Sr. Manager, Workforce Development and Educational Partnerships

Summary:

The Senior Manager of Workforce Development & Education Partnerships is responsible for leading all aspects of community workforce engagement education partnerships and apprenticeship development. This role will design scalable programs strengthen external relationships and ensure a sustainable pipeline of skilled talent into the organization. The ideal candidate brings deep experience in workforce development talent strategy and community engagement with a strong commitment to building pathways that connect people to meaningful careers. This leader knows that engaging with schools educators and community partners is the foundation for building tomorrows workforce and will build a clear strategy to connect these efforts to business partnership with peers they will drive success by deploying The MCG Waythe companys operating system focused on strategy deployment process discipline and continuous improvement.

Accountabilities:

• Develop and execute a comprehensive workforce development strategy aligned to business growth and talent needs.
• Establish a long-term vision for education and community partnerships including apprenticeships internships and training pipelines.
• Serve as the external face of the company in workforce development conversations with schools government and workforce boards.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with high schools trade schools community colleges workforce boards and nonprofit organizations.
• Represent the company at job fairs advisory councils and community events to strengthen brand reputation as an employer of choice.
• Act as the primary liaison to external stakeholders to align programs and partnerships with business objectives.
• Launch and scale apprenticeship and pipeline programs in skilled trades (e.g. welding electrical) beginning with external partnerships and building toward internal programs.
• Collaborate with Learning & Development to align training programs with industry standards and company skill requirements.
• Partner with Talent Acquisition to ensure smooth handoff of candidates and effective tracking of outcomes.
• Define and track metrics for partnership effectiveness evolving from relationship-building measures to hiring and retention outcomes.
• Report regularly on progress to senior leadership highlighting successes and identifying areas for improvement.
• Demonstrate measurable impact on the companys ability to attract develop and retain skilled talent.
• Model the companys values and represent the organization with professionalism and credibility in the community.
• Promote career pathways that highlight manufacturing and skilled trades as viable attractive and rewarding opportunities.
• Serve as a thought leader and advocate for workforce development both internally and externally.

• Have Humanity: You lead with empathy and a people-first approach fostering trust with schools students and community partners. You mentor and develop future talent pipelines listen to the needs of educators and partners and connect individuals to meaningful career opportunities. You create clarity by showing how community partnerships link directly to the companys purpose and long-term success.
• Be Transparent: You build credibility through open communication and trust. You use clear metrics to demonstrate the impact of partnerships and ensure accountability. You share insights openly across Talent Acquisition Learning & Development and leadership teams so everyone understands the why behind initiatives and how they support company goals.
• Drive Innovation: You constantly explore new ways to build sustainable talent pipelines. This includes developing apprenticeship models piloting school-to-career programs and implementing best practices from workforce development leaders. You create feedback loops with educators students and hiring teams to refine and continuously improve.
• Be Resilient: You adapt quickly to challenges in the external environmentwhether shifting labor markets evolving education requirements or new community needs. You remain committed to delivering workforce solutions even in times of uncertainty guiding both internal leaders and external partners with clarity and steadiness.
• Always Reliable: You follow through on commitments to schools community partners and internal stakeholders. You demonstrate consistency by honoring agreements delivering on program promises and ensuring that partnerships translate into real opportunities for candidates and value for the business.
• Grit: You show passion and perseverance in building long-term talent pipelines that will outlast short-term cycles. You persistently champion workforce development even when results take time to materialize. Your dedication to building programs that shape the future workforce reflects your deep unwavering commitment to the companys growth.

Required Knowledge/Experience:

• Bachelors degree in Human Resources Workforce Development Organizational Development Business Organization Psychology or a related field; or equivalent experience in workforce development/community engagement.
• 7 years of progressive experience in workforce development talent strategy education partnerships or community relations.
• Proven track record of developing and managing partnerships with schools training institutions workforce boards or nonprofit organizations.
• Strong knowledge of workforce development best practices including apprenticeship models training pipelines and talent attraction strategies.
• Exceptional public speaking presentation and relationship-building skills; comfortable engaging with diverse audiences including executives educators students and government officials.
• Demonstrated ability to design programs set measurable goals and track outcomes tied to business results.
• Strong organizational and project management skills with the ability to manage multiple initiatives and partnerships simultaneously.
• High degree of cultural awareness and ability to work effectively with diverse communities.
• Experience within manufacturing skilled trades or technical industries.
• Knowledge of state and federal workforce development funding opportunities grants and compliance requirements.
• Familiarity with apprenticeship standards Department of Labor program registration or career technical education (CTE) frameworks.
• Prior success in launching or scaling apprenticeship internship or school-to-career programs.
• Existing network or relationships with regional schools workforce boards and community change management and cross-functional collaboration skills.