Employer Engagement & Job Quality Manager

Organization Summary:

Founded in 1993, Civic Works strengthens communities through education, skills development, and community service. Our Center for Sustainable Careers (CSC) houses our Career Pathways and Career Exploration (YouthBuild) workforce development programs, which expand access to family-sustaining careers for Baltimore residents facing significant barriers to quality employment. CSC supports participants in building technical and soft skills, earning marketable certifications, and accessing wraparound case management and job placement services, while also helping employers adopt practices - including competitive compensation, health benefits, paid leave, and leadership training - that strengthen retention and improve outcomes for employees. 

Position Summary:

The Employer Engagement & Job Quality Manager leads the development and implementation of employer engagement strategies that support job placement for graduates of Civic Works’ training pathways. The Manager sets placement metrics, holds the Employer Engagement Specialists accountable for meeting them, and embeds Civic Works’ job quality strategies into its work with industry employer partners. The Manager also serves as the career services and employer engagement practice lead for Career Pathways.

Through employer partnerships, internal capacity building, and ecosystem engagement, the Manager advances Civic Works’ commitment to expanding access to quality jobs and career pathways for residents who have historically been excluded from employment opportunities, including people impacted by the criminal justice system, housing instability, and other systems, while supporting employers in creating stronger workplaces where all workers can build lasting careers.

Primary Responsibilities:

1) Staff Management

• Recruit, supervise, lead, retain, and develop the skills and abilities of the Employer Engagement Specialists.
• Develop and maintain processes and standard operating procedures that promote consistency, efficiency, and effective team operations. 
• Set day-to-day priorities and measurable performance goals for each Employer Engagement Specialist, including targets for placements, starting wages, new employer partners developed, openings sourced per graduate, and partner engagement for their track, and conduct their performance reviews.
• Coordinate with each track Program Manager on the Specialist's work with students, including the weekly case review once students are placement-ready, group job search, and post-placement employer check-ins.
• Identify and support career advancement plans for the Employer Engagement Specialists, including internal and external professional development opportunities.
• Foster a collaborative, professional team culture grounded in clear expectations, consistent practices, and continuous learning, using data and feedback to improve team effectiveness. 

2) Employer and Ecosystem Engagement 

• Lead a high-impact employer engagement portfolio, cultivating trusted, long-term relationships aligned with Civic Works’ workforce development and job quality goals.
• Serve as the career services and employer engagement practice lead for Career Pathways, setting standards for resume development, interview skills, the placement process and employer engagement practices used in both training tracks.
• Partner with Student Success Coaches on resume, interview skills and mock interview workshops, and ensure Specialists source openings against each track's placement-ready list.
• Oversee regular feedback loops between employer partners and the track teams, sharing input on graduate performance, placement readiness and employer-specific needs, and ensure employer insights inform program development.
• Build and maintain apprenticeship and union partnerships that create pathways for Career Pathways graduates.
• Partner with employers to develop and implement job quality improvement plans, using regular check-ins, employee feedback, and measurable goals to assess progress, identify gaps, and provide tailored recommendations and technical assistance.
• Curate and provide tools, resources and technical assistance that build employer capacity to sustain job quality improvements beyond Civic Works’ direct engagement.
• Coordinate employer-facing events, site visits, and other engagement opportunities that strengthen partnerships and connect participants and graduates with employers.
• Build and steward relationships across Baltimore's workforce ecosystem, bringing a job quality lens to advisory committees, industry associations, workforce partners, and other groups, and represent Civic Works in the workforce development field through convenings, presentations, and publications.

3) Job Quality Strategy and Capacity Building within Civic Works

• Lead the implementation and ongoing refinement of Civic Works' job quality strategy, including the tiered employer engagement and capacity building model, systems change priorities, and integration of job quality standards across programming.
• Identify resource needs and translate job quality priorities into a philanthropic and grant funding agenda in collaboration with development staff.
• Collaborate with internal teams to integrate job quality standards into procurement, contracting, and vendor vetting processes.

4) External Consultant Management 

• Build and manage a network of consultants that expands Civic Works' capacity to provide job quality support to employer partners. 
• Match consultants to employer partnerships and oversee scopes of work, timelines, deliverables, and grant requirements.
• Design and implement quality assurance systems to evaluate consultant performance and continuously improve consultant management practices based on feedback and outcomes.

5) Incumbent Worker Training

• Oversee incumbent worker training operations, working through the Employer Engagement Specialists, who coordinate training for their sectors, ensuring grant compliance and meaningful outcomes for participating workers and employers. 
• Ensure accurate trainee records in Salesforce, and collect post-training outcomes to demonstrate program impact and inform continuous improvement efforts.

Education & Experience:

• Candidates must hold a degree or demonstrate equivalent professional experience in business operations, human resources, or a related discipline. Familiarity with core business functions - including HR practices, organizational development, compensation structures, or operational strategy - is essential to success in this role. 
• At least five years of progressively increasing responsibility in business consulting, employer engagement, workforce development, sales/account management, or a closely related field, including success in employer outreach, business development, or partnership cultivation. 
• Minimum 2 years of people management experience.
• Demonstrated experience applying a job quality lens to program design, employer engagement, or organizational practice is required. 
• Proficiency in the Google and Microsoft Office suites, including Word and Excel, and experience working in a CRM or similar data management system; Salesforce experience is a plus but not required. 
• Experience working in and creating diverse, equitable, and inclusive environments.

Skills & Abilities: 

• Strong sales and marketing skills, with a track record of cultivating mutually beneficial employer relationships, driving engagement, and meeting ambitious goals.
• Exceptional written and oral communication skills, including the ability to prepare clear, accurate reports and deliver compelling presentations to diverse audiences.
• Strong management and interpersonal skills, with the ability to lead, coach, and collaborate effectively with staff, consultants, and partners, and to align diverse stakeholders around shared goals and build accountability for outcomes.
• Solutions-oriented problem solver who takes ownership of identifying challenges and developing and implementing innovative, effective responses.
• Highly organized and detail-oriented, with demonstrated ability to manage multiple complex projects, including technical assistance engagements, simultaneously and deliver results on time.
• Ability to coach and advise partners in a responsive, non-prescriptive manner that meets them where they are while maintaining a high bar for impact.
• Sound judgment and discretion in handling sensitive employer and employee information, including compensation data and worker feedback.

Work Environment & Physical Demands:

• Work schedule is typically Monday-Friday (8:00 am - 4:00 pm)
• Occasional travel to meet with partners offsite
• This position is eligible for a hybrid schedule. Candidates must be able to commute to the Baltimore City office at least four days per week, with the option to work remotely up to one day per week. 
  • During the 90-day orientation period, additional in-office days will be required. This arrangement is subject to change based on organizational needs and may be adjusted to include additional in-person time.