REGIONAL WORKFORCE SPECIALIST

State of Illinois•Chicago, IL

About The Position

As a Manpower Planner III with DCEO’s Office of Employment & Training, you’ll lead risk-based monitoring, deliver hands-on technical assistance, and coordinate Rapid Response and layoff-aversion strategies that help Illinois workers and businesses thrive. You’ll turn performance data into action, build partnerships across LWIAs, colleges, and employers, and champion equitable, customer-centered service. If you value measurable results and collaborative problem-solving, we’d love to work with you. The mission of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) is to create equitable economic opportunities across the State of Illinois. By attracting and supporting major job creators, investing in communities, strengthening Illinois’ world-class workforce, fostering innovation, and ushering in the new clean energy economy, DCEO works to fortify Illinois’ reputation as a global economic powerhouse while ensuring Illinois is the best state to live, work and do business.

Requirements

Requires knowledge, skill and mental development equivalent to completion of four (4) years of college.
Requires three (3) years of professional experience in manpower development as could be gained at the Manpower Planner II level or in the administration of a wide variety of personnel programs.
Requires ability to speak Spanish at a colloquial skill level.
Requires completion of a background check and self-disclosure of criminal history.
Requires ability to travel in the performance of duties, with overnight stays as appropriate.
Requires appropriate, valid driver’s license.

Nice To Haves

Prefers three (3) years of experience administering or supporting workforce development grants or programs (e.g., WIOA, state-funded workforce/sector initiatives), including coordination across multiple partners.
Prefers three (3) years of experience in quality assurance, compliance monitoring, or performance improvement for grants or public programs, including report writing and follow-up.
Prefers two (2) years of experience in applying federal or state policy, such as the 2 CFR Part 200 Uniform Guidance, Illinois GATA, or other federal/state policy, and the ability to interpret and apply policy to real-world scenarios.
Prefers two (2) years producing professional reports/briefs, delivering presentations, facilitating meetings, trainings, or employer/grantee sessions with documented agendas and follow-up activities.
Prefers two (2) years coordinating activities across employers, LWIAs/boards, colleges/CBOs (e.g., Rapid Response events, hiring/talent-transfer, IWT/OJT projects), showing schedules, roles, and outcomes.
Prefers two (2) years producing program/grant analyses utilizing interactive dashboards and spreadsheet software.
Prefers one (1) year managing concurrent projects/tasks from scoping to close-out with on-time deliverables; uses a task tracker (e.g., MS Planner, Excel, or equivalent) and status reporting cadence.

Responsibilities

Performs employer-facing services for federal and state workforce programs, including those allowable under rapid response and implements layoff aversion strategies that create seamless employment solutions for all customers.
Conducts programmatic compliance monitoring and coordinates with fiscal monitors for assigned workforce grants (e.g., WIOA formula, Rapid Response/NDWG, state-funded initiatives, TAA)), using prescribed OET tools and risk-based schedules; travels statewide as assigned.
Using information systems, reports and other related information ensures compliant, data-driven delivery of workforce services by monitoring grantee performance, providing targeted technical assistance, and advancing layoff-aversion and talent-transfer strategies aligned to State sector priorities.
Collaborates with the appropriate OET subject matter experts to review grantee work plan(s) and any modifications or other funding requests, using appropriate review tools and actively participates with staff and other organizations in the development of policy and special initiatives to build internal and external capacity for implementing workforce programs.
Performs other duties as required or assigned which are reasonably within the scope of the duties enumerated above.

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