Director of career union

FLSA Status: Exempt

Department: Community Impact

Core Hours: Mon – Fri; 8am-5pm

Reports to: VP of Collective and Community Impact

Salary Range : $50,000-$55,000

Work Model : 80-90% in-person

Preferred Start Date: September 3, 2024

SUMMARY

The Director of Cradle to Career, Union County supports the development, facilitation, implementation, monitoring, and management of a county-wide cradle to career initiative through collaboration with Partners for Rural Impact, Spartanburg Academic Movement, schools, community organizations, businesses, residents, and other stakeholders. Partners for Rural Impact will be responsible for writing the plan, and the Director will support the process by developing relationships with various sectors to engage them in efforts to develop and implement a shared community vision to improve outcomes for students, families, and all residents of Union County, with specific focus on early childhood development, post-secondary attainment, and workforce development. The Director serves as the project coordinator ensuring that Partners for Rural Impact and key partners are aligned and on track to meet all milestones for the two-year planning period.

This position is currently funded by a two-year investment aimed at creating a cradle to career plan for Union County. Following the initial two-year investment, additional funds will be leveraged for the implementation phase.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES and RESPONSIBILITIES

Coordinate multi-sector collaboration and engagement in partnership with Partners for Rural Impact to determine the community vision, strategies, priorities, focus areas, outcomes, and community indicators.

• Ensure consistent and clear communication on progress and actions among all stakeholders.
• Provide staff support and leadership to collaboratives, taskforces, committees, and working groups focused on cradle to career, including coordinating and scheduling meetings, setting agendas, coordinating and facilitating conversations with partners, setting collective goals and measurements for the work, etc.
• Identify and leverage all appropriate community resources to support collective impact work related to cradle to career, including grants and fund development efforts. Work with partners to leverage and prioritize limited resources.
• Ensure work is focused to meet intended/stated outcomes and goals; periodically measure and report effectiveness of this work in achieving desired outcomes.
• Collect, select, analyze, assemble, and share meaningful data to understand needs and drive direction of the work and priorities. Translate data into “commonly understandable” concepts and community reports.
• Support partner organizations in the launch of pilot projects aligned with the planning process and ensure lessons learned in the pilots inform the planning process.
• Research and monitor national and local changes and trends in education and workforce development to inform work.
• Identify and build partnerships and create positive working relationships between UWP and other human service organizations, governmental agencies, financial institutions, businesses, nonprofits, and other stakeholders. Serve as a liaison between partners.
• Assist with allocation of funds, research, marketing, and public policy work, and developing agreements, protocols, and MOUs as appropriate.
• Attend personal development and leadership seminars as requested, as well as workshops, staff meetings, webinars, conferences, training refresher courses and meetings.
• Must be able to work a flexible schedule with the possibility of some early morning and evenings.
• 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 accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

ESSENTIAL SKILLS and EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university required.
• At least 2 years of experience in facilitation, coalition building, or collective impact strategy development & execution.
• Must have strong connections to Union County, SC.
• Experience and knowledge working in the cradle to career field. Knowledge of early learning, K12, post-secondary, and/or workforce development preferred.
• Ability to understand the complexities of the local community, build coalitions, and identify strategies that increase education outcomes.
• Demonstrate:
• Strong ability to effectively communicate both verbally and in written format.
• Strong interpersonal skills with ability to work independently or with others as a team.
• Ability to develop strong professional working relationships and collaborate with both internal and external partners.
• Ability to persuade or influence others in favor of a service, point of view, or course of action.
• Strong ethical standards, reliability, accountability, professional excellence, positive attitude, and confidentiality.
• Maintain a high level of integrity for self and others.
• Demonstrated excellent customer service skills.
• Excellent attention to detail and sense of urgency, ability to prioritize with an emphasis on quality and accuracy of work.
• Ability to multi-task, prioritize and deal with interruptions while meeting timely deadlines.
• Ability to change course of action due to shifts in work demands.
• Ability to operate a personal computer using standard or customized software applications appropriate to assigned tasks.
• Demonstrated ability to understand concepts, practices, and procedures with ability to use in varied situations.
• Demonstrated ability to present information to diverse audiences.
• Demonstrated ability to contribute to important strategy, operational and business decisions that affect department.
• Demonstrated ability to develop solutions using creativity, resourcefulness, innovation, negotiation and diplomacy.
• Ability to read and interpret documents such as federal and state laws, legal documents, safety rules, operating and procedure manuals.
• Demonstrated ability to build relationships, negotiate, motivate and persuade others.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze situations, develop solutions using creativity, resourcefulness, innovation, negotiation and diplomacy.
• Demonstrated ability to adapt and persevere.
• Demonstrated ability to exhibit extreme integrity and confidentiality.
• Demonstrated strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Regular and sustained attendance required.
• Must have valid driver’s license and access to transportation throughout the workday.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS and WORK ENVIRONMENT

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 accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, sit, talk, hear, and use hands and fingers to operate a computer and telephone. The employee is frequently required to reach, stoop or kneel. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance and color vision due to computer work. May be required to lift, push, or pull up to 25 pounds occasionally.

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. There is moderate noise associated with a business office including telephones, computer keyboards, printers, office traffic and visitors. The work environment requires the individual to have the ability to work in a confined space and sit at a computer terminal or in conference rooms.

The United Way of the Piedmont has reviewed this job description to ensure that essential functions and basic duties have been included. It is intended to provide guidelines for job expectations and the employee's ability to perform the position described. It is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all functions, responsibilities, skills and abilities. Additional functions and requirements may be assigned by supervisors as deemed appropriate. This document does not represent an expressed or implied contract of employment nor does it alter your at-will employment, and the United Way of the Piedmont reserves the right to change this job description and/or assign tasks for the employee to perform, as the United Way of the Piedmont may deem appropriate.

To apply, please send resume, cover letter, and salary requirements to .