Statewide Director

The Statewide Director is responsible for collaborating, convening, and supervising apprenticeship-readiness activities and staff to develop and implement programming and training throughout the state of Wisconsin. This position will collaborate with business, Labor, education, government, building trades councils, and community partners to develop programs that improve recruitment, retention, training, and advancement of workers. This position is crucial to operations and supervision of staff and instructors who provide outreach and program services to participants as they explore and pursue their career pathway. The successful candidate must have a demonstrated ability to implement programs and strategies to deliver high performance workforce outcomes supporting industry needs for skilled, qualified, diverse, and retainable workforce. Reporting to the Chief Operations Officer, the Statewide Director will have overall operational responsibility for all statewide outreach services and programs, with responsibility for performance outcomes.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Provide inspiring and effective leadership to all outreach and programming teams by being actively involved in all programs and services and maintaining a deep and broad knowledge of WRTP | BIG STEP programs and services. Ensure all areas operate consistently and ethically within the values and missions of WRTP | BIG STEP.

• Provide leadership in the development and maintenance of policy and procedure protocols for Outreach and Program Managers.
• Develop, implement, and manage programming statewide, including coordinating apprenticeship readiness, curriculum, industry certifications, testing, and other programming as necessary.
• Work in collaboration with regional directors and the Program Compliance and Data Coordinator to monitor outreach and program data and reporting to ensure performance outcomes and contractual goals are met.
• Analyze and identify gaps in community, regional, and statewide services, effectively communicating opportunities for expanding outreach and programming service delivery to those identified gaps.
• In collaboration with sector staff, implement, monitor, and supervise classes and programming. Maintain oversight of effective orientations, recruitments, trainings, and community outreach events.
• Appropriately staff or attend pre-bid and pre-construction meetings for public and private projects.
• Work with employers, contractors, developers, and owners as needed to identify workforce needs and create appropriate training plans.
• Communicate with partner agencies and organizations, recruiters, and case managers to provide eligible candidates with a clear understanding of goals, requirements, and opportunities.
• Provide continuous direction by training, supervising, and evaluating Outreach and Program Staff, including conducting annual workforce planning to establish goals and objectives for all direct reports.
• Publicly represent WRTP | BIG STEP with external constituency groups including private businesses, educational institutions, local and state government, building trades councils, and community partners organizations and build excitement and passion for WRTP | BIG STEP's mission. Facilitate and coordinate speaking opportunities.
• Other duties as appropriate. This job description provides a general but not comprehensive list of the essential responsibilities and qualifications required. It does not represent a contract of employment. WRTP | BIG STEP reserves the right to change the job description and/or post.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree required; Advanced education or certifications are beneficial and may be considered in lieu of degree.
• Demonstrated through experience and/or education, the ability to coordinate complex service delivery systems, and ability to connect to industry relationships.
• Must have project management experience, utilizing planning, leadership, and organizational skills.
• Experience collaborating in a multi-disciplinary, diverse, and dynamic team.
• The position requires supervision of direct services to individual clients, and as such requires cultural competency as well as excellent interpersonal skills related to assisting clients with career advisement and planning.
• Demonstrated resourcefulness in setting priorities and proposing new ways of creating efficiencies.
• Must be able to pass a background check.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Must have the ability to manage multiple projects and prioritize tasks.
• Thorough knowledge of standard computer programs, including Microsoft Office, and ability to learn new systems.
• Highly effective communication, facilitation, problem solving, and team-building skills. Must be highly motivated by the mission of the WRTP | BIG STEP.
• Previous experience working with federal and state-based programming such as FSET, WIOA, and other DOL and DWD job training programs is desired.
• Understanding others’ challenges and barriers and the ability to adjust and provide guidance to help participants achieve their career goals.

• Ability to establish rapport and relate sensitively to a multiracial and multicultural group of customers.
• Demonstrated resourcefulness in setting priorities, and proposing new ways of creating efficiencies.
• Self-starter able to multi-task while also being highly detail oriented.

Personal Attributes

• Follow the WRTP | BIG STEP Code of Conduct.
• Adhere to established policies and procedures of the program, agency, and of all funding sources.
• Conduct self in an ethical manner.
• Maintain professional and respectful relationships with staff, participants, and all external persons and agencies involved with WRTP | BIG STEP and its partnering agencies.
• Inclusive and equitable in treatment of all persons regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, sexual identity, religion, ability, or any other factor.
• Demonstrates commitment to the WRTP | BIG STEP mission, vision, and values.

Work Relationship

• Reports to the Chief Operations Officer.
• Has contact and works comfortably with a wide variety of individuals including, but not limited to staff, partnering agencies, federal and state-based contractors/vendors, unions, employers, and members of the community.

Working Conditions

• This work is performed statewide in Wisconsin.
• Will require regular day round-trip travel within the state of Wisconsin. Must be able to travel within the state of Wisconsin regularly and have reliable transportation with proof of insurance.
• Any travel requiring overnight stay must be approved by the Chief Operations Officer.
• When not traveling, this position is a remote position in Wisconsin. Will be required to report to one of the home offices (Milwaukee, Madison, Racine) as needed by Executive management.
• Will work with a diverse population and may include youth, justice-impacted individuals, individuals facing barriers, etc.
• Minimum of 40 hours per week.
• Must be flexible. Will require some nights and weekends.
• This position requires the ability to regularly sit and write at a computer, stand, and lift less than 30 pounds, frequently move from room to room to accommodate guests, use a telephone and use computer equipment to generate input and output and transmit data. This position requires reliable transportation including state mandated insurance.

WRTP/BIG STEP is an equal opportunity/ADA employer. All federal, state, and local and other fair employment standards including EEO and ADA requirements in race, gender, gender identification, religion, national origin, disability, political affiliation, veteran status, veterans, or disabled veteran’s status as found in 41CFR 60-1.4, 60-250.4 and 60-741.4 are herein incorporated by reference. Reasonable accommodations requested by qualified individuals with disabilities will be made in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. WRTP/BIG STEP encourages applications from all the above referenced protected and unprotected status groups. WRTP|BIG STEP performs pre-employment background checks subject to job requirements, notify HR (Human Resources) if special accommodations are needed.

• Health Insurance - Employer pays 85% of health plan.
• Dental Insurance (single or family) – 100% Employer paid.
• Vision Insurance (single or family) – 100% Employer paid.
• Life Insurance & Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance – 100% Employer paid.
• Short Term & Long-Term Disability Insurance – 100% Employer paid.
• 10 vacation days after 90 days of employment.
• 9 personal days annually after 90 days of employment.
• 14 Paid Holidays annually.
• 10% of monthly salary contributed by company to retirement accounts.
• Salary: $94,000 - $99,000