Who We Are & What We Do:
Workforce Solutions of North Central Texas is a division of the North Central Texas Council of Governments. Our mission is to advance business-driven solutions that promote economic growth, opportunity and a skilled workforce. Our core values of trust, leadership, inclusion and community permeate everything we do. The programs we oversee are designed to ensure the businesses in our 14-county region remain competitive, that workers have the opportunity to obtain skills that will help them become or remain self-sufficient, and that our communities are economically resilient.
The story of our organization begins in 1993, when Texas created a workforce development system that made significant efforts to improve service delivery through local control and coordination of services from different programs. On May 23, 1996, Governor George W. Bush certified the North Central Texas Workforce Development Area (WDA) and on July 25, 1996, the Chief Elected Officials of the 14-county WDA signed a partnership agreement forming the North Central Texas Workforce Development Board and selected the North Central Texas Council of Governments as its fiscal agent, grant recipient and administrative agent. Our WDA includes Collin, Denton, Ellis, Erath, Hood, Hunt, Johnson, Kaufman, Navarro, Palo Pinto, Parker, Rockwall, Somervell and Wise counties.
How you will make an impact - Description of the Opportunity:
The Workforce Development Senior Strategic Initiatives Specialist plays a pivotal role in translating innovative ideas into executable programs and initiatives that advance Workforce Solutions for North Central Texas’ (WSNCT) strategic vision. This role leads the design, launch, and evaluation of key projects and initiatives that support the region’s evolving workforce needs. The Senior Strategic Initiatives Specialist serves as the lead for pilot programs, mobilizing resources and managing cross-functional teams, partner coordination, and performance tracking and reporting. This role requires a strategic thinker with strong project management skills, excellent written and verbal communication skills, and the ability to build partnerships that drive innovation and impact.
Responsibilities Include:
- Lead the development and implementation of strategic initiatives that will produce new workforce service models, talent pipelines and regional partnerships; define charters, scopes of work, and implementation plans with clear milestones and success metrics.
- Oversee the planning, execution, oversight and evaluation of strategic projects and events.
- Serve as a primary liaison to employers, partners and other stakeholders involved in strategic initiatives, ensuring communication, collaboration and seamless execution.
- Develop and monitor metrics and benchmarks for each initiative, tracking performance indicators, assessing areas for improvement and refining the strategy and execution of innovative initiatives.
- Ensure projects are delivered on time, within budget, and achieve desired outcomes.
- Prepare detailed reports and presentations for leadership and stakeholders.
- Closely partner with senior leadership to ideate, prioritize and develop innovative approaches that will optimize unit project or program effectiveness and advance strategic plan outcomes.
- Identify funding opportunities and develop proposals to secure financial support for strategic and innovative programs, pilots and initiatives.
- Manage relationships with funders and ensure compliance with grant requirements.
Must Have Skillsets:
- Ability to lead the execution of a high performing team
- Strategic planning and implementation
- Collaboration with internal and external stakeholders
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Software
- Extremely organized and detail-oriented, with the ability to manage multiple projects and quickly react to changing business needs while meeting firm deadlines
- Ability to manage time effectively and keep on top of education and workforce trends
- Personal pride in producing output at high quality
- Ability to be a good team player with a collaborative approach
- Ability to work independently and with minimal direction
- Strong communication skills to articulate persuasively and clearly about the organization's mission, value and initiatives
Required Education & Experience:
- A Bachelor’s degree or 9 years equivalent experience in lieu of a degree
- Minimum of 3 years of experience in direct field of business management or related field.
Compensation:
- FLSA: Exempt
- Starting Salary: $72,883.06 - $80,000.00 depending on skills, qualifications and experience.
Officing:
- This position is in-office 4 days per week.
Benefits:
We offer a highly competitive package of many desirable benefits to our full-time employees including:
- Health/Dental/Vision/Life Insurance
- We provide an outstanding package of health, dental, vision and life benefits for employees, with the monthly premium paid by NCTCOG 100%. Coverage available for their families and those monthly premiums are shared with NCTCOG. We provide employees with life insurance coverage that is employer paid with a benefit of 2 times the employee’s annual salary.
- Paid Leave
- Paid vacation, sick leave, and personal days are provided as part of the benefit plan, as well as specified holidays. This position also includes a phone allowance.
- Retirement
- NCTCOG participates in a defined contribution plan as an alternative to Social Security. The defined contribution retirement plan provides retirement benefits for all eligible employees. NCTCOG contributes twelve percent (12%) of permanent full-time employees' gross salaries. Participating employees contribute six percent (6%) of gross salary. An employee becomes forty percent (40%) vested in NCTCOG's contributions after three full years of employment. An additional fifteen percent {15%) is vested for each additional year of employment. An employee becomes fully vested after seven years of employment.
- Work/Life Balance Programs
- To help employees and their families meet personal and professional challenges, NCTCOG provides an employee assistance program, prepaid legal services, lunch and learn seminars, alternate work schedules, alternate commute programs, and an on-site gym.
- Professional Development
- NCTCOG is committed to professional development and provides a wide range of training opportunities-both online and traditional classroom sessions. It covers applicable professional development expenses, professional memberships, and licenses, as well as tuition reimbursement
Equal Employment Opportunity Employer:
NCTCOG is an equal opportunity employer/program. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, and other classifications covered under federal, state, or local laws. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities.
Background Check & Drug Testing:
All selected candidates must undergo a pre-employment background check and drug screening. Background checks include national criminal background check, employment history, motor vehicle record check, social security verification, education verification, and other elements as needed. NCTCOG is committed to a safe and drug free workplace and performs pre-employment substance abuse testing. All new hires are required to undergo a drug test which detects the presence of illegal drugs for months prior to testing. We appreciate your cooperation in keeping NCTCOG safe and drug free. In order to receive an offer of employment from NCTCOG, selected candidates must successfully pass the pre-employment background check and drug screening.
E-Verify:
The North Central Texas Council of Governments participates in the federal E-Verify program in order to verify a new employee's authorization to work in the United States. Applicants must be lawfully authorized to work in the U.S.
Job postings are kept open for a minimum of 10 calendar days and may close anytime thereafter at the discretion of the hiring manager.
