Talent Development Specialist - Muskegon County

West Michigan Works!; Muskegon (MI); On-site; USD 39,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

West Michigan Works! seeks a Talent Development Specialist in Muskegon County to attract, retain and develop talent for local employers. This full-time role focuses on building business-friendly services and placing job candidates to meet hiring needs.

Responsibilities include outreach to diverse applicants, helping job seekers craft search plans, resume and interview coaching, and coordination with Michigan Works! resources.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• 2–4 years of professional experience in business, workforce development or related field preferred.
• Computer literate with Microsoft Office and various other data management systems.
• Excellent analytical skills - strong problem solving skills, communicates clearly and succinctly and evaluates information to make decisions.
• Interpersonal skills for effective oral and written communication; public speaking experience.
• Strong communication and organizational skills; ability to work as a team.
• Planning and time management skills with ability to adapt to changing priorities.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with diverse stakeholders.
• Customer-focused mindset; willingness to improve processes.

Responsibilities

• Participate in outreach activities to ensure a diverse applicant pool.
• Assist participants in developing detailed job search plans aligned to history and goals.
• Answer calls from potential job seekers from advertisements and outreach efforts.
• Assist with job search activities including resume, cover letters, interviewing, and placement.
• Refer job seekers to Michigan Works! resources and programs.
• Develop and maintain relationships with community referral sources.
• May perform job retention and follow-up services.
• Coordinate with Talent Solutions to support training programs, internships, or work experiences.
• Attend meetings and help improve policies and procedures.
• Assist in yearly job seeker recruitment and outreach planning.
• Participate in continuous quality improvement processes.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Analytical skills

Interpersonal skills

Public speaking

Communication

Teamwork

Planning & time management

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Microsoft Office

Data management systems

Job description

TALENT DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST

Muskegon County

Applications with resumes and cover letters will be accepted through Tuesday, October 27, 2026, for the position of Talent Development Specialist. This full-time (40 hours per week) position is in compensation Pay Range B that pays from $39,470 to $55,256 annually, plus fringe benefits, including healthcare benefits, retirement plans with employer match, financial wellness program, tuition reimbursement, paid holidays, and accrued time off.Starting wage is commensurate with qualifications and experience.

ACSET OVERVIEW: ACSET is the administrative and fiscal agent for the Michigan Works! Agency of Allegan, Barry, Ionia, Kent, Montcalm, Muskegon, and Ottawa counties. West Michigan Works! mission is to lead workforce development strategy and resource alignment in West Michigan by understanding the talent needs of employers and employment needs of job seekers and connecting them to solutions.

JOB SUMMARY:

The Talent Development Specialist attracts, retains and develops talent to support employer relationships, economic gardening, retention, and expansion. The Talent Development Specialist is charged with the responsibility to ensure that services are business customer focused and outcome based with the ultimate placement of job candidates to meet businesses hiring needs being of the highest priority. The Talent Development Specialist ensures that a quality connection is made between businesses looking for qualified workers and individuals seeking gainful employment. Responsibilities are carried out according to established procedures with latitude for initiative and independent judgment.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Participate in outreach activities throughout the community to ensure a wide and diverse applicant pool that meets the needs of local businesses.
• Assist participants in developing detailed job search plans that are suited to their work history and career goals.
• Answer calls from potential job seekers that have been solicited through advertisements and outside sales etc.
• Assist job seekers with job search activities, including but not limited to career exploration, service provision of labor market data, career and academic assessments, development of resume, cover letters, interviewing, job placement and retention.
• Refer job seekers to appropriate Michigan Works! and community based resources & programs based on needs.
• Develop and maintain relationships with community referral sources such as schools, human services agencies, and community groups to meet the needs of Michigan Works! customers.
• May perform job retention and follow up services to ensure customer satisfaction.
• In cooperation with Talent Solutions staff, arrange and/or facilitate job search support or networking groups.
• Works with Business Solutions Team to facilitate training programs, internships, apprenticeships, or work experiences.
• Attends career and file management meetings, reviews new policies and procedures and brainstorms with peers to help specific clients overcome their barriers to employment.
• Assist in development of yearly job seeker recruitment and outreach plan.
• Actively participate in continuous quality improvement processes.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

JOB QUALIFICATIONS:

• This job requires knowledge normally acquired through a Bachelor’s degree.
• Two to four years of professional experience in business, workforce development or related field preferred.
• Computer literate with Microsoft Office and various other data management systems.
• Excellent analytical skills - strong problem solving skills, communicates in a clear and succinct manner and effectively evaluates information and data to make decisions, anticipates obstacles and develops plans to resolve.
• Interpersonal skills necessary to effectively communicate in both oral and written form with prior experience in public speaking.
• Communication and organizational skills that contribute to a quality work environment and the ability to work as a team.
• Planning and time management skills with the ability to adapt to changing priorities.
• Considerable ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with supervisors, fellow employees, state and local agencies, and the general public.
• Ability to organize, prioritize, and maintain confidentiality while providing patient, friendly, and participant centered services.
• Proven customer focus - ability to evaluate decisions through the eyes of the customer builds strong customer relationships and creates processes from customers viewpoint.
• Change oriented - actively generates process improvements supports and drives change and confronts difficult circumstances in creative ways.
• Understanding and interest in current and emerging technologies and trends demonstrated through training job experience and or industry activities.
• Strong interpersonal skills including rapport building, listening, social versatility, courtesy and concern.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

• Normal office environment with little discomfort due to noise, dirt, dust and the like.
• Local and statewide travel occasionally required.

This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by a person assigned to this job. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all job duties that may be performed by a person so classified.