Workforce Development Program Manager
About The Position
This is the ideal position for someone wanting to “upset the set-up”—bringing back power and voice to systems-impacted communities of color and leveraging lived experience to create real, sustainable economic opportunities for young people. The Workforce Development Program Manager is responsible for overseeing the success of CURYJ’s workforce development programming. This role ensures that systems-impacted and high-needs young people have access to meaningful career pathways that lead to living-wage jobs, long-term stability, and leadership development. Reporting to the Managing Director, the Workforce Development Program Manager provides supervision to life coaches and workforce training staff, develops workforce training curricula, builds strong employment and training partnerships, and tracks program outcomes related to job placement, retention, and advancement. This role centers healing, leadership, and liberation while advancing economic justice for young people and their communities.
Requirements
- At least five years of directly applicable experience in workforce development, youth services, or a community-based organization
- Experience supervising staff and supporting team development
- Experience in case management, direct services, or workforce programming
- Strong organizational, communication, and relationship-building skills
- Willingness to work an irregular schedule, including occasional evenings or weekends
- Deep commitment to racial, economic, and restorative justice
Nice To Haves
- Experience developing workforce training curricula
- Familiarity with unions, trades, apprenticeships, and CTE pathways
- Experience working with systems-impacted, formerly incarcerated, or high-needs youth
- Political understanding of Oakland and East Bay community dynamics
- Bicultural competence and strong writing skills
Responsibilities
- Lead the day-to-day operations of CURYJ’s workforce development programs
- Ensure programming aligns with CURYJ’s mission, TOTAL framework, and funding requirements
- Continuously assess and improve program design to meet the needs of high-needs and systems-impacted young people
- Supervise, mentor, and support life coaches and workforce training staff
- Facilitate regular team meetings, case conferences, and performance check-ins
- Support staff professional development and ensure trauma-informed, youth-centered service delivery
- Develop and refine workforce training curricula focused on job readiness, career exploration, and skill-building
- Build and maintain workforce pathways for young people, including connections to: ○ Labor unions and trades Apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeship programs Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs ○ Small, local, and community-based businesses
- Facilitate weekly workforce development sessions for 3-4 cohorts per year
- Ensure pathways support long-term career growth and economic stability
- Cultivate relationships with employers, unions, training providers, and community partners
- Expand employment and training opportunities aligned with CURYJ’s values and participant needs
- Represent CURYJ in workforce development coalitions and community spaces
- Track and analyze program outputs and outcomes, including job placement, job retention, wage growth, and career advancement
- Ensure accurate data collection, documentation, and reporting for grants and contracts
- Use data to inform program improvements and demonstrate impact
Benefits
- 100% employer-paid medical coverage (highest CalChoice package included)
- Vision and dental coverage
- $25,000 life insurance plan
- Option to enroll in a 403(b) retirement plan
- 2 weeks paid vacation per year plus a 2-week office shutdown during December/January, and paid holidays including: ○ New Year’s Day ○ Martin Luther King Jr. Day ○ President’s Day ○ Cesar Chavez Day ○ Memorial Day ○ Independence Day ○ Labor Day ○ Indigenous Peoples Day ○ Veteran’s Day ○ Thanks”taking” Week ○ Your Birthday
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Manager
Education Level
No Education Listed
