Executive Director - Workforce Investment Council

DOMICILE REQUIREMENT:

There is a legal requirement that each new appointee to the Excepted and Executive Service either: (1) be domiciled in the District of Columbia at the time of appointment; or (2) establish District domicile within one hundred eighty (180) days of appointment.  The law also requires that Excepted and Executive Service employees maintain District domicile during the period of the appointment.  Failure to maintain District domicile during the period of the appointment will result in forfeiture of employment.

Description:

The Bowser Administration is seeking an Executive Director for to lead Workforce Investment Council (WIC). The WIC is a private sector-led board that serves as the state and local workforce investment board for the District of Columbia, and as such, is the federally mandated oversight body responsible for approving the expenditure of and measuring the effectiveness of WIA-funded programs and the District’s Workforce Intermediary pilot program. The WIC is also responsible for advising the Mayor, DC Council, and District government on the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of integrated and effective workforce investment system.  

Key Responsibilities:

The WIC Director, along with the Chair of the WIC, the Deputy Mayor for Education, and the Director of the Department of Employment Services (DOES), assumes a vital role in the District’s Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) system. The Executive Director is responsible for advising and implementing the decisions made by the WIC board.

The Executive Director regularly interfaces with the Mayor, members of the Mayor’s Cabinet, City Council, and the Department of Labor’s regional and national offices on matters related to workforce development. The guidelines under which the WIC Director operates include the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 and accompanying regulations, as well as other applicable federal and local laws.

Specific responsibilities include:

• Serve as primary liaison to Workforce Investment Council and the WIC Executive Committee; work closely with the WIC chair; interface between the WIC and the Council of the District of Columbia; participate in and/or staff other community, government, and board committees as necessary.
• Direct the development of labor market studies, surveys, analysis, and reports related to community employment and employer skills development needs.
• Build partnerships with private sector leaders to gather information about current or projected hiring needs, collect employer feedback about existing District workforce services, and broker the development of new initiatives to fill skill gaps, as needed.
• Formulate short and long term plans that reflect an integrated workforce development system with operations focused on the assessed workforce and economic development needs of the District of Columbia; utilize knowledge of best practices in recommending system enhancements.
• Make recommendations on the design, funding, and implementation of employment and training programs supported by WIOA and the Workforce Intermediary pilot program that meet the needs of job seekers and employers and present them to the WIC for approval.
• Utilize data to help the WIC Board, DMGEO, and DOES ensure that resources are targeted toward programs with the most positive outcomes.
• Manage the identification of eligible providers of adult and youth workforce development services in compliance with WIOA regulations; conduct monitoring and oversight of workforce investment programs; recommend system changes that will improve service quality.
• Develop criteria for evaluating system performance and effectiveness of existing and proposed workforce investment activities.
• Monitor and direct the development of policy, procedure and record keeping systems necessary to assure program compliance with all applicable legislation and regulation including the Workforce Investment Act; direct the resolution of audit or legal issues relative to program compliance; act as primary contact with DOL and outside government agencies; work with DOES to modify grants as applicable; develop and modify policies and standard operating procedures to assure program compliance with regulatory requirements and changes.
• Keep the WIC advised and informed of national, State and local activities that affect WIOA, the WIC, and workforce development.
• Represent the WIC at regional, national, and local meetings and conferences; make presentations on workforce development issues; serves as an expert on WIOA and workforce development policies and programs.
• Develop regional workforce investment partnerships, interact with representatives from Maryland and Virginia’s workforce development systems in establishing and reinforcing viable regional approaches to workforce development.
• Analyze existing and proposed legislation, regulations and directives for impact on program operations.

Experience/Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in public policy, law, business, urban planning, economics or a related field. An advanced degree is desired.
• Specialized background with expert knowledge regarding employment issues, workforce development, job training, strategic planning, policy and program development, and program evaluation.
• Expert knowledge regarding the principles, methods and procedures used in the design, planning and management of adult, youth, and dislocated worker job placement services and training programs targeting job-seekers with differing levels of skills and abilities.
• Knowledge of and experience with the development, maintenance and enhancement of One Stop Career Centers and other public workforce system strategies for the delivery of employment and training services.
• Knowledge of and experience with innovative workforce development strategies, such as sector initiatives, workforce intermediaries, career pathways, and contextualized occupational training.
• Expert knowledge of regional trends in the labor market and use of labor marker information, including factors affecting labor supply and demand.
• Expert knowledge of federal and state employment and training legislation and regulations; primarily WIOA.
• Knowledge of Federal, State and local procurement guidelines.
• Expert knowledge of a wide range of qualitative and/or quantitative analysis and methods for gathering, evaluating, and interpreting information and data for the assessment and improvement of program improvement. Knowledge of the principles used in automated management information systems as applied to employment and training operations.
• Expert knowledge of, and skill in, problem solving, negotiation strategies, and project management, including developing and adhering to program budgets and project timelines. Demonstrated experience in group facilitation and consensus building.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills sufficient to advise and consult with a variety of executives and managers, present findings and recommendations, negotiate agreements, and secure cooperation; and to speak and write convincingly to audiences including outside agencies, community representatives, and outside groups.
• Excellent interpersonal skills to establish and maintain effective working relationships will all levels of management officials and outside groups. Ability to work with a range of audiences and stakeholders from diverse backgrounds, Demonstrated ability to exercise tact and discretion in dealing with persons at various levels and in various job categories.
• Knowledge of and experience with the principles and techniques of supervision, personnel management, and human resource planning and staffing. Previous supervisory experience is required. Private sector experience is desired. 

If you are interested in this role, please upload your resume and answer the questionnaire.  Only the candidates deemed most suited for the position based on resume will receive a call to schedule further discussion.