Career Pathway Services Program Director

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Provide effective management of program administration and operations towards achieving Career Pathway Service program performance goals, responsibilities include:

• a. Provide direct supervision to assigned staff: cultivate strong team cohesion, ensure staff stay on task towards achieving program goals including related program operational and administrative tasks, organize productive weekly team meetings, and maintain schedule of regular check-ins with staff.
• b. Ensure assigned staff are on-track to meet annual program metrics through timely data collection and updating database and participant folders that allow for monthly generation of performance progress reports. Must have strong Excel spreadsheet and analytical skills: able to design, format, analyze and report from spreadsheets according to program design needs.
• c. Ensure assigned staff are operating within allowed program budget and practicing required fiscal management policies.
• d. Maintain up to date manual of program policies and operations, ensuring all activities have clear lesson plans aligned with program logic models.
• e. Assist Executive Director in drafting reports and grant proposals supporting program activities.

2. Provide strategic leadership for MR and its programs:

• a. Effectively represent and advocate for MR’s interests with diverse stakeholders: funders, employers, community representatives, collaborators, and partners. Able to be an effective spokesperson for the program, able to inspire and win-over stakeholders to support and participate in program activities and operations.
• b. Effective in networking, creating potential leads for new partnerships, fee-for-service, and grant opportunities.
• c. Intellectually curious about new ideas, maintains a regular schedule to stay informed of national/international best practices relative to our field of work, interested in participating in internal discussion and debate to shape and find application for new ideas. Areas of interest for the program include trauma-informed care, employee ownership, leadership development, career pathway program best practices, industry 4.0, sustainable development, manufacturing ecosystems.
• d. Work in coordination with the senior management team on other organizational initiatives, participate in community outreach or engagement activities on regular basis to build organizational visibility, community relations and opportunities for partnerships. Possible activities include attending community meetings and events organized by community-based organizations and other civic or industry groups.

SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS

- Mandatory Qualifications:

•  Must be able to pass appropriate criminal background check and comply with Illinois Mandated Report laws.
•  Must be COVID-19 vaccinated (current with most recently available booster).

-Able to demonstrate effective:

• Analytical skills: able to read and design spreadsheets, able to recognize patterns in data, identify and troubleshoot problems.
• Writing skills: able to compose grant reports, proposals, short articles sharing success stories and best practices of the program that can be shared with funders, network, online audiences.
• Administrative skills: effective time management, effective managing participant data and documentation of services, attention to detail, organized, sensitivity to deadlines.
• Literacy and communications skills – strong reading comprehension, writing, interpersonal, public speaking, social media highly preferred.
• Computer/internet literacy skills: proficient in using Microsoft Office including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint, OneDrive and other web applications.
• Initiative, professionalism, and ability to work with diverse stakeholders (youth, young adults, social service agencies, manufacturers, community residents, etc.) in a dynamic environment.
• Positive, “can-do” attitude and pro-active approach to solving problems, engaging, and resolving inevitable tensions that arise in the work to develop partnerships and collaborations.
• Teamwork and self-driven independent work conditions.
• Ability to adapt quickly to challenges and changing environments.

-Highly preferred skills and qualifications:

• Experience using Salesforce, Constant Contact.
• Having a car highly preferred.
• Experience with administrating Workforce Innovation and Opportunities Act (WIOA) funded programs.
• Familiarity with STEM/manufacturing, career pathways programs highly preferred.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s degree required. Master’s or higher degree in a related profession highly preferred, especially in Education or Social Work.
• Minimum of 5 years working as a professional managing youth/social service program, particularly in low-income Black/Latinx communities, required. Experience implementing youth/social service program work, required. Community organizing experience highly preferred.

Email resume with cover letter to estaley@mfgren.org