Position Title: Program Manager, Youth Programs



Commonwealth Corporation

2 Oliver Street, 5th floor

Boston, MA 02109

|Position Title: |Director, Youth Employment, Curriculum and Training |

|Reports to: |Vice President, Youth Pathways & Justice-Based Initiatives |

|Classification: |Level 5 - Senior Professional/ Technical |

|Starting Salary |$85,000.00 |

Who We Are: Commonwealth Corporation is a quasi-public workforce development agency that strengthens the skills of Massachusetts youth and adults by investing in innovative partnerships with industry, education and workforce organizations.  Our primary goals are:

• To build regional industry training partnerships that prepare youth and unemployed workers for jobs in demand that lead to higher rates of employment;

• To upgrade the skills of workers to meet specific employer skill demands leading to more productive and competitive businesses, job growth, retention, upgrades and wage gains; and

• To increase the share of youth engaged in education and employment pathways preparing them for post-secondary education and careers. 

Commonwealth Corporation works with hundreds of Massachusetts companies, thousands of new and experienced workers, and thousands of youth and young adults each year. 

Program: Commonwealth Corporation has a strong history of designing, implementing, and managing a range of programming and initiatives that address the needs of youth and young adults who are among our more vulnerable populations. Using evidence-based practices and regional sector partnerships to address social and workforce issues, CommCorp manages grant funds, designs and supports implementation of programming for the state’s large-scale subsidized career development and youth employment initiative. YouthWorks, serving approximately 5000 young people each year. CommCorp has created a well-recognized, evidence-based career exploration and work readiness curriculum and initiative called Signal Success. This curriculum is being implemented in YouthWorks, federally-funded WIOA programs, school districts, the state’s Safe and Successful Youth Initiative and industry-based programs. Beyond these implementations, CommCorp is engaged in ongoing work to support other career development efforts and Signal Success expansion in other communities and states across the US.

Equal Employment Opportunity: Commonwealth Corporation is committed to building a culturally diverse workforce. We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Position Description: This job posting describes a full-time, professional position, based in downtown Boston (temporarily remote due to covid). The Director of Youth Employment, Curriculum and Training will provide overall leadership and responsibility for the programs defined under the Youth Pathways department, which currently includes YouthWorks and Signal Success. The Director will lead the strategy, overall program design and implementation of the above-mentioned programs. Other grant programs or initiatives that focus on youth employment, curriculum and training will also fall under the Director’s responsibility as they are added to the CommCorp portfolio.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Establish program design, implementation and service delivery models for Youthworks programs and curriculum and training initiatives based on evidence-based practice; support professional development for partners in effective delivery techniques, program design and implementation as well as offer targeted coaching, training and support using program assessment rubric and other tools.

2. Work with staff at Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development (EOLWD) to manage the implementation of YouthWorks program

3. Oversees grants procurement processes of Commonwealth Corporation’s YouthWorks grants, including:

a. In collaboration with the Vice President of Youth Pathways & Justice-Based Initiatives, develops annual funding approaches including developing concept papers/decks and leading meetings to review these with critical stakeholders

b. Designs and conducts procurement activities, including development of solicitation documents, managing of the procurement process, proposal review and grant recommendations process.

c. Designs and works with supervisees to negotiate contracts with grantees, ensures grantee orientation and start-up activities are delivered for effective start-up and implementation

d. Authorizes contracts in accordance to approved grant amounts and initiative budget

4. Oversees grant management process of Commonwealth Corporation’s youth employment grants, including:

a. Manages and conducts on-going performance reviews and develops strategies to assist grantees with any challenges they may encounter.

b. Provides guidance to grantees about program design improvements, requests to modify contracts and general grantee policies and practices; identifies and coordinates the deployment of resources to meet technical assistance needs.

c. Ensures grantees meet outcomes and that initiative/round level goals are met, including negotiating reduction in grant awards to ensure consistent cost per outcomes are maintained.

d. Develops and implements mechanisms for tracking grant expenditures and program performance.

e. Oversees design and review of grantee invoices for conformance with approved budget and scope of service. Establishes goals and ensures adherence to fiscal reviews of grantees

f. Develops reporting systems, deadlines and processes and ensure adherence by team members and grantees.

g. Develops, ensures adherence to contract modification guidance and approves modification requests for programs.

5. Oversees the ongoing development and integration of Signal Success curriculum and professional development offerings, including:

a. Leads key steps in sale and initial service cycle for larger fee for service clients, like state departments of education, municipalities, national non-profits, etc.

b. Supports conceptualization and curriculum mapping of complex or newer curriculum offerings

c. Oversees in-house curriculum development team to ensure that offerings are high-quality, effective for target learners and whenever possible a strong balance of evidence-based and innovative educational strategies

d. Provides guidance and feedback on training designs

e. Leads the writing of grants and formal proposals to support additional funding for Signal Success work

6. In collaboration with the Vice President of Youth Pathways & Justice-Based Initiatives (YP/ JBI), oversees fiscal management and budget decisions related to YouthWorks and Signal Success programs.

7. In collaboration with the Vice President of Youth Pathways, develop marketing plan and expansion strategy for Signal Success to further capitalize on successes in implementation in other programs, communities, and states.

8. Develops learning communities to support grantees in sharing effective practices and industry knowledge; designs and facilitates grantee meetings.

9. Create and facilitate regular professional development opportunities for program partners including regional convenings, webinars, and other distance-learning methods.

10. Oversee the technical assistance plan, service strategy and creation of training materials to support grantees.

11. Directly supervise the Senior Managers and Associate Director and provides an effective structure for overall team management and collaboration.

12. Work with Vice President of YP/ JBI and EOLWD staff to ensure that an advocacy plan and strategy for funding is in place through program partners and grantees.

13. Working with the Director of Communications, leads the process to identify appropriate program content.

14. Working with the Vice President of YP/ JBI, identify the goals, measures of success and the specific performance and demographic indicators to measure the overall effectiveness of the programs; ensure data is representative of the programs we fund and/ or manage and shared appropriately with stakeholders and grantees.

15. Collaborate with other YP/ JBI program staff to maximize program planning, training resources and delivery across funding streams.

16. Perform other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

1. Proactive mindset and approach: able to think several steps ahead, manage complex projects, anticipate grantee and program needs, make data-driven decisions, coordinate multiple time-sensitive priorities, and implement improvements to existing processes.

2. Knowledge of systems and processes required to develop and deliver training initiatives, programs, evaluation methodologies, quality control, and quality improvement.

3. Strong working knowledge of workforce development programming, including, but not limited to, program design, development and implementation strategies, sector-based service strategies, evidence-based practice, and effective programming for vulnerable youth and young adults.

4. Strong curriculum developer with abilities to oversee all levels of the process from lesson-development all the way through multi-year course development aligned to state and national standards and frameworks.

5. Experience in secondary education and understanding of education organization levels and practices from school to district to state-level.

6. Expertise in pedagogical best practices for a broad range of learners including English Language Learners, those with special education needs, over-age and under-credited, those with interrupted formal education.

7. Knowledge of general practices of grant management.

8. Ability to analyze complex material and manage within structured systems.

9. Ability to use standard computer software applications including InDesign to produce reports and correspondence.

10. Expertise in meeting design and meeting facilitation for both internal, external and grantee learning communities

11. Demonstrated skill in negotiation.

12. Financial management, including grantee budget review and program portfolio budget management

13. Demonstrated skill in interpersonal communications and relationship management.

14. Skilled in engaging stakeholders, building relationships with partners, staff and colleagues.

15. Ability to analyze programs for their effectiveness, understand models and convey them to others.

16. Excellent oral and written communication skills, including writing of analytic reports.

17. Computer literacy with expert knowledge of Windows environment; proficient in MS Word, Excel, Power Point

18. Experience supervising others and/or leading team is helpful

Minimum Qualifications

1. Bachelor’s Degree required, master’s degree in education- or related field is beneficial

2. Experience in workforce development collaborations, education and training programs

3. Highly skilled in engaging and building relationships with stakeholders, including private employers, public partners, program staff and colleagues.

4. 10+ years of relevant professional experience with progressive growth in responsibilities

5. Excellent oral and written communication skills.

6. Valid driver’s license and access to a reliable car to be used for in-state travel are required. Mileage reimbursement provided.

Commonwealth Corporation is an Equal Opportunity Employer

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