Sr. Director, Workforce Strategy & Partnerships

Position Summary:

The Sr. Director of Workforce Strategy & Partnerships is a strategic organizational growth role responsible for designing, advancing, and scaling workforce partnerships that align with evolving business, industry, and community needs. This leader drives workforce transformation initiatives, develops high-impact partnerships, and oversees innovative programs that strengthen funding pipelines, improve workforce impact, and support organizational growth.

Reporting to the Vice President of Workforce Strategy & Training Initiatives, the Sr. Director serves as a key architect of workforce innovation strategies, leveraging data, emerging trends, technology, and collaborative partnerships to create sustainable workforce solutions. The role requires deep expertise in strategic planning, partnership development, understanding of the workforce ecosystem, workforce development, and organizational change leadership.

Responsibilities:

Workforce Innovation Strategy

• Lead the development and execution of enterprise workforce innovation strategies that address current and future workforce challenges.
• Identify emerging workforce trends, technologies, labor market shifts, populations, programs and skills gaps to inform strategic initiatives.
• Design innovative workforce models that improve funding pathways for students and workforce participants.
• Drive the integration of workforce intelligence, labor market analytics, and performance data into decision-making.
• Champion new approaches to workforce development, credentialing, career pathways, apprenticeship programs, work-based learning, and other training strategies.
• Establish frameworks that promote innovation, agility, and continuous improvement across workforce programs.

Strategic Partnerships and Workforce Ecosystem Development

• Develop and maintain executive-level partnerships with employers, educational institutions, workforce boards, government agencies, industry associations, tribal communities, state vocational rehabilitation, community organizations, and economic development entities.
• Identify and cultivate strategic alliances that expand workforce opportunities, training pipelines, and funding resources.
• Negotiate and oversee development of partnership agreements, memoranda of understanding (MOUs), and collaborative initiatives.
• Serve as the organization's primary representative in workforce development coalitions, industry forums, and strategic stakeholder engagements.
• Build cross-sector collaborations that support long-term workforce and economic development objectives.

Partnership Development and Execution

• Assist in the design, implementation, scaling, and evaluation of workforce solutions and innovative programs for workforce partners.
• Ensure products deliver measurable outcomes aligned with strategic goals, stakeholder expectations, and funding requirements.
• Lead partnership development efforts that improve operational efficiency, participant outcomes, and organizational impact.
• Establish governance models, project management structures, and accountability mechanisms for key initiatives.
• Promote best practices and standardization across campuses, workforce programs and partnerships.

Funding, Grants, and Resource Development

• Identify and pursue public, private, and other grant funding opportunities to support workforce initiatives.
• Collaborate with finance, development, and executive teams to secure sustainable funding sources.
• Oversee grant strategy, proposal development, compliance, and performance reporting.
• Develop business cases and investment strategies for new workforce innovation initiatives.

Stakeholder Engagement and Thought Leadership

• Serve as a trusted advisor to executive leadership regarding workforce strategy, workforce ecosystem and funding pathway development.
• Present workforce innovation strategies and outcomes to executive teams, boards, community leaders, policymakers, and external stakeholders.
• Represent the organization at conferences, workforce forums, and industry events.
• Promote the organization's thought leadership and reputation in workforce development and strategic partnerships.

Education and Experience:

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Workforce Development, Human Resources, Public Administration, Education, Economic Development, Organizational Leadership, or a related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of progressive experience in workforce development, talent strategy, education, economic development, public-private partnerships, or a related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience overseeing complex programs, partnerships, and strategic initiatives.
• Demonstrated success developing and managing strategic partnerships at management levels.
• Experience leading large-scale workforce transformation, talent pipeline, or skills development initiatives.
• Strong knowledge of workforce development systems, labor market trends, talent strategies, and workforce funding mechanisms.
• Proven ability to influence senior leaders and build consensus among diverse stakeholders.
• Excellent communication, presentation, negotiation, and relationship management skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, Organizational Development, Education, Human Resources, or related discipline.
• Experience working with workforce boards, government agencies, community colleges, universities, economic development organizations, or industry associations.
• Knowledge of apprenticeship programs, skills-based hiring, credentialing systems, and future-of-work strategies.
• Experience securing and managing federal, state, or private grants.
• Professional certifications related to workforce development, project management, strategic planning, change management, or human capital management.

Core Competencies

• Strategic Vision and Execution
• Workforce Planning and Talent Strategy
• Partnership Development and Stakeholder Engagement
• Innovation and Change Leadership
• Executive Presence and Influence
• Data-Driven Decision Making
• Program Design and Evaluation
• Economic and Workforce Ecosystem Development
• Financial and Resource Stewardship
• Team Leadership and Talent Development

Success Measures

• Growth and effectiveness of strategic partnerships.
• Expansion and sustainability of workforce innovation initiatives.
• Achievement of workforce development and funding pipeline objectives.
• Funding acquisition and grant performance outcomes.
• Participant, employer, and stakeholder satisfaction.
• Program performance metrics and return on investment.
• Workforce impact, including placement, retention, advancement, and skills attainment outcomes.
• Team engagement, development, and organizational effectiveness.

Physical Environment:

• Most work is performed in a temperature-controlled office environment
• Incumbent may sit for long periods of time at a desk or computer terminal
• Incumbent may use calculators, keyboards, telephones and other office equipment
• Stooping, bending twisting, and reaching may be required
• Some work may be completed in classroom or shop environment
• Frequent travel (approximately 25-50%) is required to attend conferences, industry events, partner meetings, and site visits across the workforce ecosystem

Other Duties:

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job.  Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.