Senior Director of Workforce Initiatives

Job Summary

Tennessee has been a leader in economic development and continues to be at the forefront of preparing for future high-growth industry needs, such as artificial intelligence (AI), quantum technologies, and nuclear energy, among others. In order for Tennessee students to realize the economic opportunity our state has to offer and to prepare all students for careers that enable economic independence, more intentional effort is needed to connect education and work.

Over the last three years, SCORE has expanded its role in connecting education with economic opportunity, emerging as a statewide leader in defining credential quality and advancing policies and practices that support more Tennesseans in securing great jobs. SCORE serves as an innovation leader and intermediary by supporting state systems and on-the-ground pathways that accelerate student pathways from education to career.

The Senior Director of Workforce Initiatives is a new role designed to lead SCORE’s efforts to connect education to workforce opportunity. This position will strategically lead and execute on SCORE’s workforce-focused portfolio, with an emphasis on ensuring Tennessee’s education and training systems are connected to the workforce and hiring needs of employers and the state — ultimately affording every student the opportunity to reach economic independence. 

This person in this position will play a critical leadership role in shaping and executing SCORE’s strategy at the intersection of education, workforce development, and economic development. The senior director will bring deep expertise in state and federal workforce systems, serving as a subject-matter expert on critical education-to-work issues including nondegree credentials, federal and state workforce funding streams, workforce development boards, apprenticeships, work-based learning, skills innovations, and employer engagement, among others. This role requires someone who can lead a complex portfolio of work, engage deeply with employers and workforce leaders, and translate data and research into actionable strategies that improve alignment between Tennessee’s education and workforce systems. 

Reporting to SCORE’s Senior Vice President of Strategy, the Senior Director of Workforce Initiatives will work across SCORE workstreams.  This position will work in close partnership with SCORE’s Senior Director of Pathways, whose portfolio is focused on connecting K-12 and postsecondary education to career, ensuring a coordinated education-to-work strategy that supports student success from high school through postsecondary education and into a job.

Job Responsibilities

Strategy & Portfolio Management

• Lead SCORE’s workforce-focused portfolio, ensuring Tennessee’s education and workforce training systems are aligned to current and emerging workforce and economic opportunities so that students are prepared for careers that enable economic independence.
• Lead execution of the strategy across the portfolio, including setting priorities, designing initiatives, and managing timelines. 
• Work closely with SCORE’s Senior Director of Pathways to collaborate and advance a strategic and coherent vision for education-to-career pathways that lead students to high-wage, in-demand careers — from K-12 education through postsecondary and into a job.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Cultivate and sustain relationships with workforce, economic development, industry, and business leaders at the local, regional, and state levels.
• Lead SCORE’s strategy around engagement with workforce and employer communities.
• Represent SCORE in critical, education-to-work discussions at the state and national levels.

Subject-Matter Expertise & Thought Leadership 

• Monitor national and state trends in workforce and economic development.
• Serve as a subject-matter expert on issues related to workforce alignment, improving internal team expertise and capacity to advance these issues statewide.
• Translate labor market data into actionable insights to inform SCORE’s strategy and to support policymakers and partners.
• Bring subject-matter expertise on critical education-to-work issues including nondegree credentials, federal and state workforce funding streams, workforce development boards, apprenticeships, work-based learning, skills innovations, and employer engagement, among others. 

Qualifications

• Strong alignment with SCORE’s mission and core values (student focus, excellence, collaboration, innovation, optimism).
• At least seven years of experience in workforce development, talent development, economic development, or education policy. Demonstrated experience in the education-to-work space is preferred.
• Deep understanding of the role of state workforce systems in advancing workforce and economic development, and an understanding of how education connects to those systems in ways that advance economic opportunity.
• Experience working with labor market data to inform strategy and policy.
• Proven track record of strategic leadership, strong communication skills, and prior stakeholder engagement experience with stakeholders in the business and industry community.
• Ability to work independently and as a part of a team, managing multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills, with prior experience in solving complex issues.

Additional Information

Benefits

SCORE deeply values team members and their well-being and is proud to offer a comprehensive benefits plan. All full-time SCORE employees are eligible for benefits (with coverage beginning immediately), including:

• Medical insurance: Including access to a high-quality network with SCORE paying the full medical premiums for employee-only plans and 80% or more of premiums for plans including eligible dependents
• Vision and dental insurance: Including access to a high-quality network with SCORE paying 50% of premiums for employee-only plans and plans that include eligible dependents
• Employer-paid disability, life insurance, and EAP benefits
• Access to a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) for medical and child care expenses and Health Savings Account (HSA) benefits
• Eligible for immediate participation in a 401(k) program with employer match
• Paid parental leave time, including paternity, maternity, and adoption leave
• Paid time off:
  • Fifteen days per year for years one through four, 20 days per year after five years
  • Holiday office closures (15 days total in 2026)
  • Six paid sick days per year
  • Teamwide mental health day office closures (two total in 2026)
  • Paid floating holidays (three per calendar year, prorated for new hires depending on start date)
• Free on-site parking
• Free on-site gym

How to Apply

To apply, please send a resume to View email address on cnemt.org. SCORE will review applications on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

Details

• Date Posted: April 10, 2026
• Type: Full-Time
• Job Function: Programs and Service Delivery
• Service Area: Education
• Start Date: 05/29/2026
• Working Hours: 40 hrs/wk