Workforce Navigation & Retention Manager

OIC of South Florida; Oakland Park (FL); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

OIC of South Florida seeks an experienced Manager, Workforce Navigation & Retention to lead participant navigation, support services, and retention initiatives across Workforce Development, Youth and Family Services, and OIC Strategic Integration. This role oversees Workforce Navigators and staff, ensuring quality case management and positive outcomes across multiple locations with local travel.

The ideal candidate has an MSW, 3+ years in social services, and 2+ years in staff supervision.

Qualifications

• Master of Social Work (MSW) from an accredited institution is required.
• At least three years of progressively responsible experience in social services, workforce development, youth development, reentry, behavioral health, education, or a closely related field.
• At least two years of experience supervising, coaching, or leading professional staff.
• Strong knowledge of strengths-based, trauma-informed, culturally responsive, motivational, and participant-centered practices.
• Understanding of career pathways, employability, supportive services, job placement, retention, and economic mobility.

Responsibilities

• Hold primary responsibility for managing workforce navigation and participant retention operations across multiple programs, including staff direction and performance standards.
• Direct and supervise Workforce Navigators and participant-support staff; manage hiring, promotions, coaching, and disciplinary actions.
• Promote consistent standards for participant engagement, assessment, goal planning, referrals, follow-up, retention, and successful transitions.
• Prioritize staff assignments, monitor service responsiveness, balance caseloads across programs and locations, while maintaining a limited participant caseload as needed.
• Coordinate with program leaders, instructors, employer-engagement staff, data/compliance teams, and community partners to improve outcomes.
• Guide staff in addressing complex participant barriers (justice involvement, housing, etc.) with professionalism and confidentiality.
• Use data and quality reviews to identify trends, improve service delivery, and report risks to leadership.
• Strengthen community referral relationships for transportation, housing, childcare, behavioral health, and other needs.
• Ensure timely, accurate, and compliant documentation and reporting per requirements.
• Model leadership qualities: integrity, accountability, collaboration, and a solution-focused approach.

Skills

Leadership

Staff coaching

Communication

Data analysis

MS365

Program management

Education

MSW

Job description

Position Summary

OIC of South Florida is seeking an experienced and results-driven Manager, Workforce Navigation & Retention to lead participant navigation, support services, and retention initiatives across Workforce Development, Youth and Family Services, and OIC Strategic Integration (OICSI). This position oversees Workforce Navigators and participant-support staff, ensuring consistent service delivery, effective case management, and positive participant outcomes. The ideal candidate combines strong leadership, social services expertise, and a passion for helping individuals overcome barriers, achieve employment goals, and build long-term economic stability. This is a multi-site position and local travel is required.

Essential Responsibilities

• Hold primary responsibility for managing workforce navigation and participant retention operations across Workforce Development, Youth and Family Services, and OICSI, including staff direction, service quality, performance standards, and operational priorities.
• Direct and supervise assigned Workforce Navigators and participantsupport staff; assign and review work, establish performance expectations, conduct evaluations, provide coaching, and make documented recommendations concerning hiring, promotion, corrective action, and termination, consistent with delegated authority.
• Promote consistent standards for participant engagement, assessment, goal planning, referrals, followup, retention, and successful transition.
• Exercise judgment in prioritizing staff assignments, monitoring service responsiveness, allocating caseloads, and addressing workload balance across programs and locations. Maintain a limited participant caseload as operationally necessary, with staff management and program oversight remaining the primary responsibilities of the role.
• Coordinate with program leaders, instructors, employerengagement staff, data and compliance teams, and community partners to strengthen participant outcomes.
• Guide staff in addressing complex participant barriers (justiceinvolvement, unemployed, underemployed, housing, etc.) while maintaining appropriate professional boundaries, confidentiality, and participant dignity.
• Use data, participant feedback, and quality reviews to identify trends, improve service delivery, and communicate risks and recommendations to leadership.
• Strengthen community referral relationships for transportation, housing, childcare, behavioral health, legal services, financial capability, emergency assistance, and other participant needs.
• Ensure timely, accurate, and ethical documentation and compliance with organizational, funder, privacy, and mandatoryreporting requirements.
• Model OIC leadership expectations, including integrity, accountability, collaboration, sound judgment, cultural responsiveness, and a solutionsoriented approach.

Qualifications

• Master of Social Work (MSW) from an accredited institution is required. Relevant licensure is preferred but not required unless assigned duties require it.
• At least three years of progressively responsible experience in social services, workforce development, youth development, reentry, behavioral health, education, or a closely related field.
• At least two years of experience supervising, coaching, or leading professional staff.
• Demonstrated ability to strengthen service quality, staff performance, participant engagement, retention, and measurable outcomes.
• Knowledge of strengthsbased, traumainformed, culturally responsive, motivational, and participantcentered practices.
• Understanding of career pathways, employability, supportive services, job placement, retention, and economic mobility.
• Strong written, verbal, facilitation, conflictresolution, and executivecommunication skills.
• Ability to work across multiple programs and locations, manage competing priorities, and respond appropriately to complex or highrisk situations.
• Proficiency with participantdata systems, Microsoft 365, virtual collaboration tools, and datainformed performance management.

Essential Leadership Qualities

• An unwavering belief in the dignity, strengths, agency, and potential of every student and participant.
• The ability to balance empathy and support with accountability, expectations, and forward movement.
• Mature judgment, emotional intelligence, discretion, and ethical decisionmaking.
• Credibility with frontline staff, organizational leaders, funders, employers, families, and community partners.
• A commitment to staff development, reflective supervision, healthy professional boundaries, and continuous improvement.
• Consistent followthrough, problemsolving, collaboration, and focus on measurable results.
• Alignment with OIC of South Florida’s mission, values, and commitment to economic opportunity.