Director of Workforce Solutions

Who We Are

The Greater Peoria Economic Development Council (GPEDC) is a regional economic development & planning organization that serves five counties in Central Illinois: Peoria, Tazewell, Woodford, Mason, and Logan counties. The Workforce Solutions team leads the GPEDC’s efforts to develop a more resilient, robust, and equitable talent pipeline in Greater Peoria by troubleshooting systemic gaps and challenges to connect regional organizations to critical resources. As the Director of Workforce Solutions, you will lead the team and shape the strategies that will drive the overall efforts and alignment of workforce initiatives with the GPEDC’s efforts - as well as support multi-agency organizations and collaboratives in driving efforts to maintain a strong regional workforce. You will serve as the director of the Regional Workforce Alliance (RWA) and take direction and drive actions to coordinate that regional effort.

What You’ll Do to Drive Success

• Provide leadership to the Regional Workforce Alliance (RWA), enable common goals, and support programming that ensures regional workforce efforts are aligned and collaborative.
• Ensure the RWA and its members work collaboratively to discover, develop, and execute programs in career pathways, upskilling, and addressing multiple barriers to employment.
• Actively seek out relevant data sources and creatively piece together data from multiple sources to demonstrate the strength, growth, and opportunities for the region’s workforce.
• Support business attraction efforts by creating meaningful data packages that showcase specific strengths of the region’s workforce.
• Integrate existing programs to ensure alignment with regional goals and develop programs that build partnerships between stakeholders, fill service gaps, and generate positive workforce outcomes.
• Support initiatives to update GPEDC web assets, including the Workforce Solutions pages on the GPEDC website and the regional workforce asset map.
• Coordinate internal and external stakeholders across various events, initiatives, and committees to ensure the right people are in the right place at the right time.
• Co-own a significant part of major workforce initiatives such as CareerSpark, CareerSummit, and the Discover Manufacturing Career Expo.
• Supports efforts to drive career exploration and Career & Technical Education opportunities, including Work-Based Learning, Internships, and Apprenticeships.
• In cooperation with the CEO, develop and monitor an annual budget for Workforce Solutions.
• Provide direct supervision to members of the Workforce Solutions team and support attracting and hiring talent for your team and across the GPEDC organization.
• Provide valuable assistance to employers, organizations, and partners in the region on efforts related to workforce development.

What You’ll Bring to the Table

• Ability to work in a collaborative environment at the GPEDC offices regularly.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to maintain detailed notes and records.
• Proficiency in using technology to get your work done - this work lies heavily in the Google Workspace platform: Sheets/Excel, Google Drive, and Gmail.
• Familiarity with the Greater Peoria region: major employers, quality of life, highlights, etc.
• Ability to manage multiple projects with various timelines and objectives while maintaining clear communication.
• Flexibility to adapt and adjust to changing priorities and urgent needs to meet deadlines.
• High capability for building relationships, organizing and hosting meetings, and presenting ideas, plans, and outcomes to stakeholders.
• Effective communication style, both verbally and in writing.
• High desire to continuously learn and improve.
• A bachelor’s degree is highly desired, though consideration will be given to individuals with solid experience and a high understanding of regional economic development initiatives, human resources, talent pipeline management, and/or workforce development.

You’ll Love This Work If You Are …

• Excited about Greater Peoria and enthusiastic about seeing our region grow
• Understanding how your work aligns with and advances the objectives of Workforce Solutions initiatives and overall regional economic development strategies.
• Able to balance scope, speed, and quality to reach positive outcomes and create success stories.
• Disciplined and aware of your limits - our work is critical and abundant, so it is crucial to know how much you can realistically handle and prioritize among competing priorities.
• Curious to delve deeper into important topics, challenges, and best practices.
• Passionate about improving economic outcomes, career prospects, lives, and livelihoods of individuals.

What You’ll Get From Us

• Great Workspace: GPEDC is based out of Downtown Peoria's newly opened Distillery Labs innovation hub. You will have access to this incredible space and its community.
• Development and Growth: You will be able to work with mentors and get to know Greater Peoria deeply, with continued investment in furthering your knowledge.
• Freedom to try new things that could lead to significant changes and improvements.
• A strong, supportive team with professionals representing all facets of economic development.
• Work that makes a difference in our community and has a tangible, meaningful impact on the lives of others.

One More Thing You Should Know

There’s a lot of research showing how marginalized groups may not apply for jobs unless they meet 100% (or more!) of the qualifications. At GPEDC, we understand that someone passionate about improving the quality of life and our region's growth can manifest from many backgrounds and experiences that might not seem “standard” - and that’s totally fine! We greatly value the unique perspectives and added knowledge everyone on the team can bring. That said - you might not feel like you “check all the boxes” as you read this job post. We get it. And we think these things ourselves, too. But we hope you’ll apply anyway, and we’ll take great care in working with you and providing an inclusive, transparent hiring process. Lack of confidence can sometimes hold us back from applying for a job. We’ll let you in on a little industry secret: there’s no such thing as a “perfect” candidate. The GPEDC is a place where everyone can grow. So, whatever background you bring, please apply if this role excites you to come to work every day.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $60,000.00 - $70,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Flexible schedule
• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance
• Retirement plan

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Monday to Friday

Ability to Commute:

• Peoria, IL 61602 (Required)

Work Location: In person

Salary : $60,000 - $70,000