Workforce Development Manager

Department: Programs

Status: Non-Exempt, Full-Time

Location: Seattle, WA.

Pay Rate: $91,223-$97,980 annual salary

ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION

FareStart has been helping people transform their lives through food for 30 years — one person, one job and one community at a time.

People experiencing poverty struggle to escape the cycle they are in and often face other compounding barriers to getting and keeping a job. At FareStart, we help people overcome barriers by teaching work and life skills needed to succeed in employment and in life. By investing in people, providing meals and building community, we transform homelessness, hunger and poverty into human potential.

OUR VISION

Every individual has the opportunity to thrive in an equitable and just world.

OUR MISSION

FareStart transforms lives, disrupts poverty and nourishes communities through food, life skills and job training.

OUR VALUES

• Acceptance: We build relationships based on the belief that the past informs but does not dictate the future.
• Respect: We treat everyone with dignity, regardless of background or differences. We actively listen and seek first to understand.  We are honest, even when it is difficult.
• Openness: We create a culture of trust through transparency and open communication. We are open to new ideas.
• Collaboration: Contribute positively to strengthen the organization and our impact through teamwork and through partnerships.
• Accountability: We are responsible to each other, to our community and ourselves. We are committed to rigorous evaluation and making fiscally responsible decisions that align with our mission.
• Inclusion: We provide a community of belonging, regardless of background. We value and seek out diversity.
• Growth: We are a learning organization.  We invest in continuous improvement and growth.

ABOUT THE POSITION

This position serves as a key member of department leadership to plan, coordinate, and manage high-quality employment and alumni programming, with accountability for driving strong job placement, retention, and long-term career advancement outcomes. This position manages the team responsible for durable skills training, employment strategy, employer partnerships, and alumni engagement efforts to ensure strong job placement outcomes and long term
economic mobility for program participants. This position ensures alignment across employment, classroom training, and supportive case management functions to create cohesive pathways from training to employment to long-term career advancement.  

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following:

• Manage and oversee direct reports including all down-level reports, hiring, developing, guiding, goal setting, and performance reviews, coaching, training, and support. Foster a collaborative, inclusive, high performance team culture ensuring staff are trained in trauma-informed, person-centered approaches.
• Manage and oversee FareStart’s overall student employment strategy, ensuring strong job placement, retention, and long-term career outcomes. Ensure alignment of programs, policies, KPIs, communications, and data reporting.
• Collaborate with department leadership, training teams, and case management to align services, analyze data, identify trends, and implement strategies that improve employment outcomes and participant support.
• Manage and oversee employment matching processes, ensuring alignment with FareStart’s strategic priority supporting students in gaining employment. Design and manage structured transitional employment pathways that support participants in gaining experience and advancing into competitive employment.
• Build, maintain, and deepen employer partnerships across industries aligned with participant career pathways.
• Design and manage a comprehensive alumni engagement strategy that supports long-term career advancement and stability. Create opportunities for alumni connection, networking, skill-building, and peer mentorship.
• Manage and refine durable skills and job readiness curriculum framework, ensuring consistency across programs, curriculum alignment with employer needs, labor market trends, and participant career pathways.
• Collaborate with department leadership to monitor budgets and ensure areas of responsibility remain within budget.
• Manage systems for data collection and ensure timely data entry, documentation, and reporting of employer partner, student employment, and alumni outcome data to meet organizational and funder requirements.
• Represent FareStart in the community and build working relationships with external stakeholders, employers, and partners.
• Support and promote the organization’s strategic plan and department priorities.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.  The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.  Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions.

Don’t meet all desired requirements? Studies have shown that some people are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single desired qualification. At FareStart, we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every desired qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

• Bachelor’s degree in related field and eight (8) or more years of related experience, including four (4) or more years of experience managing and developing a team; and/or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience in workforce development serving low-income individuals with barriers to employment, including those impacted by homelessness, justice involvement, or other systemic barriers.
• Demonstrated experience developing curriculum and instruction related to job readiness and/or skills-based training programs and working with and building partnerships with second-chance employers; building and implementing workforce development strategies leading to strong employment and retention outcomes; and designing or overseeing alumni strategies that support long-term employment outcomes.
• Demonstrated ability to manage and align multiple systems, stakeholders, and priorities to achieve program outcomes.
• Experience directly working with people from diverse racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, LGBTQIA+, and gender backgrounds. Demonstrated knowledge of institutional and structural racism and its impact on underserved communities.
• Experience managing and developing a team. Ability to lead and motivate teams.
• Proficient and experienced in Microsoft Office applications, particularly Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams. Ability to work with customized databases and technology and to conduct internet research.
• Ability to build and foster positive and collaborative relationships across a variety of departments and teams inside and outside the organization and develop teams to do the same.
• Ability to work effectively independently and as part of a team, within diverse teams and environments.
• Ability to communicate effectively and comfortably with audiences of different backgrounds and experiences.
• Ability to display sensitivity, tact, and responsiveness in various situations and maintain a high level of confidentiality.
• Ability to listen, give and receive feedback in a productive and professional manner.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to adapt communication based on audience and purpose with inclusivity. Ability to disseminate information effectively to appropriate levels.
• Demonstrated excellent interpersonal, negotiation, and conflict resolution skills.
• Excellent organizational skills with the ability to balance and prioritize multiple tasks and requests and meet deadlines in a professional manner.
• Ability to evaluate problems and effectively solve them in a timely manner. Ability to respond to concerns with empathy and inclusivity. Respond appropriately to conflict.
• Ability to delegate responsibilities, work with others, and coach employees to develop their full potential. Provide helpful, behaviorally specific feedback to others. Regularly meet with employees to review their development progress and express confidence in their abilities to be successful. Engage in open and honest communication.
• Ability to work a non-standard/flexible schedule, which may include weekends, evenings, and holidays.

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions.

• This position requires onsite work at FareStart’s multiple locations and is exposed to a typical office environment as well as training kitchens.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
• This position will be required to travel throughout King County between FareStart sites, partner locations, and external meetings.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions.

• This position may occasionally be required to lift and/or move up to twenty-five (25) pounds. 
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus. 
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit. The employee is frequently required to walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk and hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, or crouch.  

BENEFIT HIGHLIGHTS

• Competitive pay based on experience and qualifications
• Paid time-off (5 weeks first year of employment)
• Paid holidays, including up 2 floating holidays
• 401(k) savings plan with company match
• Medical (including vision), Dental, Disability, and Life Insurance
• Employee discounts at FareStart retail social enterprises
• Employee Assistance Program
• Free ORCA pass

Why Should You Apply?

• Be part of our mission to disrupt poverty.
• Join a supportive, respectful, and celebratory community among our staff, students, board, and volunteers.
• Organizational commitment to a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace.
• FareStart encourages the personal and professional growth of its employees.

For information on FareStart, including more information on employee benefits and our company culture, visit our website at: www.farestart.org/about

Commitment to Diversity and Inclusivity

FareStart is committed to becoming a fully inclusive, antiracist, diverse organization.  To fulfill our mission, vision, and values we are seeking candidates who demonstrate shared values of diversity, equity, inclusion, and antiracism.

Our Commitment to Anti-Racism

FareStart defines antiracism as the clear acknowledgment that racism permeates organizations, communities, and industries, including our own. We recognize that we have a duty to be vigilant in addressing and confronting racism in how we make decisions, show up in our communities, build business practices and policies, and engage in intentional partnerships and philanthropic endeavors to fulfill our mission and vision.