As part of a diverse community of faculty and staff who represent many faith systems and worldviews, Marian University seeks an Director for Knight WORKS, the university’s workforce intermediary initiative led through Saint Joseph’s College. This leader will advance Marian University’s Catholic Franciscan mission and identity by serving as the strategic architect and public face of a first-of-its-kind Earn and Learn workforce model integrating education, employer investment, and public partnership.
The Director serves as the primary external leader of Knight WORKS and is responsible for strategic growth planning, senior-level employer engagement, state and philanthropic partnership, and financial sustainability. This individual must be a collaborative and visible leader within the community who can effectively engage the Governor’s Office, corporate partners, philanthropic organizations, and university leadership.
This role balances strategic leadership with operational collaboration and execution support. The Director focuses on vision, revenue growth, partnership expansion, and sustainability, while empowering operational staff to manage employer coordination, curriculum alignment, and student placement execution.
The Director reports to the Vice President and Dean of Saint Joseph’s College and works in close partnership with university leadership and external stakeholders.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities
- Actively engage Marian University’s Catholic Franciscan mission and identity by modeling Franciscan Sponsorship Values through leadership rooted in service, integrity, unity in diversity, and accountability.
- Serve as the chief ambassador and public spokesperson for Knight WORKS, representing the initiative in meetings with the Governor’s Office, corporate leadership, philanthropic organizations, workforce agencies, and civic stakeholders.
- Develop and execute a multi-year strategic growth plan for Knight WORKS, including defined targets for student placement growth, employer participation expansion, sector diversification, and long-term financial sustainability.
- Lead senior-level employer engagement efforts, cultivating anchor partnerships and securing annual employer investment commitments sufficient to sustain and expand the intermediary model.
- Be directly accountable for meeting defined employer revenue targets, including a minimum Year One employer commitment goal of $200,000, with approximately half secured within the first semester to ensure disciplined financial pacing and early validation of employer demand.
- Develop and implement a revenue growth trajectory for Year Two and beyond, increasing employer participation and financial investment in alignment with student placement expansion.
- Design and steward the tiered employer investment model, ensuring strong employer renewal rates and increasing financial participation over time.
- Establish and convene an Employer Advisory Council to provide strategic industry validation and long-term employer alignment.
- Provide high-level fiscal oversight in collaboration with university finance leadership, ensuring responsible stewardship of public investment and employer contributions.
- Operate effectively within a politically visible environment, navigating public-private partnership dynamics while protecting Marian University’s institutional integrity and mission.
- Oversee overall program growth and sustainability, using performance reports provided by the Data and Reporting Lead to guide strategic adjustments and scaling decisions.
- Recruit, supervise, and evaluate Knight WORKS leadership staff, maintaining a clear distinction between strategic leadership responsibilities and operational execution.
- Empower and hold accountable the Employer Engagement and Placement Lead for operational delivery, curriculum alignment with industry needs, OTJ course integration, and student placement execution.
- Provide regular strategic updates to university leadership and board stakeholders outlining employer revenue performance, partnership growth, and sustainability trajectory.
Required Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred.
- Minimum of five years of leadership experience in workforce development, apprenticeship systems, economic development, higher education, or public-private partnership environments.
- Demonstrated experience supporting, leading, or coordinating workforce development initiatives, employer partnerships, apprenticeship programs, or similar collaborative efforts.
- Demonstrated success in partnership development, program growth, and stakeholder engagement.
- Established credibility within business, civic, and governmental communities.
- Exceptional professional presence, communication skills, and ability to operate effectively in high-visibility environments.
- Ability to think entrepreneurially while exercising disciplined fiscal oversight.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience working with state workforce agencies or Governor-led workforce initiatives.
- Demonstrated success launching or scaling innovative workforce models.
- Experience operating in higher education environments while leading externally facing initiatives.
Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.
For Consideration All Applications Require:
- Contact information of three professional references. The reference contact information must be entered after the application is submitted in the "My Presence" section of the applicant profile.
- Responses to the supplementary mission & identity questions.
Please Review Marian University’s Mission & Identity Statement before responding to the supplementary questions on your application:
https://www.marian.edu/faith (https://www.marian.edu/faith)
Essential Functions:
Work hours necessary to perform job requirements satisfactorily on a regular basis. Manage absence from work in responsible manner to ensure service to clients, work teams, and coworkers. Comply with Marian University policies and practices and seeking clarification of them when necessary.
Physical Requirements:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use their hands to handle or feel objects, equipment, or controls; and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, reach with their hands and arms, climb or balance, and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.
The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus.
Work Environment:
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Limitations and Disclaimer:
The above job description is meant to describe the general nature and level of work being performed; it is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required for the position.
All job requirements are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. Some requirements may exclude individuals who pose a direct threat or significant risk to the health and safety of themselves or other employees.
This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee occupying this position. Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform other job-related duties requested by their supervisor in compliance with Federal and States Laws.
Requirements are representative of minimum levels of knowledge, skills and/or abilities. To perform this job successfully, the employee must possess the abilities or aptitudes to perform each duty proficiently. Continued employment remains on an “at-will” basis.
Marian University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All individuals, including minorities, women, individuals with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply.
Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights (https://www.eeoc.gov/poster) notice from the Department of Labor.
