Director of Workforce & Career Pathways
Department: Career Services
Classification: Full-Time | Exempt
Reports To: Vice President of Innovations
Position Purpose
The Director of Workforce & Career Pathways provides leadership, strategic direction, and oversight for OIC’s workforce development and instructional programming initiatives within Career Services, including WIOA, Re-Entry, and Integrated Training Academy (ITA) programs.
This position is responsible for developing, implementing, evaluating, and continuously improving training pathways, enrollment systems, student support services, and instructional operations aligned with workforce demands, employer needs, grant requirements, and organizational strategic goals.
The Director leads a department of approximately 30 staff, including managers, instructors, advisors, case managers, recruiters, and support personnel, and is accountable for building the systems, standards, and organizational capacity to operate OIC Career Services as a high-performing, accreditation-ready training institution.
This role also leads OIC’s efforts toward achieving and maintaining programmatic and institutional accreditation while ensuring programming that supports credential attainment, student retention, job placement, and long-term economic mobility.
The Director reports to the Vice President of Innovations and partners closely with OIC’s Healthcare and Value-Added Business Services (VABS) divisions to ensure integrated, whole-person service delivery.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Leadership and Strategic Direction
- Lead and manage a department of approximately 30 staff across instruction, advising, case management, enrollment, re-entry, employment services, and operations.
- Supervise managers and hold leadership staff accountable to clear performance expectations and measurable outcomes.
- Drive strategic planning aligned with OIC’s mission, labor market trends, and organizational priorities.
- Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement.
Capacity Building and Institutional Development
- Lead the transformation of OIC Career Services into a structured, accreditation-ready training institution.
- Establish operational standards, instructional frameworks, program policies, and systems that support sustainable and scalable growth.
- Build organizational and team capacity to ensure consistent, high-quality program delivery across all workforce initiatives.
Instructional Programming and Curriculum
- Oversee curriculum development, instructional delivery, credential alignment, and training schedules across all workforce pathways, including ITA programs.
- Lead development of new training programs based on labor market data and employer demand.
- Monitor instructional quality and implement strategies to improve completion, credential attainment, and employment outcomes.
Enrollment, Recruitment, and Student Support
- Oversee participant recruitment, enrollment, assessment, and onboarding processes.
- Ensure effective student retention strategies and wraparound support services are implemented across programs.
- Hold Student Success, Enrollment, and Case Management teams accountable to participant engagement and retention metrics.
Re-Entry Programming
- Provide strategic oversight for OIC’s Re-Entry Division.
- Ensure re-entry services are integrated within the broader Career Services model and aligned with compliance, employer partnership, and placement goals.
Data, Outcomes, and WIOA Performance
- Lead departmental data strategy, performance monitoring, and outcomes reporting.
- Ensure WIOA performance indicators and grant deliverables are consistently achieved.
- Utilize program data and collaboration with the Sr. Data Analyst to drive continuous improvement and inform organizational decision-making.
Compliance, Accreditation, and Quality Assurance
- Lead efforts toward achieving and maintaining programmatic and institutional accreditation.
- Develop and maintain policies, documentation systems, and operational standards required for accreditation readiness.
- Ensure compliance with all grants, funding, and regulatory requirements.
- Prepare for audits, monitoring visits, and program evaluations.
Employer Partnerships and Workforce Alignment
- Build and maintain relationships with employers, workforce boards, NCWorks, NC Commerce, and community organizations.
- Develop pipelines for internships, apprenticeships, work-based learning, and direct placement opportunities.
- Representing OIC at workforce development convenings, industry meetings, and community events.
Fiscal and Administrative Management
- Partner with executive leadership on budgeting, grant implementation, and resource allocation.
- Monitor departmental expenditures and program performance.
- Support grant writing, compliance reporting, and funder communications.
Additional Responsibilities
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred in Workforce Development, Education, Public Administration, Business Administration, or a related field.
- Minimum of 7–10 years of progressively responsible leadership experience in workforce development, instructional programming, training administration, or related field.
- Experience managing managers and leading departments of 15 or more staff required.
- Demonstrated success building or scaling workforce training programs, curriculum standards, and operational systems.
- Experience with WIOA performance management, workforce grants, accreditation processes, and compliance reporting strongly preferred.
- Familiarity with re-entry populations, adult learning principles, and credentialing pathways.
- Proven ability to build employer partnerships and align programming with labor market demand.
- Strong leadership, communication, organizational development, and data literacy skills.
- Genuine commitment to serving economically disadvantaged and underserved populations.
Preferred Competencies
- Strategic leadership and organizational development
- Workforce systems and program operations
- Accreditation and compliance management
- Data analysis and performance improvement
- Partnership development and stakeholder engagement
- Budget oversight and grant administration
- Staff coaching, supervision, and team development
Why Join OIC?
At OIC, we believe workforce development changes lives, strengthens families, and transforms communities. The Director of Workforce & Career Pathways plays a key leadership role in expanding access to high-quality training, career advancement opportunities, and economic mobility for individuals across the region.
