Workforce Partnership Manager

Are you a person of compassion? An advocate for justice? Someone who stands up for the rights of the vulnerable and speaks out for the marginalized, the exploited and the forgotten? Do you believe in our calling as Christians to welcome the least of these and love our neighbor? If you answered ‘yes’, to any of the above, World Relief, and millions of people around the world need you. At this pivotal moment in time, we are rapidly expanding and growing our team to meet the increasing needs of our world. We are looking for people who want to use their gifts and talents to make a real and tangible difference in our world and the lives of the suffering. If you’re looking for a purpose-driven career in which you can grow your talents, while also standing up for the rights of the vulnerable, we want you to join us today. ORGANIZATION SUMMARY World Relief is a global Christian humanitarian organization whose mission is to boldly engage the world’s greatest crises in partnership with the church. The organization was founded in the aftermath of World War II to respond to the urgent humanitarian needs of war‑torn Europe. Since then, for 80 years, across 100 countries, World Relief has partnered with local churches and communities to build a world where families thrive and communities flourish. Today, organizational programming focuses on humanitarian and disaster response, community strengthening and resilience, and refugee & immigrant services and advocacy. POSITION SUMMARY Do you have the gift of connection? Are you relationally gifted? Do you enjoy facilitating many parts to come together to solve a problem? Through developing partnerships with local companies and other workforce entities you will generate career growth opportunities for World Relief clients. The Partnership Developer position engages a variety of stakeholders with the mission of creating career opportunities for refugees, asylees, and other immigrants to begin and advance in their careers while serving as a local workforce solution for partner companies. This position will be responsible for developing relationships with companies, American job centers, and vocational trainers while generating job leads and providing Employment and Career Pathways Specialists with entry‑level and upgrade jobs and vocational training opportunities for WR clients in Cook, DuPage and Kane Counties. This position requires creativity and energy to build new partnerships and cast vision with local workforce stakeholders. ROLE & RESPONSIBILITIES Drive Workforce Development (WD) partnership strategy with WD staff, local industry and workforce organizations, chambers of commerce, vocational school partnerships, and other relevant partners. Collaboratively develop and achieve quantifiable partnership goals including employer partnerships across sectors to meet job placement demand (900/year), financial support, or volunteer service. Serve as a communication hub between World Relief (WR) staff and external stakeholders. Assist specialists in ensuring clients are job ready by participating in mock interviews and providing support by matchmaking between resumes and employer openings. Oversee and strategically grow a portfolio of workforce development stakeholders, including employers, industry partners, and workforce entities; convene and facilitate an Employer Advisory Board to inform sector strategies, strengthen partnerships, and align training and placement efforts with regional labor market needs. Develop and manage employer partnerships to expand work‑based learning (WBL) opportunities—including job shadowing, internships, and apprenticeships—in collaboration with Adult Education and internal teams. Create marketing materials to highlight the benefits of employing WR candidates. Catalogue and maintain company information including current contacts, job descriptions, shift and wage information, and other relevant information. Become knowledgeable of labor market information, economic data, and hiring trends to creatively target and develop emerging opportunities. Coach HR staff at employer partners on best practices of working with immigrants including cross‑cultural training, tax benefits, etc. Attend employment, career pathways, and WD meetings to learn about client trends and needs. Cultivate strategic partnerships with corporations and engage with corporate social responsibility teams to secure philanthropic support and sponsorships. Other duties as assigned. JOB REQUIREMENTS Mature and personal Christian faith. Committed to the mission, vision, and values of World Relief. Desire to serve and empower the Church to impact vulnerable communities. Able to affirm and/or acknowledge World Relief’s Core Beliefs, Statement of Faith, Christian Identity and National Association of Evangelicals' For the Health of The Nation document. Desire and ability to continually sell the benefits of hiring refugees and other immigrants to employers. Strategic orientation toward sales: able to shape and execute plans to reach goals. Understanding of employment markets and the workforce development system or interest in learning. Learning orientation: eager for both personal and professional growth, especially within sales. Ability to develop a thorough knowledge of World Relief programs through reading reports, conversing with staff, attending team meetings. Extremely self‑motivated with proactive approach to work. Excellent interpersonal, relational, and communication skills. Demonstrated ability to multi‑task, problem‑solve, and exercise critical thinking skills. Demonstrated ability to remain flexible and work in a fast‑paced environment. Detail‑oriented, organized, and able to follow through on projects and assignments. Demonstrated ability to work sensitively and effectively in a cross‑cultural setting. Strong mediation and problem‑solving skills. Knowledge about the refugee/immigrant experience is preferred. A love for and commitment to people who are marginalized, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion or culture, and a desire to see people flourish. Maintain a valid driver’s license and meet MVR eligibility requirements. PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS At least two years’ experience in sales, fundraising, marketing, or related field preferred. Ability to work a flexible schedule including occasional early mornings, evenings, and weekends. Proficient in Microsoft Office applications. Bachelor’s degree required. World Relief offers a competitive benefits package and employee discount program for full‑time, Regular, employees. World Relief is honored to be recognized with the Gold‑level Cigna Healthy Workforce Designation for exceeding the core components of our well‑being program including leadership and culture, program foundations and execution, and whole person health. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. We are proud to be an EEO/AA employer M/F/D/V. We maintain a drug‑free workplace and perform pre‑employment substance abuse testing. For World Relief staff, strong commitment to the mission, vision, and values of World Relief is essential, and Christian faith is a prerequisite for employment, based upon United States federal guidelines provided in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. #J-18808-Ljbffr