Manager of Employment Strategy

Housing Forward; Dallas (TX); On-site; USD 63,000 - 87,000; Full time

Job summary

Housing Forward seeks a Manager of Employment Strategy to lead the development and implementation of a coordinated employment model across Dallas and Collin Counties. This role connects shelter exit with workforce services, builds partnerships with employers, and guides employment specialists to help participants access and retain work.

The ideal candidate will translate system priorities into practical workflows, address barriers, and use data to improve services while aligning with housing

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience developing or managing employment, workforce development, or related initiatives.
• Experience providing training, technical assistance, or collaborative improvement to staff or providers.
• Experience serving people experiencing homelessness or other barriers to employment preferred.

Responsibilities

• Develop the system employment model with the Director and partners, defining service pathways and provider roles.
• Translate the model into workplans, tools, and implementation milestones.
• Establish structured referral processes connecting shelter, housing providers, and workforce services.
• Support employment specialists in matching participants to direct job placement, training, or enhanced support.
• Build relationships with local workforce organizations, employers, and training providers to expand pathways.
• Address barriers such as transportation, childcare, and documentation to support job retention.

Skills

Workforce development

Employer engagement

Data analysis

Project management

Facilitative leadership

Performance improvement

Communication

Job description

Manager of Employment Strategy

Pay Type: Salary

FLSA: Exempt

REPORTS TO: Director of Exit Special Populations

COMPENSATION

• Min $63,000
• Max $87,000

ORGANIZATION SUMMARY

Housing Forward is the backbone organization leading one of the nation's most innovative and successful homeless response systems. Through the All Neighbors Coalition, Housing Forward aligns more than 150 public, private, and nonprofit partners to build a coordinated, data-driven system that resolves homelessness across Dallas and Collin Counties. Since 2021, the community has achieved five consecutive years of reductions in homelessness while Housing Forward has grown into a high-performing lead agency with more than 45 employees driving system strategy, performance management, and cross-sector collaboration.

Housing Forward is entering its next chapter by implementing bold strategies to ensure no one is forced to sleep outside. The organization seeks strategic leaders who thrive in complex environments, build alignment across diverse stakeholders, and embrace a culture of continuous learning, collaboration, and innovation to drive system improvement.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Manager of Employment Strategy leads the development and implementation of a coordinated employment model that connects shelter exit and housing stabilization efforts with workforce services, employers, and training opportunities across Dallas and Collin Counties. This position builds referral pathways, develops partnerships across local employment sectors, and supports employment specialists within the All Neighbors Coalition in helping participants access and retain employment. The Manager establishes shared practices, clear partner responsibilities, and measurable outcomes to strengthen the connection between employment, income growth, and housing stability.

This role requires a strategic, highly organized problem solver who can turn system priorities into practical workflows, build productive employer relationships, and guide implementation across organizations. The ideal candidate understands both employer hiring needs and the barriers faced by people experiencing homelessness, uses data and participant feedback to improve services while balancing immediate job placement needs.

The Manager of Employment Strategy reports to the Director of Special Populations and provides coordination, technical assistance, and practice guidance to employment specialists and participating providers across the CoC.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Employment Strategy and Program Model

• Assess existing employment services, participant needs, partner capacity, and local hiring demand to identify gaps and build on available resources.
• Develop the system employment model with the Director and partners, defining service pathways, provider roles, referral standards, and expected outcomes.
• Translate the model into workplans, tools, and implementation milestones.

Referral Pathways and Service Integration

• Establish a structured referral process connecting shelter and housing providers with workforce services, employers, training programs, and employment resources.
• Support employment specialists in matching participants to direct job placement, training, or more intensive employment support based on individual goals, skills, interests, and service needs.
• Align employment engagement with shelter exit and housing plans, ensuring service continuity when participants move into housing.

Employer and Workforce Partnerships

• Build relationships with local workforce organizations, employers, industry groups, training providers, and staffing agencies to expand access to employment and career pathways.
• Engage employers through targeted outreach, job fairs, hiring events, and staffing agency collaboration; connect activities to actual openings and track hiring results.
• Assess opportunities for wages, reliable hours, accessibility, transportation, advancement, and fit with participant goals; establish clear hiring and ongoing support contacts.

Employment Barrier and Job Retention

• Work with providers to address documentation, transportation, childcare, work equipment, and other barriers that prevent participants from starting or keeping a job.
• Establish expectations for support after job placement, including early problem-solving, retention follow-up, and reemployment assistance after job loss; elevate unmet resource needs.

System-level Employment Support and Provider Development

• Convene employment specialists and participating providers regularly to review referral progress, resolve shared barriers, exchange employer information, and track commitments.
• Provide technical assistance, training, and practical tools for employment planning, employer engagement, referrals, documentation, and job retention.
• Work with provider leadership to implement shared practices and address service gaps.
• Guide implementation of program changes by communicating expectations, gathering feedback, and reviewing whether new practices improve participant access and outcomes.

Performance Management and Leadership Reporting

• Monitor referral completion, time to service connection and employment, wages, hours, retention, and training completion; review housing stability alongside employment outcomes.
• Use participant and employer feedback with performance data to identify service gaps and differences in access and results.
• Report progress, partnership capacity, emerging risks, and resource needs to leadership with recommended actions.

SKILLS AND CAPABILITIES

• Relevant Knowledge: Knowledge of workforce development, employment services, training pathways, job placement and retention practices, and resources to address barriers faced by people experiencing homelessness.
• Service Design and Process Improvement: Ability to design and implement service models and referral processes across multiple organizations, align workflows, and improve coordination and access to employment opportunities.
• Employer Engagement and Partnership Development: Ability to build employer relationships, understand hiring requirements, and connect recruitment needs with participants’ goals and skills.
• Labor Market Analysis: Ability to interpret local labor market information and assess job quality, accessibility, and opportunities for advancement.
• Facilitative Leadership: Strong facilitation, training, and technical assistance skills, including the ability to guide shared problem-solving, influence practice, and maintain accountability without direct supervisory authority.
• Project Management and Execution: Ability to develop workplans, coordinate partners, manage competing priorities, monitor implementation, and drive efforts to meet milestones, timelines, and intended outcomes.
• Data and Performance Improvement: Ability to combine performance data with participant and employer feedback to identify gaps, guide improvements, and evaluate their effectiveness.
• Judgment and Problem-Solving: Ability to assess operational challenges, develop practical solutions, make sound decisions, and recognize when leadership intervention is needed.
• Communication and Managing Up: Ability to clearly communicate progress, proactively elevate risks and decisions needed from leadership, and present actionable recommendations.

REQUIREMENTS

• 5 years or more of experience developing or managing employment, workforce development, or related human services initiatives, including partnerships and program implementation.
• Experience supporting staff or providers through training, technical assistance, or collaborative improvement efforts.
• Experience serving people experiencing homelessness or other populations facing significant employment barriers preferred.
• Must have reliable transportation, valid state issued driver’s license and car insurance. Please note that travel is required on a limited basis.
• Must be flexible to work at different sites as scheduled.
• Limited requirements, must be able to maintain files and lift objects that weigh up to 25 lbs.

WORK SCHEDULE

• Housing Forward considers normal hours of operation Monday – Friday from 8:00am-5:00pm. Some nights and weekend meetings might be required to meet the needs of partner agencies or to represent Housing Forward at community meetings.
• Current Housing Forward guidelines state that employees must work at least 3 days per week in the office, but this is subject to change. Housing Locators however are required to work in the field with landlords and property managers to the extent needed to meet unit goals.

COMPENSATION

• Housing Forward has a flexible PTO policy for all full-time employees. The office is officially closed on New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, & Christmas Day. Housing Forward has MLK Jr., Juneteenth, and Election Day as Days of Service.
• This position is eligible for employer-provided benefits:
• Housing Forward pays 90% of employee Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance and 50% of Family Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance.
• Housing Forward provides Basic Life Insurance as well as Short- and Long-Term Disability Insurance.
• Housing Forward will provide a laptop. We will additionally provide the applicant with a phone and/or hot spot if needed.

For additional questions about the position, please contact Luis Acuna-Pilgrim, Director of Housing Initiatives, [e-mail].