Senior Workforce Development Planner

Statement of Duties

Under the direction of the Director of Economic Development and Deputy Director of Economic Development the Senior Planner Workforce Development Specialist is responsible for building partnership programs to increase Somerville residents access to opportunities for employment in various sectors of the economy. The City of Somerville is seeking a skilled communicator and connector who brings passion to two critical aspects of the role employer outreach/partnership development and strategic implementation with academic institutions as well as organizations engaged in workforce incumbent willplaya key role as OSPCD leads the City of Somervilles efforts to focus on retention and growth within economic sectors particularly in the areas of workforce Senior Planner will work to find and support management of grants inventory existingtraining opportunities and build collaborative program teams with non-profit trainers and local employerstrackingresulting from workforce toperform all similar or related duties.

Essential Functions:

The essential functions or duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar related or a logical assignment to the position.

Duties applicable to the position:

• Provide subject matterexpertiseto elected and appointed officials including the Jobs Creation and Retention Trust (JCRT)regardingworkforce development needs of the community and pathways to support residents access to opportunities
• Support the implementation of local regional and national best practices in workforce development.
• Implement programs to enhance the workforce development ecosystem in Somerville and initiatives that connect workforce development to business development and economic development more broadly.
• Convene and develop relationships with senior representatives of mid- to large-size companies as well as academic institutional leaders and non-profit organizations which focus on developing fundingimplementingand connecting potential employees with opportunities
• Lead efforts toidentifyandsubmitapplications for alternative funding sources that support workforce development and withappropriate Cityof Somerville/OSPCD departments to support the management of grants obtained
• Develop strategic recommendations for City investments in workforce development in partnership with the Jobs Creation and Retention Trust (JCRT) Health and Human Services Department Somerville Public Schools and Somerville Center for Adult Learning Opportunities. This could include staff-ledtrainings partnership investments as well as strategies to remove barriers to program participation and completion.
• Assistsand managesnew or existingRFPs consultant contracts and partner relationships.
• Serve as City of Somerville representative on various boards and commissions focused on workforce development asappropriateand asidentifiedby theMayor(or OSPCD Director or Director of Economic Development).
• Prepare written project analysis and staff reports for a variety of Boards and Commissions. Offer a written and oral presentation of materials.

Minimum Qualifications

Education and Experience:Bachelors degree in Workforce Development Human Resources Public Administration Management Organizational Leadership or a closely related fieldand sevento ten(7-10) years progressive experience; or any equivalent combination of education training and experience which provides the required knowledge skills and abilities to perform the essential functions of the job. Masters degree ( of Public Administration Master of Business Administration or Education) preferred.

Knowledge Abilities and Skill

This position requires a person to be detail oriented to be self-motivated and able to handle multiple assignments at the same time.

Knowledge: Knowledge of emerging occupations and industries. Knowledge of the workforce development landscape and/or municipal policy and program development and operations.

Abilities: Ability to organize and direct the implementation of public-private partnerships as well as lead collaborations and complex partnerships; analyze problems prepare technical reports and formulate recommendations; ability to engage effectively orally and in writing with employers training providers colleagues across many departments and the public. Applicants must have highly developed ability toconvene andwork effectively with individuals and groups with a variety of identities cultures backgrounds and ideologies.

Skill: Excellent strategic thinking planning and creative problem-solving skills. Proventrack recordinestablishingand managing partnerships with external organizations and bringing together groups involved with the implementation of strategicobjectives. Demonstrated skill in effectively engaging residents who may be disconnected from workforce development services is a plus.

Work Environment

The work environment involves everyday discomforts typical of offices with occasional exposure to outside or physical surroundings may be distracting but conditions aregenerally requiredto work beyond normal business hours in responseto attend evening meetingsor complete work assignments.

Physical and Mental Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonableaccommodationsmay be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the positions essential functions.

Physical Skills

Few physical demands arerequiredto perform the work. Work effort principally involves sitting to perform work tasks with intermittent periods of stooping walking and also be some occasional lifting of objects such as office equipment and computer paper (up to 30lbs.)

Motor Skills

Duties arelargely mentalrather than physical but the job may occasionally require minimal motor skills for activities such as moving objectsoperatinga telephonepersonalcomputer and/or most other office equipmentincludingword processingfilingand sortingof papers.

Visual Skills

Visual demands require constantly reading documents for general understanding and analytical purposes.

Hours: Full-Time
Salary: $90000.00 annualized plus benefits
Union: Non-Union
FLSA: Exempt
Date Posted:January 23 2026

The City of Somerville is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race color sex religion age national origin disability or any other protected category. Women minorities veterans and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Auxiliary aids and services written materials in alternative formats and reasonable modifications in policies and procedures will be provided to qualified individuals with disabilities free of charge upon request. Persons with disabilities who need auxiliary aids and services for effective communication (i.e. CART ASL) written materials in alternative formats or reasonable modifications in policies and procedures in order to access the programs activities and meetings of the City of Somerville should please contact Adrienne Pomeroy at x 2059 or

Pre-Employment Requirements for All Employees:

• MA Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) clearance
• Completion of Conflict-of-Interest Law Education training for municipal employees

Overview of Total Rewards:

• 4 weeks annual vacation for non-union positions. Union positions vary by contract. Please note police officers are members of the SPEA union. Public Health Nurses are part of Union A (SMEA).
• Medical insurance through the Group Insurance Commission (GIC) - 80% of premium costs paid by City
• Dental coverage low and high plans through Cigna
• Vision care through Vision Service Plan (VSP)
• Long term disability through Sun Life
• Group and voluntary life insurance through Boston Mutual
• Health Care and Dependent Care flexible spending through Benefit Strategies
• Deferred compensation plans through a choice of three vendors
• Free confidential services through the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provided by E4Health
• Annual cancer screening & wellness release
• Somerville Retirement Pension System
• Tuition reimbursement
• MBTA pass program
• FREE Blue Bikes membership
• Eligible employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF)

Benefits listed are for benefits-eligible positions and the above information is meant to be a general overview of the benefit programs offered by the City of Somerville and not a binding contract.