Workforce Innovations Project Manager

Company: Sdsu Research Foundation
Location: San Diego
Posted on: June 2, 2025

Job Description:

OverviewThe starting salary range for this position is $7,983-$10,583 per month depending upon qualifications and is non-negotiable.Academy for Professional Excellence, a project of San Diego State University School of Social Work, was established in 1996 with the goal of revolutionizing the way people work to ensure the world is a healthier place. Our services integrate culturally responsive and recovery-oriented practices into our daily work to promote healing and healthy relationships. Providing approximately 50,000 learning experiences to health and human service and justice system professionals annually, the Academy creates experiences with the mission to provide exceptional learning and development experiences for the transformation of individuals, organizations, and communities.When you join the Academy team you can expect to contribute to an inclusive and innovative environment where the sharing of ideas, perspectives, and experiences is welcomed and encouraged. In applying for a position at the Academy, we invite you to consider our Core Values and our commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.The Academy is committed to the recruitment of individuals who represent the full diversity of our community. We recognize that experience and skills related to the position may have been acquired via life experiences, work, and/or education and training. We are interested in learning more about your unique experiences and how they might contribute to our mission.ResponsibilitiesPURPOSE OF THE POSITIONUnder the general direction of the Senior Director of Workforce Development Programs, the Workforce Innovations Project Manager is responsible for the general oversight of integration of workforce development innovations into CWDS services, instructional design project management and curriculum writing projects funded by the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) through the CWDS program. This position works in close partnership with SDSU's Instructional Technology Services (ITS), the Academy's Learning Experience Design (LXD) Manager, CWDS Program Director, Regional Academies, and California Workforce Innovation and Support in Education (CalWISE), and other state partners.This position directly supervises up to 5 staff.SPECIFIC DUTIESThis is a 40-hour-a-week, full-time position, working M-F from 8:00 to 4:30 p.m., and is based on contract funding subject to annual renewal. The position is subject to intermittent overnight travel and work shifts outside of normal business hours including weekends and evenings. This position is based in California and is fully remote with some travel to county offices and to Sacramento required.Note: some duties may include working with and/or exposure to sensitive/traumatic topics or material dealing with child abuse, abuse against older adults and adults with disabilities, and/or issues and scenarios related to mental health, substance use, or racism.PROJECT MANAGEMENT (70%)

• Provide project management for the Instructional Design Innovations project to include:
  • Engage Regional Academy Directors, CDSS partners, SDSU's Instructional Technology Services, Academy's Learning Experience Design team, CWDS Director, lived experts, Dr. Anita Barbee, and external service providers to oversee and manage the application of instructional design innovations to Common Core and Advanced Training.
  • Develop work plans with concrete objectives and milestones.
  • Convene key partners, develop agendas/tools/materials, facilitate effective team building, facilitate effective meetings to engage all stakeholders to develop and achieve common goals.
  • Build instructional design capacity within the organization through partnership with SDSU's ITS.
  • Review evaluation data from existing child welfare curriculum and examples of best practices of innovative workforce development from other jurisdictions to inform development of instructional design innovations.
  • Research and identify innovative instructional design approaches and technologies that enhance content development and delivery as well as learning outcomes in child welfare workforce development.
  • Collaborate with staff across CWDS, the Academy, Cal Academi to develop CC 4.0 and advanced trainings with instruction design innovations.
  • Provide project management for the Statewide Workforce Workgroup focused on recruitment and retention in public child welfare to include:
    • Engage and partner with County Welfare Directors Association (CWDA), Academy Directors, and Child Welfare Directors across the state to assess needs related to workforce recruitment and retention, operationalize work plan to meet these needs, and identify the intersection between this work and our workforce development services provided to child welfare agencies.
    • Develop agendas/materials/tools to manage and facilitate Workforce Workgroup.
    • Oversee the operationalization of a statewide work plan with concrete objectives and milestones to ensure goals are met.
    • Facilitate Workforce Workgroup meetings with an audience of executive-level leaders from across the state.
    • Participate in Workforce Workgroup ad hoc groups to support consistency and alignment across the groups.
    • Support the communication and feedback loops between the Workforce Workgroup and the ad hoc workgroups.
    • Partner across Academy programs to support research and evaluation to support Workforce Workgroup.
    • Provide oversight of project management for Common Core 4.0 revision, Sup Core revision, development of state standardized Manager Core.
    • Assess and identify the intersection of three primary projects; ensure the lessons learned through each project inform the others and that there is a common thread through the projects.
    • Remain current on emerging workforce development trends and emerging child welfare initiatives and practices.
    • Provide consultation to CDSS and CWDA partners regarding statewide projects focused on workforce recruitment, retention and development.
    • Interface with a variety of partners from across the state.
    • Maintain positive working relationships and engage in collaborative partnerships with a variety of colleagues across the state.
    • Participate in, and in some cases, lead/facilitate external committees with representatives from other entities across the state.
    • Effectively manage politically sensitive issues among key stakeholders.
    • Work in conjunction with Sr. Director and Director of Finance and Business Services, and Contracts and Fiscal Manager to assist with the development of contracts pertaining to CWDS Instructional Design Innovations and the Statewide Workforce Recruitment and Retention Workgroup management.SUPERVISION (20%)
      • Participate in recruitment, hiring and onboarding of new Academy staff.
      • Provide consistent, strengths based, trauma informed, culturally responsive and resilience-oriented supervision to direct reports.
      • Co-create and track individual development goals with direct reports, ensuring the availability of development opportunities.
      • Engage staff in capacity building and other learning opportunities in order to integrate culturally responsive and recovery-oriented practices into our daily work.
      • Directly supervise CWDS curriculum projects funded by CDSS.
      • Monitor performance and conduct ongoing performance evaluation of direct reports.
      • Provide personnel management, including regular supervision conferences and professional development for direct reports.ACADEMY LEADERSHIP (5%)
        • Participate on the Academy's Shared Leadership Team (SLT).
        • Maintain and enhance organizational culture by working collectively as organizational people leaders.OTHER DUTIES AS ASSIGNED (5%)
          • Perform other duties as assigned, which are in the best interests of the Academy for Professional Excellence.
          • Interface with partner programs at the Academy.
          • Plan and facilitate standing meetings to support communication, working relationships, clear expectations, and ongoing strategic planning.
          • Participate in All Staff meetings/events, internal/cross-program committees, and other ad hoc meetings/events.
          • Engage in regular communication to keep CWDS staff apprised of all developments impacting or potentially impacting the program.KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES
            • Advanced knowledge of: Statewide Child Welfare Training System; Child Welfare Services Policies & Procedures; Adult Learning Theory; Child Welfare, and Curriculum Development.
            • Ability to effectively interface with and maintain positive working relationships with key stakeholders.
            • Possess facilitation and coaching skills.
            • Ability to travel within California - primarily Southern region counties, and Sacramento.
            • Able to give and receive feedback effectively.
            • Knowledge of culturally responsive and recovery-oriented principles and practices.
            • Executive presence: self-starter with a keen sense of ownership and commitment to the work.
            • Collaborative and inclusive leadership and work style.
            • Proven ability to lead others by example.
            • Advanced critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
            • Ability to display excellent written and verbal communication skills.
            • Advanced interpersonal skills such as diplomacy and accurate listening.
            • Ability to work diplomatically and effectively in a participatory environment.
            • Ability to interface constructively with a diverse group of stakeholders.
            • Advanced ability to apply independent judgment, discretion, and initiative.
            • Advanced ability to think and plan strategically.
            • Advanced ability to define and refine organizational strategies.
            • Advanced project management skills.
            • Ability to be flexible and adaptable to changes and shifting priorities.
            • Ability to learn new technology systems.
            • Ability to manage and evaluate overall performance.
            • Advanced ability to provide coaching and mentorship.QualificationsMinimum Qualifications
              • Equivalent to a bachelor's degree in appropriate field related to the program/project - OR - Additional experience may be substituted for the required education on a year-for-year basis.
              • Six (6) years of experience related to the program/project.
              • Three (3) years of experience supervising or managing employees. (A master's degree may be substituted for years of experience, up to two years).Preferred Qualifications
                • Six years experience assessing, designing and evaluating workforce development services and programs.
                • Six years experience supervising and evaluating staff.
                • Five years experience writing curriculum designed to support child welfare workers in developing new skills.
                • Five years experience serving on a program leadership team.
                • Five years experience in leadership coaching and consultation.
                • Five years experience in project management involving multiple partners and stakeholders.
                • Two years experience working with Diversity, Inclusion or Equity programs or initiatives.
                • Experience developing and implementing new large scale initiatives and innovative workforce development services.
                • Experience partnering with State, Regional and County level leaders to deliver statewide workforce development services.
                • Experience as a case carrying public child welfare social worker.
                • Lived experience or experience partnering directly with lived experts.
                • Experience with three or more types of the following workforce development services.ADDITIONAL APPLICANT INFORMATION
                  • Candidate must reside in California and live in a commutable distance from SDSU at time of hire.
                  • Job offer is contingent upon satisfactory clearance based on Background Check results.
                  • San Diego State University Research Foundation is an EEO/AA/Disability/Vets/Title IX Employer.
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Keywords: Sdsu Research Foundation, Encinitas , Workforce Innovations Project Manager, Executive , San Diego, California