Director of Programs

 

Position Summary 
As the Founding Director of Skilled WV in Charleston, you will build our West Virginia presence from the ground up. This is a startup role for an entrepreneurial leader who is energized by a blank page. In the early months you will be a one-person shop, wearing every hat from strategy and program design to enrollment, coaching, partnerships, and reporting. As the program takes hold, you will hire and lead a team, shifting from doing everything yourself to building the people and systems that sustain it.

Skilled WV is a recovery-to-work and workforce readiness program serving adults in Kanawha County, including individuals in recovery and displaced workers who are ready to build stable, family-sustaining careers in the skilled
trades and other high-demand fields. Your work will give people a real path forward in a community that values
relationships, trust, and second chances.

You will be the face of Skilled US in the region: recruiting and coaching students, standing up training pathways,
building employer and community partnerships, and making sure every dollar and every outcome is tracked and
reported with integrity. Your ability to lead, build trust, and get things done with limited resources will shape both
early student success and the long-term growth of our work in West Virginia.

Organization Overview
As part of Skilled US commitment to empowering adults in marginalized communities, the Founding Director plays a central role in launching our work in a new region and supporting individuals through career transitions. Our mission is to provide the tools, training, and resources people need to secure high-demand jobs and achieve economic stability. Through vocational programs, wraparound services, career counseling, networking, and mentorship, we equip participants with the skills to excel in today's job market. The success of our graduates reflects the transformative impact of Skilled US in breaking the cycle of poverty and fostering long-term economic growth.
Key Responsibilities
Startup Leadership and Program Launch

• Stand up Skilled WV in Charleston from the ground up, turning vision into a working program.
• Design the program model, operational systems, and day-to-day workflows for a brand-new site.
• Establish and manage the local site presence, logistics, and community footprint.
• Wear many hats in the early phase, personally handling strategy, delivery, and operations until the team grows.
• Set program goals, timelines, and success indicators with leadership, then deliver against them
• Track launch milestones and adjust quickly to improve quality and impact.

Partnerships and Community Building

• Build and sustain relationships with employers, community and technical college partners, recovery and reentry providers, workforce boards, and local leaders.
• Coordinate West Virginia partner outreach in alignment with organizational leadership.
• Represent Skilled US through outreach, speaking engagements, and collaboration across the region.
• Organize work-based learning opportunities and employer site visits.

Student Recruitment, Coaching, and Success

• Recruit and enroll students, building the pipeline that fills each cohort.
• Serve as a trusted mentor and coach, guiding students through enrollment, training, and job placement.
• Facilitate career and life skills workshops on communication, financial literacy, time management, and workplace expectations.
• Use motivational interviewing to strengthen intrinsic motivation and help students work through ambivalence.
• Identify barriers such as transportation, housing, recovery, and trauma, and connect students to the supports they need.
• Monitor enrollment, attendance, and completion to keep engagement strong.

Employer Engagement and Job Placement

• Build an employer pipeline that leads to interviews, hiring, and work-based learning.
• Align training with credential and hiring needs so graduates are job-ready.
• Track placement, credential attainment, and retention, following up after placement to support stability.

Compliance, Data, and Reporting

• Maintain accurate, up-to-date student records in Salesforce or a comparable CRM.
• Understand and support compliance with funding sources such as WIOA, SNAP, ARC, and recovery or reentry programs.
• Collect and analyze progress data to guide decisions and continuous improvement.
• Prepare timely, accurate reports for leadership and funders, including student success stories and outcomes.

Team Building and Scaling

• Hire, train, and supervise staff as the program grows.
• Build the culture, systems, and accountability that let the team run without everything depending on one person.
• Transition from a one-person shop to a team leader as capacity expands.

Qualifications & Skills Required  
Education

• Bachelor's degree in social work, education, public administration, business, or a related field, or at least six years of equivalent experience.

Work Experience

• Five or more years in workforce development, adult education, program management, or a related field.
• Demonstrated success launching, building, or leading a program, ideally in a startup or early-stage setting.
• Experience building employer and community partnerships, particularly in small, rural, or Appalachian communities.
• Track record of advising adult learners and managing career pathways.

Skills and Knowledge

• Entrepreneurial self-starter who is comfortable with ambiguity and willing to wear many hats.
• Strong leadership, communication, and facilitation skills, including the ability to lead workshops.
• Proficiency in Excel and CRM systems such as Salesforce.
• Understanding of case management, trauma-informed care, social emotional learning, and career counseling.
• Knowledge of funding and support systems such as WIOA, SNAP E&T, ARC, and reentry or recovery programs.
• Familiarity with West Virginia or Appalachian communities is a strong plus.
• Bilingual abilities are a plus.

Availability

• This in-person position requires regular, on-the-ground engagement in Charleston with students, partners, and stakeholders. Some evening and occasional weekend availability may be required for outreach and community events.

Our Core Values

• Students First. Work to ensure that all interactions and decisions put our students first.
• Respect. Treat others as you would like to be treated.
• Determination. With hard work and superior effort, we can achieve all things.
• Continuous Improvement. Try to get better and better every day.
• Gratitude. Demonstrate gratefulness for all we have done and the opportunity to serve our students and communities.

This position description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities required of the employee. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change, or new ones may be assigned, at any time with or without notice.