Community Workforce Development Specialist

Department: Neighborhood & Comm. Relations
Salary/Grade: EXS/9

The target hiring range for this position will be between $90,000-$110,000 per year. Offered salary will be determined by the applicant's education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data.

Job Summary

The Community Workforce Development Specialist leads the Northwestern Evanston Workforce Development Program. This new program, funded by the Ryan Foundation, is focused on helping Evanstonians break into careers that do not require a college degree through grants awarded to community organizations. This position reports to the Senior Executive Director for Neighborhood and Community Relations and is part of a team that embodies Northwestern's commitment to its Evanston community.

The Specialist is responsible for executing all elements of the workforce development program. In particular, recruitment of students and identifying job opportunities for students will be critical elements of this role. The Specialist position also includes working with partner organizations, ensuring student success, meeting with students and their families, donor stewardship through quarterly reports, and building an ecosystem of employers in target industries to the benefit of students in the program. Experience working with workforce development programs and with for-profit businesses is required. The Specialist will spend significant time traveling in Evanston and the Chicagoland area as part of their duties.

From time to time, the Specialist will help support community engagement programming for Ryan Field upon the new football stadium's completion.

*Note: Not all aspects of the job are covered by this job description.

Specific Responsibilities:

Manage the Northwestern Evanston Workforce Development program. This includes:

• Recruit students to the programs supported by the workforce development grants
• Identifies job opportunities for students to foster their swift transition to jobs in their fields
• Conduct person-to-person visits with employers and support organizations
• Develop models for employer and support organization engagement
• Approve expenditures per budget, subject to the policies and practices of Northwestern and any relevant grant agreements
• Track successes as per agreements with employers and support organizations
• Provide quarterly and annual written updates on program progress and outcomes, goals, and challenges in coordination with Alumni Relations and Development
• Organize an annual meeting/dinner/event with student cohorts and donor
• Provide occasional support for community events for Ryan Field upon the stadium's completion

*Will perform other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS (EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, CERTIFICATIONS, SKILLS)

• Identify the minimum qualifications required to successfully perform the job. Qualifications include education, experience, specialized knowledge, professional certification.
• Two years of experience in workforce development programs, particularly with young adults
• Five years of experience in for-profit businesses
• High school diploma
• Strong experience managing projects and successfully meeting milestone and project deadlines
• Experience managing and executing a complex program against ambitious goals
• Ability to work closely with partner organizations, students, student families and parents, employers, internship supervisors, and others to ensure the success of each student through the program and into meaningful career-track jobs
• Management of an organizational budget
• Ability to provide clear and concise program updates to donors
• Ability to use good judgment and handle sensitive issues with tact and diplomacy
• Ability to demonstrate a calm, courteous and professional demeanor under pressure when working with a variety of situations and/or people
• Must be able to smoothly handle competing priorities, a heavy workload, complex problems and tight deadlines
• Ability to use sound judgment and have excellent problem-solving skills
• Considerable skill in working both independently and as a team member
• Superior computer skills with PC platform, Microsoft Office Suite, and Adobe Acrobat

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS (EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, CERTIFICATIONS, SKILLS)

• Experience with workforce development programs in the Chicagoland area, particularly in Evanston and/or Chicago
• Experience working in education, particularly in high schools, universities and colleges, and/or vocational training programs
• Experience with creating new programs and developing systems and structures to ensure continual success
• Experience working with large-scale community-focused events
• A bachelor's degree, or equivalent work experience

Benefits:
At Northwestern, we are proud to provide meaningful, competitive, high-quality health care plans, retirement benefits, tuition discounts and more! Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/index.html to learn more.

Work-Life and Wellness:
Northwestern offers comprehensive programs and services to help you and your family navigate life's challenges and opportunities and adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles.
We support flexible work arrangements where possible and programs to help you locate and pay for quality, affordable childcare and senior/adult care. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/work-life/index.html to learn more.

Professional Growth & Development:
Northwestern supports employee career development in all circumstances whether your workspace is on campus or at home. If you're interested in developing your professional potential or continuing your formal education, we offer a variety of tools and resources. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/learning/index.html to learn more.

Northwestern strongly recommends COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters for people who can obtain them as a critical tool for minimizing severe illness. More information can be found on the COVID-19 and Campus Updates webpage.

The Northwestern campus sits on the traditional homelands of the people of the Council of Three Fires, the Ojibwe, Potawatomi, and Odawa as well as the Menominee, Miami and Ho-Chunk nations. We acknowledge and honor the original people of the land upon which Northwestern University stands, and the Native people who remain on this land today.

Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer of all protected classes, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, individuals with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply. Click for information on EEO is the Law.

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