Workforce Engagement & Development Manager

Position Summary

The Workforce Engagement & Development Manager (WEDM) is a field-embedded leadership role that fuses hands-on workforce management with strategic people development — without the administrative overhead or perception of a traditional HR function. Positioned as the critical link between day-to-day project execution and executive strategy, the WEDM owns the morale, training, and readiness of a dedicated cohort of 100 field employees. This person is visible on-site, trusted by crews, and credible in front of directors and executives — translating what is happening in the field into decisions and investments that keep projects staffed, skilled, and running smoothly. The ideal candidate blends field operations experience with people-development instincts to eliminate friction before it becomes attrition, downtime, or compliance risk.
Key Responsibilities
1. Workforce Morale & Employee Relations (50%)

• Field Presence & Trust: Serve as the primary, visible point of contact for 100 dedicated field employees on pay questions, policy interpretation, benefits, and day-to-day workplace concerns.
   

• Conflict Resolution: Identify and de-escalate interpersonal and site-level conflict early; document and investigate concerns thoroughly and consistently.
   

• Performance Coaching: Coach site supervisors on delivering fair, effective evaluations; build and manage improvement plans; lead difficult conversations, including disciplinary action, with professionalism.
   

• Retention & Culture: Run regular pulse-checks, stay interviews, and exit interviews to catch morale and attrition risks early, and drive targeted fixes at the crew and site level.
   

2. Training, Development & Workforce Readiness (50%)

• Deployment Optimization: Partner with scheduling and dispatch to track shift coverage, keep rosters optimized, and rapidly fill vacancies within the assigned 100-person cohort.

• Skills & Certification Pipeline: Audit skill gaps across the cohort and coordinate safety training, license renewals, trade certifications, and cross-training so crews stay project-ready.

• Career Pathing: Build clear, structured paths that move entry-level field employees into skilled, lead, and supervisory roles.

• Compliance & Site Readiness: Ensure the cohort meets every client and project requirement — background checks, drug screens, medical clearances, and site badging — before boots hit the ground.

• E1–E4 Ratios & Full Crew Rates: Monitor and maintain compliant E1–E4 classification ratios and Full Crew Rate staffing targets across the cohort, adjusting crew composition to keep skill mix and cost profile aligned to project requirements.

• Chain of Command Oversight: Ensure the onsite chain of command is clearly defined, communicated, and consistently followed across the cohort, monitoring for breakdowns in reporting structure and escalating promptly.

3. Executive & Leadership Communication

• Reporting Up: Translate field-level trends (morale, turnover, training compliance, readiness) into clear, concise updates for the Director of Field Operations and executive leadership.

• Two-Way Voice: Represent the voice of the field in leadership discussions, and carry company priorities and strategy back to crews.

• Executive Presence: Prepare and deliver regular reporting on cohort health, using the KPIs below, flagging risks before they affect project delivery.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Measurable reduction in annualized voluntary turnover within the assigned 100-person cohort.

Maintain ≥95% assignment utilization; minimize unallocated bench time.

100% compliance on mandatory site-access certifications; hit targeted milestones for internal upskilling.

Reduce the time it takes to resolve employee concerns and on-site disputes.

Deliver timely, accurate cohort reporting to the Director and executive leadership on an agreed schedule.

Maintain compliant E1–E4 ratios and Full Crew Rate targets across the cohort; ensure the onsite chain of command is clearly defined and consistently followed.

Qualifications & Requirements

• Experience: 3–5 years of combined experience in field operations (scheduling, dispatch, supervision) and people management or employee relations.

• Industry Background: Experience in construction, electrical, industrial, or technical trades environments strongly preferred.

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Organizational Development, Human Resources, or equivalent field experience. PHR, SPHR, or SHRM-CP is a plus, not required.

• Core Skills: Strong conflict de-escalation and coaching skills, comfort communicating with executives, working knowledge of Workforce Management Systems (WMS) and HRIS platforms, and bilingual ability a plus depending on site demographics.