Manager of Workforce Development

FareStart•Seattle, WA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

This position serves as a key member of department leadership to plan, coordinate, and manage high-quality employment and alumni programming, with accountability for driving strong job placement, retention, and long-term career advancement outcomes. This position manages the team responsible for durable skills training, employment strategy, employer partnerships, and alumni engagement efforts to ensure strong job placement outcomes and long term economic mobility for program participants. This position ensures alignment across employment, classroom training, and supportive case management functions to create cohesive pathways from training to employment to long-term career advancement.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in related field and eight (8) or more years of related experience, including four (4) or more years of experience managing and developing a team; and/or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Experience in workforce development serving low-income individuals with barriers to employment, including those impacted by homelessness, justice involvement, or other systemic barriers.
Demonstrated experience developing curriculum and instruction related to job readiness and/or skills-based training programs and working with and building partnerships with second-chance employers; building and implementing workforce development strategies leading to strong employment and retention outcomes; and designing or overseeing alumni strategies that support long-term employment outcomes.
Demonstrated ability to manage and align multiple systems, stakeholders, and priorities to achieve program outcomes.
Experience directly working with people from diverse racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, LGBTQIA+, and gender backgrounds. Demonstrated knowledge of institutional and structural racism and its impact on underserved communities.
Experience managing and developing a team. Ability to lead and motivate teams.
Proficient and experienced in Microsoft Office applications, particularly Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams. Ability to work with customized databases and technology and to conduct internet research.
Ability to build and foster positive and collaborative relationships across a variety of departments and teams inside and outside the organization and develop teams to do the same.
Ability to work effectively independently and as part of a team, within diverse teams and environments.
Ability to communicate effectively and comfortably with audiences of different backgrounds and experiences.
Ability to display sensitivity, tact, and responsiveness in various situations and maintain a high level of confidentiality.
Ability to listen, give and receive feedback in a productive and professional manner.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to adapt communication based on audience and purpose with inclusivity. Ability to disseminate information effectively to appropriate levels.
Demonstrated excellent interpersonal, negotiation, and conflict resolution skills.
Excellent organizational skills with the ability to balance and prioritize multiple tasks and requests and meet deadlines in a professional manner.
Ability to evaluate problems and effectively solve them in a timely manner. Ability to respond to concerns with empathy and inclusivity. Respond appropriately to conflict.
Ability to delegate responsibilities, work with others, and coach employees to develop their full potential. Provide helpful, behaviorally specific feedback to others. Regularly meet with employees to review their development progress and express confidence in their abilities to be successful. Engage in open and honest communication.
Ability to work a non-standard/flexible schedule, which may include weekends, evenings, and holidays.

Responsibilities

Manage and oversee direct reports including all down-level reports, hiring, developing, guiding, goal setting, and performance reviews, coaching, training, and support. Foster a collaborative, inclusive, high performance team culture ensuring staff are trained in trauma-informed, person-centered approaches.
Manage and oversee FareStart’s overall student employment strategy, ensuring strong job placement, retention, and long-term career outcomes. Ensure alignment of programs, policies, KPIs, communications, and data reporting.
Collaborate with department leadership, training teams, and case management to align services, analyze data, identify trends, and implement strategies that improve employment outcomes and participant support.
Manage and oversee employment matching processes, ensuring alignment with FareStart’s strategic priority supporting students in gaining employment. Design and manage structured transitional employment pathways that support participants in gaining experience and advancing into competitive employment.
Build, maintain, and deepen employer partnerships across industries aligned with participant career pathways.
Design and manage a comprehensive alumni engagement strategy that supports long-term career advancement and stability. Create opportunities for alumni connection, networking, skill-building, and peer mentorship.
Manage and refine durable skills and job readiness curriculum framework, ensuring consistency across programs, curriculum alignment with employer needs, labor market trends, and participant career pathways.
Collaborate with department leadership to monitor budgets and ensure areas of responsibility remain within budget.
Manage systems for data collection and ensure timely data entry, documentation, and reporting of employer partner, student employment, and alumni outcome data to meet organizational and funder requirements.
Represent FareStart in the community and build working relationships with external stakeholders, employers, and partners.
Support and promote the organization’s strategic plan and department priorities.
Perform other duties as assigned.