General Definition:
The Executive Director position provides executive, managerial, and administrative leadership to carry out the directives of the Luzerne/Schuylkill Workforce Investment Board, Inc. This position is responsible for administering all procedures, programs, and activities of the Board. The primary purpose is to assist the Board in developing its strategic vision and planning; oversee and manage the implementation of specific Board initiatives; develop and facilitate the functioning of community partnerships which advance the Board’s goals; maintain relationships with Federal, State and local funding sources; and assure an adequate flow of information, including performance indicators, to assist the Board’s oversight and decision-making processes.
Essential Functions:
- Operates in compliance with all applicable Federal, State, and Local standards in the performance of the essential functions of the position.
- Be the administrative leader to and for the WIB.
- Negotiate strategic partnerships and alliances, convene key stakeholders, and build and manage relationships with key stakeholders related to workforce development including local chambers of commerce, educational institutions, community and faith based organizations, private and non-profit organizations, employer trade associations, organized labor, economic development organizations, local and state government and other organizations to promote awareness and increase local involvement in workforce development.
- Work with County Executives to coordinate and generate Board of Directors’ involvement and commitment and ensure staff support to the Luzerne/Schuylkill Workforce Investment Board, its Executive Committee, and all standing and ad hoc committees including orientation and continuous training of Workforce Investment Board members.
- Initiate and oversee activities to promote and build investment in the work and accomplishments of the WIB and establish a clearinghouse of information on workforce issues.
- Conduct oversight of all workforce development related policy, research, analysis, and report on legislative issues and implement policy directives of the Workforce Investment Board.
- Scan trends and emerging workforce issues, trend analysis and assets inventory related to creating a competitive human capital advantage for the Luzerne/Schuylkill county.
- Develop, initiate, and implement workforce development initiatives that benefit the community.
- Identify workforce issues and research gap analysis of industry needs and workforce skills.
- Develop local and regional workforce Strategic Plans.
- Research, develop, and write local, state, and federal grant proposals including youth initiatives, critical skills grants, faith and community based grants, and customized employer based grants.
- Generate publicity through multi-media press conferences, newspaper interviews, and design and develop marketing tools.
- Prepare and administer an annual budget for the WIB and work with the WIB’s Finance and Executive Committee to provide oversight of Workforce Investment Act employment and training expenditures.
- Identify providers of training services, youth activities, and intensive workforce services and maintain quality improvement for measuring employment and training effectiveness.
- Align workforce development with economic development in Luzerne/Schuylkill counties.
- Write speeches and serve as the voice of the Luzerne/Schuylkill Workforce Investment Board, Inc. at local, state, and the national level.
- Develop a Public Relations Action Plan and execute marketing strategies for industry involvement.
- Coordinate workforce, youth, and business education partnerships.
- Maintain current job and labor market information and workforce needs defined in clusters by industry, knowledge groups, ethnic groups and others.
- Recruit, hire and supervise staff.
- Supervise consultants and contractors.
- Serve on key business, education, workforce, economic development, community based, ethnic, social services, Federal, State and local committees.
- Provide leadership and direction to the county Executives on the development of Luzerne/Schuylkill Workforce System called Luzerne/Schuylkill CareerLink, act as primary point of contact providing oversight and monitoring of CareerLink Centers training and youth service providers, negotiating performance standards and compliance with the Workforce Investment Act.
- Provide monthly reports to the WIB via executive committee meetings.
- Attend all WIB committee meetings and have appropriate staff provide administrative support for minutes, etc.
- Provide updates to the entire WIB on a quarterly basis under the direction of the WIB chair.
- Assess the Regional CareerLink workforce systems, including strategies, processes, governance and locations to assure performance goals are being achieved.
- Ensure the career links have the necessary resources to perform their goals and objectives.
This individual will have fiscal agent responsibilities which include the following:
- Approve purchases
- Signs checks
- Approves the Request For Funds
- Approves the FSR
- Approves the CARS Request For Funds
Personal Characteristics:
- Comfortable performing multifaceted projects in conjunction with day-to-day activities
- Ability to get along with diverse personalities, tactful, mature, flexible
- Possess sound judgment and reasoning abilities
- Possess effective oral and written communication skills
- Resourceful and well organized
- Comfortable with team process
- Ability to establish credibility
- Decisive, assertive and persuasive
Qualifications:
Bachelor’s Degree required; Master’s Degree preferred with the experience that provides the necessary skills, knowledge, and abilities to perform the basic and essential functions of the job.
Experience:
Ten (10) years of progressively more responsible management-level experience in business, not-for-profit, and/or employment and training programs and supervision.
Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:
Extensive knowledge of sound business practices and regulations, with preference given to applicants with workforce development experience. The successful applicant must possess the ability to:
- Extensive knowledge of workforce development legislation, regulations and policy issues.
- Extensive knowledge of the Luzerne/Schuylkill counties labor market.
- Extensive knowledge of the workforce development service delivery system in Luzerne/Schuylkill counties.
- Consensus building and negotiation skills.
- Group facilitation and leadership skills.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills.
- Analyze facts and figures and exercise sound judgment in arriving at conclusions.
- Establish and maintain effective working relationships with staff, program director(s), board members, elected officials, and the public.
- Exercise mature judgment, initiative, and tact.
- Manipulate Microsoft Office applications.
Working Relationships:
Internal: Interfaces with all levels of staff and management on a daily basis to provide direction and guidance, and to give and gather information.
External: Interfaces with the Luzerne/Schuylkill Workforce Investment Board on a regular basis to provide information and progress reports, and to receive direction. Regularly represents the Board at meetings with public and private sector employers, social service agencies, schools, participants, the general public, and local, state, and federal regulatory agencies to give and exchange information.
Supervision:
Exercised: The Executive Director/CEO supervises all workforce development staff.
Received: The Executive Director/CEO works at the direction of the Luzerne/Schuylkill Workforce Investment Board and is subject to review by and through observation of results achieved.
Required Documents/Certifications:
- Social Security Card
- Immigration and Naturalization Clearance (I-9)
- Valid PA Driver’s License
- Act 33 Criminal History Clearance
- Act 34 Child Abuse Clearance
- Pre-employment drug screening test
- Official Transcripts