Company Overview:
Worksystems is an award-winning nonprofit organization serving Multnomah and Washington Counties and the City of Portland whose mission is to build and invest in a comprehensive workforce development system that supports individual prosperity and business competitiveness.
About the Position:
This Senior Project Manager sits on the Community Programs team of the Programs department and reports directly to the Community Programs Manager. Like many of our Senior Project Managers, this employee serves as the lead on multiple projects – including oversight of our Aligned Partner Network and Rapid Response programs. The Senior Project Manager will work closely with the Community Programs Manager and team, the Adult Services Programs Manager, and a variety of external community partners, community-based career coaches, and local businesses.
This position offers a balanced approach to workforce development with opportunities to connect directly with external partners including community-based career coaches, as well as project work involving program design, implementation and evaluation with data collection and analysis. This is an opportunity to have a direct impact on the local community, especially communities of color disproportionately impacted by job loss and income insufficiency.
Job Duties:
- Manage contracts with community-based organizations who provide workforce development services.
- Build relationships with community-based organizations.
- Recruit new partners to grow the Aligned Partner Network.
- Support the professional development of community-based career coaches.
- Collect data on community needs to identify gaps in service and inform future programming.
- Oversee coordination and management of a WorkSource-based Rapid Response Team.
- Communicate with businesses experiencing large-scale lay-offs and offer services to their employees.
- Coordinate onsite information sessions to support staff impacted by lay-offs.
What You Can Expect to Accomplish in the First 6 Months:
- Learn Worksystems’ workforce development system. Have a solid understanding of our network of partners, roles, and services – and how all these entities interact.
- Establish yourself as a trusted partner to key community organizations and local businesses.
- Lead the Liaison Team and execute key functions such as coordinating professional development for the network of career coaches and providing access to employment resources to career coaches and jobseekers.
- Understand the process and policy for Rapid Response.
- Serve as the main point-of-contact for the Rapid Response Team by convening the group, organizing ongoing meetings, and setting up communication plans should the team need to respond to a lay-off event.
Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities:
- Ability to use data to draw conclusions and make recommendations. This includes designing surveys for data collection, analyzing data, and presenting results to a variety of audiences and stakeholders.
- Experience with stakeholder management and engagement, including building strong relationships, running effective meetings, and responding to provider needs in a regulatory environment.
- Strong meeting facilitation skills that include meeting design and agenda-setting, facilitating discussion, and encouraging active participation.
- Proficiency in critical thinking skills and systems thinking – being able to see the ways in which various programming aspects intersect and impact one another.
- Excellent customer service, with the ability to respond empathetically to individuals in vulnerable times and discretion in handling highly confidential information.
- Flexibility in responding to shifting deadlines and demands, and ability to reprioritize as urgent matters arise.
- Proactive communication to local businesses based on independent analysis of workforce trends.
- Familiarity and experience with Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), Federal grant management, post-secondary education programs, program alignment and capacity building across multiple organizations, staff training development and delivery are preferred.
- Strong project management, communication, community and business engagement skills, program development and evaluation skills, and the ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders are required.
*A note on qualifications: Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they are able to perform every task in the job description. We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job and will consider any equivalent combination of knowledge, skills, education, and experience to meet minimum qualifications. If you are interested in applying, we encourage you to think broadly about your background and skill set for the role.
Physical and Sensory Requirements:
- Mostly sedentary work; using standard office equipment including: a computer, keyboard, and telephone.
- Work environment: flexible, with options to work-from-home, work from the office, or work hybrid. Employees may be asked to attend in-person meetings or spend a day at the office on an occasional basis.
- Position requires some local travel within the Portland Metro area for in-person meetings. These meetings may occur with same-day notice.
Reasonable Accommodations are available, including, but not limited to, for disabled veterans, individuals with disabilities, and individuals with sincerely held religious beliefs, in all phases of the application and employment process. To request accommodation, please email cchand-hopkins@worksystems.org.
Salary & Benefits:
- Salary Grade: E5 (Exempt) Salary Range: $76,320 – $114,480.
- Medical (including vision) and dental plans with employer contribution toward monthly premiums.
- 401k plan with up to 6% match, 100% vested with first contribution.
- Generous PTO.
- 4 hours of Volunteer Leave per month.
- 8 free sessions with mental health providers, unlimited free financial coaching, and 25% legal discounts through Canopy EAP.
