Director, Workforce Development

Organization Overview

Results for America (RFA) is the leading, national nonprofit organization helping policymakers at all levels of government harness the power of evidence and data to solve the world’s greatest challenges. Our mission is to make investing in what works the “new normal,” so that, one day, all government leaders use rigorous evidence and quality data to inform important policy and funding decisions. We believe that data-driven and evidence-based policy decisions could significantly increase the impact of the over $1 trillion that governments spend annually to advance economic mobility and racial equity.

Founded in 2012, RFA spent its first three years partnering with policy innovators to build the credibility of evidence-based policymaking, securing early and important wins in education, expanding its work to multiple levels of government and driving awareness and demand through carefully orchestrated education and communication campaigns. During its second phase (2015-2018), RFA worked to demonstrate the power of evidence-based policymaking in ways that resonate with an even broader universe of elected officials and policymakers. Now in its third phase of work, RFA intends to demonstrate that governments at all levels can make faster, more lasting progress in accelerating economic mobility for residents when they use evidence and data in decision-making. By creating specific issue-area wins, RFA will further cement support for evidence-based policymaking among all policymakers as the “new normal.”

Program/Department Overview

Workforce development is one of Results for America’s core issue areas, and the team’s work stretches across every level of government at which RFA operates: local, state, and federal. In September 2019, RFA launched the Evidence in Workforce Lab (Work Lab) featuring our State and Local Workforce Fellowship to help government leaders drive workforce dollars toward evidence-based, results-driven workforce strategies that can help more communities and individuals thrive. Our second cohort of fellows was launched in May 2021 and is focusing on leveraging evidence through procurements, improving job quality and equity, and building evidence of what works in workforce development.

RFA also recently launched a Good Jobs and Equity Project, a three-year cohort for local and state government leaders who have authority over federal recovery funds and are looking to use those dollars to help develop higher quality jobs within their communities. RFA will be supporting these leaders in developing and implementing policies and programs to most effectively use current and future federal funding streams in ways that improve job quality using evidence and improved procurement practices.

Position Overview

The Director for Workforce Development will be critical in leading efforts for our Good Jobs and Equity Project and our State and Local Workforce Fellowship. RFA is seeking a team member who is passionate about improving government and community workforce outcomes and who has excellent project management, communication, and relationship building skills. 

Position Reporting Relationship

The Director for Workforce Development will report to RFA’s Vice President of Workforce Development.

Position Responsibilities

The responsibilities of the Director for Workforce Development include, but are not limited to:

Leadership and project management related to the Good Jobs and Equity Project (70%)

• Develop and execute high-quality programming for the Job Quality Cohort, including program development and training opportunities in partnership with the Director, Local Practice;
• Coach and manage 10-12 state and local government teams in developing high quality job learning agendas, leading to the creation and implementation of action plans that will include outcome metrics and long- and short-term impact tracking; 
• Conduct site visits to jurisdictions, as needed and according to current public health guidance, as they begin their work with us;  
• Lead the development and ongoing tracking of the cohort’s impact metrics and reporting; 
• Author and contribute to multi-media resources to support the cohort (eg. blog articles, social media, video recordings); 
• Direct and contribute to research projects and policy briefs; and
• Identify, source, and manage any consultants and/or seasonal support to the Good Jobs and Equity Project team.

Leadership and project management related to the State and Local Workforce Fellowship initiatives (25%):

Lead the development and management of the State and Local Workforce Fellowship including: 

• Develop policy recommendations at the local, state, and federal level, with a specific focus on evidence-based job quality strategies and measurement;
• Design cohort structures and programs, specifically to ensure alignment across the Workforce Fellowship job quality cohorts and the Good Jobs and Equity Project cohort;
• Serve as the main liaison across the Workforce Fellowship and the Good Jobs and Equity Project, and;
• Author and contribute to multi-media resources to support the cohort (eg. blog articles, social media, video recordings, research projects and policy briefs).

The above percentages of effort may shift as some initiatives end and others begin, but RFA anticipates the continuation of various cohorts similar to those described here. 

Special projects and troubleshooting (5%)

• Support the development of grant proposals and funder materials in partnership with the VP, Workforce Development, and VP, Strategic Partnerships; and 
• Lead special projects for the workforce team, as requested by the VP, Workforce Development.

Some travel required, contingent on safety as related to the COVID-19 pandemic (approximately 10%, less if living in the Washington DC area). This is a full-time, exempt position.

All RFA employees are expected to participate in the organization’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts.

Experience and Competencies 

The ideal candidate will have the following qualifications, along with a strong commitment to RFA’s mission and vision, including its diversity, equality, and inclusion values.

Experience:

• Bachelor's degree and at least 12 years of work experience required; 
• Expertise related to improving job quality strongly preferred; 
• Experience leveraging procurement to advance equity preferred; and
• Experience working with the public workforce system preferred.

Competencies:

• Strong management skills, including relationship management, mentoring, organization, delegation, decision-making, and leadership;
• Skilled facilitator, able to lead engaging group discussions and make progress on shared goals, including in a virtual environment;
• Strong project management skills, including the capacity to manage and coordinate simultaneous projects and successfully prioritize among multiple tasks;
• Able to work across a virtual and in-person team, and with government partners across the country;
• Strong Powerpoint skills, including the ability to produce audience-specific presentation materials with excellence and ease; 
• Familiarity with program management software, such as Asana, preferred; 

• Advanced skills in Google Suite, Excel, and Word; 
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal skills; 
• Learning mindset and ability to give and receive compassionate, constructive feedback;
• Flexibility and adaptability to shifting circumstances;
• Open and honest communicator; and
• Good humor and collegiality are a must.

At Results for America, all staff members currently receive a compensation package that includes: (1) a salary aligned with RFA’s position level and salary bands and against similar nonprofit organizations; and (2) a suite of benefits that includes a choice of medical and/or vision and dental care, paid time off, a 403b retirement plan with employer match, and education and commuter benefits. The salary band for this position is $126,000-$164,000.

To apply for this position, please send your cover letter and resume to recruiting@results4america.org. The subject line of your email should read “YOUR NAME – Director, Workforce”.

RFA is an equal opportunity employer that values/celebrates diversity and that follows a policy of making all employment decisions and personnel actions without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, partnership status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, family responsibilities, matriculation, political affiliation, disability, status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual offenses or stalking, military status, veteran status or any other category protected under federal, state or local law.