Senior Manager, Workforce Development

Position Summary

The Senior Manager, Workforce Development plays a pivotal role in shaping and advancing the workforce development strategy for the Society, driving industry talent pipeline growth and sustainability. This position serves as a connector between industry members, education and training providers, and government and nonprofit stakeholders to ensure the development of a skilled, future-ready workforce aligned with the needs of member companies and the broader industry.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

Strategy & Program Leadership

• Lead the development and execution of national and regional workforce development initiatives aligned with the organization’s strategic plan.
• Identify industry workforce trends, gaps, and opportunities through research, member engagement, and labor market analysis.
• Translate workforce insights into actionable programs, partnerships, and initiative recommendations. 

Industry & Member Engagement

• Engage regularly with member companies to understand workforce challenges, training needs, and best practices.
• Facilitate collaboration among employers/distributors/educational institutions to bring about solutions to local welding workforce issues. 

 Partnership Development

• Establish and maintain strategic partnerships with youth organizations (Skills USA, FFA, etc.), professional societies, community colleges, technical schools, apprenticeship programs, etc.
• Represent the Society in workforce coalitions, and at regional and national events.
• Alongside the AWS Foundation Executive Director, call on potential donors for financial support to advance the Society’s workforce development initiatives.

Program Management

• Oversee the development and implementation of programs, including career awareness campaigns and sector-based training models. 
• Monitor and evaluate program outcomes and impact, ensuring continuous improvement and alignment with industry needs.

Communication & Advocacy

• Collaborate with professional societies to support advocacy for workforce-related policies and funding.
• Prepare reports and presentations for internal and external stakeholders.

Supervision Exercised

• Currently, none

Required Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Strong communicator with demonstrated public speaking abilities.
• Self-starter with experience handling multiple projects simultaneously
• Data-driven decision maker

"AWS At Work" Key Competencies for this role 

 Customer focused: Helping our customers feel successful by meeting or exceeding their needs in a positive manner.

• Diplomacy: Maintaining relationships and conducting negotiations between people to achieve mutual understanding, resolve conflicts, and find common ground.
• Managing Ambiguity: Effectively navigating and operating successfully in situations where things are uncertain, the path forward is unclear, or information is incomplete.
• Strategic Mindset: Developing innovative approaches to support the organization’s strategy and vision, while effectively connecting long-term goals to day-to-day operations.
• Collaboration: Working together with others to achieve a common goal, sharing knowledge, and coordinating efforts to complete tasks or projects effectively.
• Excellence Mindset: Striving to be the best we can be in our work, relationships, ideas, and services.

 Travel Expectations 

• Periodic travel to industry events, member locations, and conferences is expected

Required Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in business, education, engineering, or a related field required. 
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in workforce development, industry partnerships, education/training, or economic development.
• Experience working in or with non-profit associations, industry groups, and workforce initiatives.
• Proven experience in fundraising, including identifying and securing sponsorships and member contributions to support workforce programs.
• Strong budgeting and financial management skills, including developing and overseeing program budgets.
• Excellent project management, stakeholder engagement, and communication skills.
• Preference will be given to candidates with experience in marketing strategies and proficiency in digital tools, such as CRM platforms, data analytics software, and labor market analysis tools to support data-driven decision-making.
• Mannufacturing/Technical experience preferred.
• Supervisory experience is preferred