Manager - Strategic Initiatives & Apprenticeships

City Colleges of Chicago; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 81,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health and welfare benefits

Pension plan

Tuition reimbursement

Generous vacation and holidays

Job summary

City Colleges of Chicago is seeking a Manager for Strategic Initiatives & Apprenticeships to lead the Chicago Moonshot initiative, a 5-year grant-funded program expanding work-based learning and apprenticeships in IT, manufacturing and related fields. You will oversee planning, budgeting, and stakeholder collaboration to drive program success and equity.

The role requires a Bachelor’s degree and 4+ years in program or workforce development management, with supervisory experience.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Public Policy, Education, Workforce Development, Business Administration, or related field.
• Minimum 4 years of progressively responsible program management experience, including supervisory responsibility.
• Experience in higher education, workforce development, or related field preferred.
• Equivalent education/experience considered with minimum degree.

Responsibilities

• Lead planning, implementation, and ongoing management of the Chicago Moonshot initiative.
• Coordinate stakeholders and resources to ensure objectives are met.
• Supervise apprentices and manage onboarding, performance, and development.
• Oversee apprenticeship lifecycle, support retention and completion.
• Identify risks, propose solutions, and mitigate challenges.
• Develop sustainable models for work-based learning programs.
• Prepare analyses, presentations, reports, and briefs on progress.

Skills

Project management

Stakeholder engagement

Budget management

Grant management

Data analysis

Team supervision

Presentation skills

Excel

PowerPoint

Communication skills

Analytical thinking

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree

Tools

MS Office

Job description

Since 1911, City Colleges of Chicago has been connecting studentsfrom across Chicago’s neighborhoods to economic opportunity. Byoffering a quality education at an unprecedented value, CityColleges provides our students and alumni with a pathway to upwardmobility. City Colleges of Chicago is the city’s most accessiblehigher education engine of socioeconomic mobility and racialequity—empowering its students to take part in building a strongerand more just city. As Illinois’ largest community college system,City Colleges is comprised of seven colleges and five satellitesites across Chicago.

Reporting to the Associate Vice Chancellor of Apprenticeship andWorkforce Solutions, the Manager-Strategic Initiatives &Apprenticeships is responsible for leading the implementation,administration, and ongoing success of the Chicago Moonshot initiative, a large-scale work-based learning and apprenticeship expansion effort.

This position works with key staff and external partners as part ofan ongoing effort to create access to quality post-secondaryeducation, career and work-readiness training and paid work-basedlearning opportunities in IT, Manufacturing and related industriesand will serve as the primary project manager responsible for theimplementation, management, and operational oversight of the Chicago Moonshot initiative.

This is a 5-year grant funded position, currently funded through June 30, 2031.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

• Leads the planning, implementation, and ongoing management of theChicago Moonshot initiative, coordinating stakeholders andresources to ensure successful execution and achievement of programobjectives.
• Organizes and monitors the activities of District OfficeWorkforce Solutions and Center’s of Excellence for Tech andManufacturing teams to ensure alignment with initiative goals,milestones, and timelines. Evaluates progress on an ongoing basisand provides Workforce Solutions leadership with project revisionsas necessary to achieve established targets.
• Supervises apprentices employed through the initiative, includingrecruitment, hiring, onboarding, performance management, employeedevelopment, discipline, and other supervisory responsibilities asappropriate.
• Oversees apprentice participation throughout the apprenticeshiplifecycle by providing coaching, monitoring progress towardtraining and employment milestones, coordinating with employerpartners, addressing barriers to success, and supporting programretention and completion.
• Proactively identifies issues that may impact the successfulexecution of the initiative, keeps leadership informed of emergingconcerns, and develops recommendations to resolve problems andmitigate risk, while identifying creative means of addressingcrucial challenges.
• Supports the development of a sustainable model for CCC’swork-based learning programs, working closely with District OfficeWorkforce Solutions and Centers of Excellence for Tech andManufacturing teams.
• Conducts analyses, prepares presentations, produces reports,memos, and briefs regarding initiative progress, outcomes, andperformance.
• Provides reliable, detail-oriented project management expertiseto ensure that initiative objectives are achieved and appropriatestakeholders are engaged throughout the process.
• Develops and maintains comprehensive project plans, includingnecessary inputs, critical stakeholders, milestones, deliverables,timelines, and evaluation plans.
• Manages initiative grant budgets, tracks expenditures, monitorsfiscal performance, prepares financial reports, and ensurescompliance with funding requirements, organizational policies, andcontractual obligations.
• Tracks progress against project and program milestones andcollaborates with team members and stakeholders to resolvechallenges and overcome barriers.
• Effectively communicates project expectations and updates to teammembers, leadership, and stakeholders in a timely and effectivemanner.
• Supports and advises leadership in the development and executionof new strategic initiatives and projects within the scope of thisexpansion.
• Performs related duties as required.

REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS

Reports To Associate Vice Chancellor-Apprenticeship &Workforce Solutions

Direct Supervision Apprentices employed through ChicagoMoonshot initiative (25-50+ annually)

QUALIFICATIONS

• A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university inPublic Policy, Education, Workforce Development, BusinessAdministration, or a related field required. Master's degreepreferred.
• Minimum of four (4) years of progressively responsible program,project, workforce development, apprenticeship, or relatedmanagement experience, including supervisory responsibilityrequired
• Experience in higher education, workforce development, careerdevelopment, or a related field preferred
• An equivalent combination of education and experience may beconsidered at the discretion of management, provided the minimumdegree requirement is met.
• Demonstrated understanding of work-based learning modelspreferred.
• Demonstrated supervisory experience, including employee coaching,performance management, and staff development, preferred.
• Demonstrated experience implementing and managing complex,grant-funded initiatives, including budget oversight, compliancemonitoring, reporting, and stakeholder engagement.
• Experience leading projects or programs from concept throughimplementation and evaluation.
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, andstudent success.
• Strong analytical, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills,with the ability to develop innovative solutions to complexchallenges.
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communicationskills, with the ability to build effective relationships acrossdiverse stakeholder groups.
• Strong organizational and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and adapt tochanging needs.
• Strong proficiency in data analysis and reporting using MS Exceland other analytical tools.
• Strong presentation development and communication skills,including using tools such as Microsoft PowerPoint
• Ability to work effectively in a collaborative, team-basedsetting and within a culturally diverse environment
• Proficiency in the use of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel,PowerPoint, and Outlook)

Salary Range: $80,717 - $85,000

Offered salary will be determined by the applicant's education,knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as other factors such as internal equity.

Benefits information is found at https://www.ccc.edu/departments/Benefits/

WE OFFER: Excellent health and welfare benefit package andlong-term savings and investment programs including 403(b) &457(b) Investment Plans and a pension plan with the StateUniversity Retirement System (SURS) Plan. Generous vacation,holiday, personal and sick days, and tuition reimbursement. For amore detailed overview of benefits, please visit the benefits pageof our website.

We are an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer.

Chicago residency is required for all full-time employees within6 months of hire.

Thank you for your interest inCCC!

Additional Information

• Salary Range: $80,717 - $85,000