Assistant Director of Workforce Policy and Programs

City of Boston; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 60,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Boston's Worker Empowerment Cabinet is seeking an Assistant Director of Workforce Policy and Programs to advance workforce development and worker protection initiatives. This role aligns policy priorities with funding opportunities and supports grant proposal development across city departments.

You will lead program design, oversee grants, monitor outcomes, engage stakeholders, and help expand access to good quality jobs for Boston residents.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or higher in a related field or equivalent work experience in public planning or workforce development.
• Three or more years of experience in public policy or workforce development.
• Proficiency in program implementation and oversight.
• Proficiency in proposal writing.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal and organizational skills.
• Proficiency in office software.

Responsibilities

• Develop and align policy priorities for workforce development and worker protection.
• Design, develop and implement programs that support policy priorities and measurably improve outcomes.
• Align projects with funding opportunities and develop sustainable funding plans.
• Collaborate with government agencies, advocacy groups and community organizations on funding proposals.
• Monitor and evaluate programs to assess effectiveness and ensure regulatory compliance.
• Coordinate grant-funded projects and oversee reporting and compliance requirements.
• Engage with internal and external stakeholders to advance workforce initiatives and address implementation challenges.
• Monitor policy landscape and identify trends to improve workers’ well-being and the city’s labor market.
• Assist in organization of shared resources and disseminate new publications.

Skills

Policy analysis

Proposal writing

Communication skills

Project management

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Master's Degree

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

The Worker Empowerment Cabinet advances the well-being of Boston workers in the public and private sectors. Our goals include: (1) setting the City’s future policy and vision for workers, (2) regulating, overseeing, and improving workplace conditions and health for workers, and (3) expanding economic opportunities for workers through quality jobs, skills training, and career pipelines.

Under the direction of the Deputy Chief of Worker Empowerment, the Assistant Director of Workforce Policy and Programs will play a key role in advancing workforce development and worker protection initiatives. This role involves aligning policy priorities with funding opportunities, developing and securing resources for new and existing programs, and supporting grant proposal preparation and implementation. The Assistant Director of Policy and Programs will collaborate with various departments and stakeholders to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of current programs, ensure compliance with funding requirements, and identify opportunities for programmatic and policy improvements. Additionally, the role includes leading implementation of workforce strategies to expand OWD’s impact and ability to serve Boston residents.

Program Development

• Collaborate with staff to align policy priorities for the Worker Empowerment Cabinet including but not limited to workforce development, labor, alternative education, worker protections, youth employment and economic development.
• Assist in designing, developing and implementing programs that support policy priorities, and that achieve measurable results in the Cabinet’s goal of providing access to good quality jobs for all Boston residents.
• Align projects and programs with funding opportunities and develop sustainable funding plans for new and existing programs.
• Coordinate with stakeholders, including government agencies, advocacy groups, and community organizations, to develop implementation partnerships and ensure alignment on funding proposals.

Program and Grant Oversight:

• Support monitoring and evaluation of programs and initiatives to assess their effectiveness.
• Support the management of grant-funded projects by ensuring compliance with reporting and regulatory requirements.
• Coordinate program planning for current funding sources, using research to inform the design of upcoming Request for Proposals.
• Perform research to improve the quality of oversight and technical assistance provided to grantees.
• Work with various departments to ensure compliance with all funding source reporting requirements.
• Collaborate with city, state, and local community partners to identify policy and program directions aligned with Cabinet objectives.

Stakeholder Engagement and Advocacy:

• Establish and cultivate effective working relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including government agencies, advocacy groups, community organizations, and key influencers, to support workforce development initiatives and identify and address implementation challenges and ecosystem gaps and needs.
• Serve as designee on various advisory and planning councils, such as the Boston Private Industry Council, Boston Public Schools, state workforce development agencies, and the US Department of Labor. Build and maintain relationships with policymakers, thought leaders, and other key influencers.

Program Improvement

• Monitor and analyze the education, labor and workforce policy landscape to identify trends, challenges, and opportunities to improve the well-being of Boston workers and the overall health of the city’s labor market.
• Assess the performance of Cabinet programs, identify opportunities to enhance implementation and address gaps based on field needs, and ensure alignment with stakeholder input and policy priorities.
• Contribute to organization and administration of shared resources useful to Cabinet staff. Disseminate new publications and write periodic memos on new resources.
• Perform other related duties as required.

• Completion of a Bachelor’s Degree, as well as a Master’s Degree in a relevant field, or equivalent work experience in a public planning organization or community-based organization in lieu of a Master’s Degree.
• Three or more years of professional experience in a public policy or workforce development organization.
• Proficiency in program implementation and oversight
• Proficiency in proposal writing
• Excellent communication, interpersonal and organizational skills
• Proficiency in office software.

BOSTON RESIDENCY REQUIRED

Terms:

Union/Salary Plan/Grade: Non-Union/MM2-9

Hours per week: 35