About WestEd

As a community of over 1,400 researchers, practitioners, consultants, and administrative professionals from all backgrounds and life experiences, we are committed to making a qualitative difference in the lives of youth, children, and adults. We conduct and apply research, develop evidence-based solutions, and provide consulting services across the country in both rural and urban communities to improve equitable outcomes for individuals from infancy through adulthood. Serving as trusted partners in the areas of education, health, and justice, our teams enhance capacity within communities and school districts to prioritize impact — asking the right questions, customizing methodologies, developing relevant tools, and implementing best practices specific to a diverse range of stakeholder needs.

WestEd supports individual initiative, excellence, and hard work of all individuals in our hiring and work practices. WestEd complies with all applicable federal and state anti-discrimination laws, as well as OFCCP requirements. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to disability, or status as a protected veteran.

SPECIAL NOTICE REGARDING THE WORK LOCATION OF THIS POSITION—Although WestEd provides the option of working at one of its facilities for employees, many roles allow employees to choose to work remotely for their own convenience. The decision to allow remote work at the employee's convenience is based on the requirements of the position or project in question.

Brief Description

This position will focus on implementation, professional development, technical assistance, and strategic planning related to adult education, higher education, and workforce development programs. This includes working with community colleges, adult educators, workforce boards, labor organizations, employers and/or other stakeholders to support regional collaboratives program development, labor management partnerships, apprenticeship systems, planning, and program implementation that increases outcomes for adult learners and jobseekers and improves the alignment of education and training programs with employers’ needs for skilled worker. This includes but is not limited to:

• Support for statewide or regional professional development projects such as CEM’s current work leading technical assistance for the California Adult Education Program and California’s English Language Learner Health pathways initiatives which involve program improvement, planning, and data use professional development for the 71 CAEP consortia and hundreds of adult schools and community colleges to improve economic outcomes for adult learners.
• Demonstration projects such as our leadership of the California Chancellor’s office United Domestic Workers and United Health Care Workers West demonstration projects which are using partnerships between the colleges and major labor organizations to strengthen incumbent worker and adult learner pathways.
• Workforce and higher education strategic planning to inform state or regional workforce strategies or systems, higher educational master planning, or comprehensive needs assessment that improves the alignment between education/workforce system and the needs of industry in regional or state economies.
• Industry driven sector strategies that center the needs of business and industry in workforce program development through regional sector partnerships, high road training partnerships or building and strengthening state and regional apprenticeship systems.

The ideal candidate has a background working on projects that require engagement of practitioners in technical assistance and professional development matched by a strong interest in learning about adult education, workforce development, and/or economic mobility for low income adults and families, including direct experience working with employers and industry to support educational pathways to self sufficiency. A background in systems that serve adult learners is highly desirable but not a requirement as long as the candidate has a demonstrated ability to learn new systems quickly, communicate effectively with teachers and educational leaders, and high levels of empathy for workers and learners who face barriers to education and employment. Experience working with adults or families with barriers to education and employment either at WestEd or other prior employment is a preference for this position. Experience working with employers or industry is also Special preference will be given to individuals with both experience working with special populations and developing industry centered strategies that advance economic mobility.

This should be matched by exceptional project management and communication skills with learners and practitioners of all backgrounds, strong presentation skills, experience participating in strong collaborative teams, and experience working in a high demand and fluid work environment. CEM is a high performance and fast-moving environment where everyone works continuously across different projects, systems and in the field. Applicants should enjoy working in a continuously shifting, challenging environment that pushes the boundaries of policy and practice. Curiosity, an open mind, strong problem-solving skills, and a passion for equity and social inclusion are strong requirements for this position.

Responsibilities

Professional Development and Technical Assistance

• Support local and statewide technical assistance and professional development activities for community college, adult education and workforce development agencies.
• Help develop technical assistance modules and curriculum designed to improve practice and adult learner outcomes for participants in adult education and workforce development programs.
• Development and presentation of webinars, conference presentations and longer form multi-event professional development series.

Project Management:

• Independently lead professional development activities and tasks for community college, adult education, and workforce agencies and practitioners.
• Lead overall project management coordination and tasks on project teams, including agenda development, tracking, and following up on task completion using project management tools.
• Work as a part of project teams on projects with multiple partners, in a context of rapidly evolving priorities, while ensuring deliverables are on time and on budget.
• Leading logistics and planning for field engagement events including provision of space, food, and communications with participants.
• Participate in planning for development or revision of projects and support the expanding portfolio of work with the postsecondary and workforce team.

Practitioner and Partnership Engagement

• Development and management of communication plans for large and small projects involving multiple stakeholders and systems.
• Lead and support communication with practitioners, clients and partners to ensure transparency in project management and project implementation in multiple channels including in-person, remote technologies, and social media.

Research

• Support qualitative research strategies including development of protocols for and implementation of structured interviews, focus groups, and surveys.
• Support for quantitative data collection and analysis and development of infographics.

Business Development

• Support competitive and sole source proposal and grant development.
• Support for marketing efforts to build business for the Postsecondary and Workforce Group and Center for Economic Mobility.
• Support the cultivation of innovative new lines of work to support the forward-thinking emphasis of the group and support our focus on leading rather than following the field.

Qualifications

• Bachelors Degree (Masters Preferred) in education, planning, social and behavioral sciences, public policy or related field.
• 5 years related experience in adult education, workforce development, postsecondary, or career education.
• Experience and understanding of WIOA and AEFLA legislation and programs including the National Reporting System for adult education.
• Familiarity with state systems for the implementation of adult education and workforce development programs.

Communication Skills & Accuracy:

• Demonstrated ability to communicate in a collaborative manner with colleagues and partners at all levels, from frontline employees to executives and external representatives.
• Ability to communicate complex information to diverse audiences.
• Demonstrated ability to ensure that one's own and others’ work and information are complete and accurate, especially under tight timelines.

Alignment: An abiding commitment to excellence and equity, and helping people attain living wages

Travel: Ability to travel – requires 25% travel time. For staff working remotely or from a home office travel time may be as much as 50% depending on the demands of the project Preference for California or PST time zone

*Note: Visa sponsorship is not available for this position. Successful candidates must be authorized to work in the United States.

WestEd conducts a criminal background check and education verification for all new hires. Any offers of employment will be contingent on receiving a clear background check in accordance with applicable law.

SALARY AND BENEFITS:

The full salary range for this position, WestEd level (10), is $92,000 to $143,000, but WestEd does not typically hire at or near the top of the salary range. The typical hiring range for this role is $92,000 to $115,000. The actual offer considers multiple factors, including but not limited to education, experience, internal equity, and other organizational needs.

In addition to the base salary, benefits include:

· 15% contribution toward retirement effective day 1 of employment and immediately 100% vested

· Pre-tax Flexible Spending Accounts and Health Savings Account option

· All health/welfare benefits are effective the first of the month following the hire date

· PTO: 19 days (increases to 21 days beginning the third year of employment), 12 paid holidays

· Life Insurance: value of 3x gross salary, max of 500k

· Opportunities for annual merit-based performance increases + annual incentives

· Professional development opportunities & mentorship program

For more details about our benefits, go to: https://www.wested.org/work-at-wested/#benefits WestEd is a Drug Free Employer and maintains a drug-free workplace. #LI-Remote #Circa-Remote

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)