future workforce. As a key member of the career pathways team, the Employer Engagement Program Manager will ensure program participants connect with meaningful work-based learning opportunities that align with their career aspirations. This role involves overseeing employer recruitment, strategic partnership development, and the curation of high-quality internships, while driving an initiative that supports direct employment pathways for high school students. The position is ideal for someone who thrives in a dynamic, fast-paced environment and wants their work to contribute to broader workforce impact. The manager will collaborate closely with a diverse network of Hartford area stakeholders, serving as the main point of contact for industry partners, K-12 schools, higher education institutions, and community organizations. The role requires adaptability and the ability to pivot between various tasks, from pitching businesses to tracking student progress and brainstorming with advisory groups.

Requirements

A passion for education and developing the potential of ALL students.
A bachelor's degree (required).
Direct experience with navigating multiple partnerships/stakeholder groups, with a focus on building relationships with Hartford-area employers to host interns.
Exceptional verbal and written communication skills.
Excellent organizational and project management skills and record of delivering on-time results.
Strong attention to detail.
Active listening and strong facilitation skills.
Strong interpersonal skills and the capacity to build new relationships with a wide range of stakeholders across all demographics.
The ability to work independently and collaborate with a team, as circumstances dictate.
Comfort with and aptitude for learning new technology systems.
Demonstrated ability to multi-task and deliver quality work.
Ability to adapt to new situations and remain customer-focused.
The persistence and resourcefulness to do whatever it takes to get the job done.
Ability to travel frequently across Connecticut for meetings and events.
Proficiency in Google Workspace and Microsoft Office Suite.
Experience with Salesforce or a related CRM system.
Strong ability to balance strategic thinking with day-to-day operational needs.
Ability to perform the essential functions of this role as described below.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree or higher (preferred).
Experience with Jira and other Atlassian products (preferred).

Responsibilities

Recruiting local employers to host interns throughout the greater Hartford region, supporting multiple districts as measured with specified key performance indicators.
In collaboration with the program team, informing the overall design, strategy, participant experience, staff experience, and scale-up of career pathway programming.
Leading employer recruitment efforts to develop high-quality internship experiences for program participants, with the goal of securing and placing at least 100 successful internships per year.
Advancing an employer advisory group and contributing in brainstorming and troubleshooting conversations that help to increase participant and employer engagement and retention.
Cultivating and maintaining positive working relationships with key partners across Connecticut, including the Office of Workforce Strategy, the five workforce development boards (WDBs), and local chambers of commerce, among others.
Establishing and maintaining strong referral partnerships with sector-based training providers and credentialing programs.
Developing, curating, and sustaining a dynamic and responsive menu of high-quality learning experiences and activities to support the successful implementation of participant career launch plans.
Working closely with career pathway program managers on the development and implementation of key partnerships with sector-based training/credentialing providers.
Developing systems to maintain a streamlined process for program participants and employer partners to monitor internship experiences to ensure program goals are met.
Tracking the progress and status of program participants throughout the duration of the program using both internal and external platforms.
Supporting ongoing data collection, reporting, and analysis.
Coordinating and assisting with ongoing program evaluation; using evaluation/data to inform continuous improvement of the WBL program design and delivery.
Consistently seeking out or identifying career resources that provide student support and staff development opportunities.
Promoting other ReadyCT programs and/or activities that complement the career pathways program.
Participating and engaging in standing team meetings, professional development, and ReadyCT strategic planning conversations.
Participating in CBIA & Affiliates meetings and events, as required.
Other duties, as assigned.