Senior Director of Workforce

Position Overview

We are seeking a strategic and results-driven Senior Director of Workforce to lead our comprehensive workforce development initiatives. This role is central to our organization’s mission of connecting talent supply with industry demand through data-driven strategies, trusted partnerships, and innovative programming.

The successful candidate will play a pivotal role in developing and implementing our workforce strategic plan while leveraging our unique organizational attributes: real-time data capabilities, trusted relationships, convening stakeholders for action, and advocating for outcome-based public investment.

Success in this Role Looks Like

• Dramatically increasing the number of young adults enrolling in short-term certification programs leading to living wage careers.
• Building a strategic approach to gathering and sharing timely workforce data across relevant partners to drive collaboration and continuous improvement.
• Setting vision and direction for cross-organizational communication campaigns to build student and family awareness of opportunities that develop durable workforce skills.
• Developing a systematic approach to connect credentialed students to living wage careers.

Key Responsibilities

Employer & Industry Partner Relationships

• Build and maintain strategic partnerships with employers across multiple sectors.
• Engage directly with HR professionals, employers, and industry associations to validate workforce demand and evolving talent needs.
• Serve as primary liaison between EMC and industry partners.
• Develop employer engagement strategies aligned to organizational goals.
• Support development of scalable employer engagement and accountability structures.

Workforce Pathway Alignment

• Review high-need, high-value pathways, obtain employer input, and share findings with education and nonprofit partners.
• Collaborate with educational institutions and nonprofits to align advising and programming with workforce data.
• Identify high-demand, sustaining-wage pathways for students entering the workforce directly and create materials to encourage ‘earn and learn’ opportunities.
• Support design and promotion of career-connected learning and workforce pathways.
• Translate labor market insights into actionable recommendations for education, workforce, and community partners.

Employer Engagement & Talent Pipeline Initiatives

• Partner on existing employer convenings and fill key gaps with industry associations and individual company meetings where needed.
• Facilitate connections between talent supply and employer demand.
• Develop and support talent pipeline strategies that connect learners to living-wage career opportunities.
• Collaborate with partners to strengthen alignment between credential attainment and workforce demand.

Workforce Reporting, Communication, and Satisfaction

• Develop and deliver comprehensive workforce reports using real-time data analytics.
• Create compelling presentations and materials for diverse stakeholder audiences.
• Communicate findings and recommendations to employers, educators, and community partners.
• Use college promise program student interest and action data to create supply-side reports.
• Monitor and report on employer and partner engagement metrics.
• Contribute to regional workforce communications and awareness initiatives designed to increase student and family awareness of workforce opportunities.

Required Skills & Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Minimum 10 years of experience in human resources, recruiting, workforce planning, or workforce operations.
• Direct experience engaging employers, HR leaders, and industry associations to validate workforce demand and talent needs.
• Demonstrated understanding of workforce development ecosystems, including credential pathways, labor market alignment, and economic mobility strategies.
• Experience interpreting workforce and labor market data and translating insights into actionable partner and program strategies.
• Experience building or managing talent pipeline initiatives that connect learners to living-wage career opportunities.
• Strong understanding of career-connected learning, ‘earn and learn’ models, and workforce pathway design.
• Experience developing scalable systems, reporting structures, and partner accountability processes.
• Experience leading or contributing to regional communications, outreach, or awareness campaigns related to workforce opportunities, credential attainment, and student engagement.
• Proven track record of building and maintaining professional relationships.
• Exceptional communication skills, including presentation and public speaking abilities.
• Strong persuasion and active listening skills.
• Ability to work effectively with diverse stakeholders including employers, educators, and community partners.
• Proficiency in data analysis and interpretation.
• Project management and strategic implementation capabilities.
• Collaborative mindset with ability to work across multiple teams and departments.

Personal Attributes

• Strategic thinker with tactical execution skills.
• Relationship builder with strong interpersonal skills.
• Data-driven decision maker.
• Results-oriented with focus on measurable outcomes.
• Adaptable and comfortable in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.

Why Join Us?

• Play a direct role in improving economic outcomes for students and families across the Dallas-Fort Worth region.
• Collaborate with a passionate team committed to equity and access.
• Help shape workforce strategy for one of the largest college promise programs in the nation — with direct influence on program direction and regional impact.
• Competitive and comprehensive benefits package.
• Hybrid work schedule based in Dallas, TX.

If interested, please send resume and cover letter to Steven Bailey – [email protected]