To view the full position profile, please visit: WorkLink Executive Director Profile
ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Strategic Leadership
The Executive Director provides essential strategic leadership for the Board’s work. This leadership includes helping the Board establish a clear vision, mission, goals and action plan, as well as the implementation of the strategic plan. The Executive Director continuously assesses strategies within the current operating environment and proposes new and/or different strategies when appropriate. The Executive Director engages in regional strategic planning and initiative generation, as well as in state and national policy development on behalf of the Board. The Executive Director also aligns funding strategy with strategic priorities by identifying and securing grants and external funding sources that support innovative workforce development initiatives.
Board Support
The Executive Director ensures that the Board receives both the content and logistical support required to be effective. On the content side, this means working with Board leadership to plan effective meetings of both the full Board and its committees, to support Board decision making with strong analysis and clear frameworks for choices, and to ensure regular communication occurs among members of a large volunteer Board. On the logistics side, this means ensuring information for review is provided well in advance of meetings, that locations are found for meetings, and any other required support is provided.
Board Development
The Executive Director is responsible for helping the Board to clearly understand its potential, to assess current strengths and weaknesses, and to develop and execute strategies for Board improvement. In partnership with the Board leadership and local elected officials, the Executive Director will lead the recruitment of Board members when vacancies occur, as well as ensure that members receive a strong orientation that enables them to be effective. The Executive Director shall also continually work to encourage active participation by all Board members and will work with the Board leadership to accomplish that.
Partnerships
Essential to the Board’s work is stimulating and managing strategic partnerships with a wide range of stakeholders to accomplish shared goals. The Executive Director shall manage stakeholder relationships to ensure those partnerships occur and are strengthened over time. The Executive Director shall look broadly across the community to ensure appropriately diverse participation in Board initiatives. Four particularly essential sets of stakeholder relationships for the Executive Director to manage effectively are a) educational leaders, b) the industrial community, c) local elected officials and d) economic developers as well as non-profit organizations, government agencies, etc.
Board Representation
The Executive Director represents the Board with local agencies/organizations, local boards, county councils, and commissions. The Director coordinates with other human resource, educational, and service entities throughout the three-county region to promote cooperation and non-duplication of efforts. The Director coordinates local area and Board activities with state, federal, as well as local boards and commissions involved in employment and training activities. The Director delivers speeches, writes articles, and presents information on behalf of the organization.
Development and Improvement of the Public Workforce System
The Executive Director shall advise the Board as to priority investments of funds for which it is responsible and will then manage the performance and quality improvement oversight of those receiving funds through the Board (including One-Stop Operators and youth services providers). The Executive Director is expected to provide leadership and encouragement to service providers to pursue opportunities for integrated service delivery and to implement continuous improvement strategies for those services. The Executive Director may also engage in partnerships to develop services that are either missing or needing recalibration.
Business and Financial Management
The Executive Director is responsible for the overall organizational and financial management required to support the Board and its initiatives. This includes developing and overseeing the annual budget, managing contracts, procurement, and resource allocation, and ensuring compliance with all federal, state, and local fiscal regulations. The Executive Director monitors grant expenditures, prepares and submits financial reports, and ensures timely and accurate fiscal documentation to funding agencies. In addition, this role provides administrative oversight for research, communications, and project management, while supervising staff and consultants involved in financial and programmatic operations. The Executive Director also makes recommendations to the administrative entity and/or the WorkLink Board of Directors regarding personnel, purchasing, and vendor decisions, and ensures that all financial and administrative functions support the strategic goals and regulatory responsibilities of the Board.
Federal, State, and Local Grant and Related Report Requirements
The Executive Director is responsible for ensuring that the Board is in compliance with federal, state, and local grants, record keeping, and administrative requirements, including such WIOA (Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act) based Board responsibilities as managing the eligible training provider list, negotiating and managing memoranda of understanding and other agreements, and ensuring overall compliance with both the law and associated regulations.
Equal Opportunity (EO) Officer
Ensure compliance with EO Laws, policies, and regulations to include review of written policies to make sure that those policies are nondiscriminatory. Manage EO program, including customer complaint process and periodically update staff on changing EO Laws, regulations, and compliance issues. Serve as the liaison to the state WIOA EO officer (gather data, prepare and submit required reports and responses to the state WIOA EO Officer).
QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor’s degree required. Master’s degree preferred.
- Knowledge of workforce, economic, and community development policy, along with public policy and corporate strategic planning experience
- Proven success working in regulated industries and with business-led boards or corporate volunteer committees
- Skilled in budgeting, financial oversight, and leveraging resources for organizational effectiveness
- Proficient in continuous quality improvement (CQI), problem-solving, and strategic planning
- Strong communication, active listening, and presentation skills across diverse audiences
- Experienced in mediation, negotiation, and conflict resolution with a collaborative mindset
- Ability to build trust and serve as a neutral facilitator among stakeholders and partners
- Adept at cultivating partnerships, coalitions, and cross-sector relationships
- Influential and inspiring leader with a passion for mission-driven work
TO APPLY
The deadline to apply is September 8th. Questions regarding the position may be directed to Christin Mack, Manager of Public Sector Executive Search at cm***@*gp.com
