Position Overview

The Manager will oversee the Job Connector by MIT — a workforce development hub connecting Cambridge residents to employment opportunities in the region.

As part of MIT’s Office of Government and Community Relations team, the Manager of the Job Connector by MIT will lead all programmatic and operational work, and will supervise two Job Connector program administrators. The role requires proactive collaboration with a cross-section of stakeholders, and the implementation and management of partnerships and programs.

The Job Connector’s areas of focus include job readiness, skill training, career planning, apprenticeships, internships, and employment. The services provided include individual career counseling, educational programs, targeted trainings, group workshops, and personal mentoring.

We are seeking an accomplished professional with extensive employment and training experience, strong knowledge of the region’s job sectors and trends, a proven ability to partner successfully, a forward-thinking and action-oriented work style, a strong desire to bring positive impact to clients through individual counseling and follow up, and a robust workforce development network in order to support the Job Connector’s objectives.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities*

All of these responsibilities will be carried out in collaboration with the program administrators.

• Oversee Programs and Operations: Plan and execute workforce development activities and programs that are responsive to the community’s needs and reflect current local and regional market forces.
• Set Strategic Direction: Research and anticipate trends and changes in the workforce and employment fields, and plan and develop programs accordingly. Prepare for the Job Connector’s move to the Volpe development in the coming years.
• Leverage and Optimize Network: Consider programming opportunities with stakeholders from MIT, Cambridge, and beyond. Think creatively about how to maximize collaboration and partnerships in order to best serve Cambridge residents.
• Manage staff: Supervise, delegate job responsibilities, and evaluate staff.
• Manage Office Functions: Oversee finances, ensure that space and equipment needs are addressed, and promote overall effective functioning.
• Prioritize Case Management: Share client work with other Job Connector staff (individual counseling and follow up).
• Seek Potential Grant Opportunities: Identify and pursue possible funding sources and/or partnerships that can be used to advance key training or employment programs (Barr Foundation, JVS Boston, etc…).
• Evaluate and Retool: Utilize an evidence-based approach to examine the effectiveness of all programmatic offerings and make adjustments as needed.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Supervision Received

Supervision is provided by the Director of MIT’s Office of Government and Community Relations.

Supervision Exercised

This role supervises the Program Development Administrator and the Community Outreach Administrator.

Qualifications & Skills

Education: Bachelor’s degree required, and a master’s degree preferred, preferably in education - or workforce development-related fields.

Experience:

• Minimum of 7 years’ workforce development experience is required
• An understanding of Cambridge, as well as the local workforce development landscape, is desired; knowledge of MIT is a plus
• Experience supervising staff is preferred
• Must be able to manage effectively in a pressured, fast-moving environment; prioritize, track, and implement multiple projects simultaneously
• Strong skills in motivating staff and clients, leading meetings, convening people for productive dialogue, deep listening, and developing shared objectives and goals
• Ability to successfully execute initiatives through collaborations with multiple stakeholders and via complex partnerships
• Excellent financial, organizational, customer service, strategic planning, interpersonal, and written and verbal communication and presentation skills
• Ability to work independently with moderate supervision, and as part of a close-knit team
• Experience in providing career counseling services to clients is preferred
• Knowledge of the area’s tech and biotech industry, and the innovation economy, is beneficial

* To comply with regulations by the American with Disabilities Act (ADA), the principal duties in job descriptions must be essential to the job. To identify essential functions, focus on the purpose and the result of the duties rather than the manner in which they are performed. The following definition applies: a job function is essential if removal of that function would fundamentally change the job.