The Manager of Employment and Training Services is responsible for the direct oversight of Congreso’s Commercial Driver’s License – Class A (CDL-A). This position will also directly supervise the Employment Specialist. This position will execute operational and administrative tasks related to recruitment and screening of new enrollees, client engagement and management, coordination of training delivery models and the cultivation of resources and supports to meet client needs. This position is responsible for maintaining strong and positive relationships with the CDL-A training providers to ensure quality service is being provided to clients and to troubleshoot any issues that may occur. Additionally, this position makes weekly visits to the training schools and grounds to ensure a strong relationship between Congreso and the training schools. This position will work closely with the Director of Workforce Initiatives to ensure that all programs meet funder expectations and adhere to compliance guidelines expected by training providers supporting the local workforce system. Additionally, this position will work with divisional leadership and support the expansion of the Workforce Initiatives Department with new workforce credentialing programs in high-priority occupations.
Furthermore, this position is tasked with supporting the agency’s strategic plan, Mission 2 Impact (M2I), to have a continuum of economic self-sufficiency and well-being programs that align with our core pillars of Education, Workforce Development, Health, Housing, and Parenting. The core outcome of M2I is to ensure that clients are empowered to achieve economic self-sufficiency and well-being through client-centered, data-informed services.
This position reports to the Director of Workforce Initiatives. This is a HYBRID position.
The Manager of Employment and Training Services applies the principles of the organization’s signature service delivery approach, Primary Client Model (PCM™), by promoting a positive employee/client-focused experience that is appreciative of the unique strengths, values and needs that each individual brings; and by using data to inform and drive decision making. Attention is given to compliance, quality assurance, and best practices as they relate to the role.
Congreso is committed to attracting and retaining candidates who have a passion for their work and will serve as ambassadors of the agency’s mission, values, and DEI&B vision. We encourage all qualified individuals, including those of diverse backgrounds, differently abled, LGBTQ+, and women to apply. Congreso is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Essential Functions
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential
functions listed below.
- Represents Congreso’s mission, values, and commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging and will be an ambassador of our work.
- Serve as the leader for the CDL-A Program – with a strong client centered focus to ensure that all participants receive high quality experiences from application to graduation.
- Ensure that programs are meeting all contractual outcomes outlined by funders – specifically, in the areas of client enrollment, successful completion, job placement and employment retention – and Congreso’s Mission to Impact goals as it relates to economic self-sufficiency.
- Oversee all direct services extended to clients – including case management and job development.
- Lead recruitment efforts including selection-panel interviews with prospective clients to ensure that programs are actively available to customers of all Philadelphia based CareerLink Centers and community members residing in Congreso’s catchment zip codes.
- Cultivate and maintain strong and positive relationships with the trucking training subtractors to ensure that the training needs of clients are being met and that the curriculum continues to align with industry employment standards.
- Develop and execute marketing strategies to generate opportunities to create new job opportunities for program graduates.
- Oversee all client assessment and pre-screenings strategies including the coordination of selection panel interviews with employer and educational partners to maximize optimal enrollment outcomes.
- Manage the communication system with CareerLink partners to ensure that client outcomes in the areas of enrollment, time/attendance, program completion and job placement are reported in a timely fashion.
- Perform weekly visits to all external training sites to ensure that clients are actively engaged and progressing towards the attainment of industry credentials.
- Serve as a primary liaison to program stakeholders, educational subcontractors, and employer partners.
- Identify and connect clients to resources that can help remediate barriers that may interfere with their ability to maintain engagement and achieve programmatic goals.
- Establish and maintain employer partnerships that offer family sustaining wages to program graduates of all industry credentialing initiatives.
- Manage data entry responsibilities with a high degree of accuracy and timeliness.
- Develop reports that reflect total numbers of enrollments, credentialing outcomes, job placements and employment retention achievements that be used to maintain and sustain funding for all workforce programming.
- Respond to all inquiries as it relates to job training programs – specially from members of the public seeking enrollment.
- Conduct routine audits of student files.
Minimum Education:
High school diploma or GED/HISET required, Associate degree a plus.
Minimum Experience:
1-3 years’ experience in the local Workforce system including the PA CareerLinks required.
3 years’ of experience supervising and managing workforce development-related initiatives required.
Knowledge of the Latino and urban community of Philadelphia preferred.
Excellent oral and written communications skills; Bilingual (English/Spanish) preferred.
Computer proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite required (Word & Excel) preferred.