Workforce Initiatives Manager - LED FastStart

Position Title: 

Workforce Initiatives Manager – LED FastStart

Position Classification:

Unclassified

Reports to: 

Director of Workforce Initiatives

Position Summary:

LED FastStart, Louisiana Economic Development’s single-source, workforce solutions provider, is building a world-class team to support Louisiana’s workforce for new and expanding companies. Our primary focus is to assist companies in Recruitment, Training, and Sustaining their workforce during and after their LED FastStart project is closed. We work with each company to develop and deliver customized training programs for their new workforce. We are in partnership with the Louisiana Community and Technical College System (LCTCS), 4-year colleges, Workforce Development Boards, Louisiana Workforce Commission (LWC), Economic Development Organizations, non-profit organizations, community-based education programs, and the Department of Education (LDOE)(K-12). The Workforce Initiatives support extends through pre- and post-employment and enables industry to launch new operations or to expand an existing operation. Our commitment to our customers is elite responsiveness through value-added recruiting support, training and workforce development programs.

LED FastStart Workforce Initiative’s support is offered to both LED FastStart Projects, LED Prospects and other Louisiana workforce initiatives.

Description:

The Workforce Initiatives Manager will engage with industry and education stakeholders to identify gaps in the workforce development system and develop strategies to address them.

Responsibilities include conducting regional workforce analyses, defining priorities, collaborating with educational institutions to align offerings to regional needs, and developing strategies to build awareness of opportunities among students and influencers. The Workforce Initiatives Manager will also serve as an ambassador to expand work-based learning programs, apprenticeships, and innovative learning models across the state.

The Workforce Initiatives Manager will also serve as a subject matter expert for LED FastStart’s curriculum development and training teams, assisting with new development and revisions to existing curriculums and conducting instructor certification programs.

The ideal candidate will have extensive management and training experience in manufacturing, software development or other technical fields. Significant project management or operational experience in a high-performance environment is required. A history of leadership positions in educational institutions is strongly preferred.

The Workforce Initiatives Manager will be required to travel extensively throughout Louisiana and occasionally travel outside of Louisiana and the United States.

Key activities / Responsibilities:

·         Plan, organize, implement and evaluate workforce initiatives to ensure a high level of customer satisfaction and maintain positive client relationships

·         Coordinate and communicate with all LED colleagues and staff on workforce initiatives’ support

·         Serve as a workforce subject matter expert across all of LED including innovation, marketing, small business, tech transfer, and other incentive programs

·         Establish and maintain strong working partnerships with all Louisiana higher education and workforce partners

·         Coordinate communications between LED FastStart Project contacts and workforce partners

·         Analyze workforce data pertaining to education programs, graduates, and current/future pool of qualified candidates

·         Identify opportunities to move the needle on critical workforce metrics

·         Evaluate and communicate internship / apprenticeship / externships / co-op opportunities for LED FastStart Projects

·         Collaborate with industry representatives, regional and local economic development entities, regional Jump Start Teams, sector partnerships, workforce development boards, industry associations and other regional workforce contributors as well as statewide and national workforce stakeholders to develop innovative solutions to regional workforce challenges

·         Promote work-based learning, apprenticeships, and innovative learning models throughout the state

·         Serve as a subject matter expert and conduct instructor certification programs for LED FastStart curriculums

Minimum Qualifications: 

Bachelor’s degree, preferably in a technical or educational field, and a minimum of 5 years in higher education administration including practices and procedures, project management, resource and records management, data collection and analysis, and program evaluation. Strong and effective communication, team work skills and also the ability to work independently with self-motivation while also reaching out when needed for direction and collaboration.

Proficiency in standard Microsoft Office Suite.