Director, Construction and Trade Training

Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont; Charlotte (NC); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont seeks a strategic leader to oversee Construction and Trade Training programs across multiple locations, including the Trade Training Center and Goodwill Opportunity Campus. You will drive planning, development and continuous improvement of industry-aligned training that leads to employment pathways for participants.

You will manage staff and budgets, cultivate partnerships with employers and educational institutions, ensure regulatory compliance, and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in construction management or related field with minimum seven years in construction, skilled trades workforce development, or technical training, including at least five years in leadership.
• Experience leading program management, staff supervision, budget oversight, and external partnership development.
• Industry expertise in construction trades, workforce development, and credentialing programs.
• Strong planning, communication, and customer service skills are required.

Responsibilities

• Provides strategic and operational leadership for the Construction and Trade Training Program across multiple sites.
• Cultivates vendor and partner relationships to deliver high‑quality training and expand employment opportunities.
• Guides curriculum alignment with industry standards and ensures graduate placement meets benchmarks.
• Acts as an extension of the Executive Leadership Team, promoting a people‑first culture and cross‑functional collaboration.
• Champions the annual work plan for Construction and Trade Training and aligns with strategic priorities.
• Represents the program at industry meetings and maintains program documentation and reporting.
• Supervises staff, oversees budget and external partnerships.

Skills

Leadership

Budget oversight

Partnership development

Staff supervision

Strategic planning

Communication

Coaching & mentoring

Project management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Workforce Development, Adult Education, Business Administration, or related field

Job description

Summary

Provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for GISP’s Construction and Trade Training programs across multiple service delivery locations, including the Trade Training Center, Goodwill Opportunity Campus, and Regional Job Connections. Leads the planning, development, implementation, and continuous improvement of training initiatives that equip participants with industry-relevant skills and pathways to employment. Ensures program effectiveness, regulatory compliance, and alignment with Goodwill’s Mission, Vision, Values, and workforce development objectives through direct leadership and the management of assigned staff and resources.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Provides strategic and operational leadership, oversight, direction, coordination and management of the Construction and Trade Training Program.
• Cultivates and manages relationships with vendors and key partners, including employers, trade associations, educational institutions, community organizations, and volunteers, to deliver high quality construction and skilled trades training programs and expand employment and career advancement opportunities for participants.
• Guides the development and integration of Construction and Trade Training programs to ensure industry aligned curriculum, exceptional content delivery, and graduate placement performance that consistently exceeds sector benchmarks.
• As a Corporate Leader, serves as an extension of the Executive Leadership Team by championing Goodwill’s Shared Purpose and principles and modeling actionable leadership that drives the consistent execution of a people‑first mindset, workplace cultural alignment, and cross‑functional collaboration in all business operations.
• Champions the development and successful execution of the Construction and Trade Training program’s annual work plan, ensuring alignment with and advancement of Goodwill’s strategic priorities.
• Represents Goodwill Construction and Trade Adult training at local, regional and national industry partnership meetings.
• Supervises staff.
• Directs the alignment of Construction and Trade Training with industry standards, best practices, and government regulations.
• Maintains timely documentation of activities and services in accordance with requirements, and compiles and disseminates reports as requested.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Directly supervises Manager, Trade School and dotted‑line oversight to all vendor Trade Instructors and all Trade School staff.
• Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies and procedures.
• Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring, and training team members; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding; addressing complaints and resolving problems; and budget development and management.

Requirements

Education and/or Experience

Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Workforce Development, Adult Education, Business Administration, or related field. Minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in construction, skilled trades workforce development, adult education, apprenticeship programs, or technical training, including at least five (5) years in a leadership role with responsibility for program management, staff supervision, budget oversight, and external partnership development. An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.

Industry Expertise

Demonstrated expertise in construction trades, skilled trades, workforce development, apprenticeship programs, technical education, or industry‑recognized credentialing programs. Thorough understanding of labor market trends, employer workforce needs, and career pathway development within the construction and skilled trades sectors.

Customer Service Skills And Interpersonal Abilities

Demonstrated ability for successful interpersonal, oral/written presentation, conflict resolution, and communication skills. Establishes and maintains effective relationships with others.

Planning and Priority Setting Ability

Accurately scopes out length and difficulty of tasks and projects for self and others. Ability to set goals and objectives, develop schedules, tasks, and assignments, measure performance against goals, and evaluate results for self and others. Ability to provide appropriate feedback to others when goals and timelines are not being met. Ability to leverage resources and eliminate roadblocks to establish a critical path to accomplishing objectives, creates focus and directs self and others to what is most important.

Coaching And Mentoring Skills

Demonstrated ability to provide efficient participant feedback, recognize and acknowledge successes, and inspire participants to make documented improvement.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations

Valid Driver's License (Class C), car insurance and reliable automobile and safe driving record (as determined by the Agency's insurance carrier) required. General Contractor license preferred.

Physical Demands

While performing the duties of this job, the team member is regularly (more than 2/3 of the day) required to sit and use hands to finger, handle, or feel. The team member frequently (1/3 to 2/3 of the day) is required to talk or hear. Regular local travel required in the community to provide employer and business services, marketing, and recruitment activities. The team member will occasionally be required to wear safety equipment (i.e. hard hats, safety glasses, tool belt, construction boots, etc.), lift and carry materials weighing up to 50 lbs.