Lead, Direct Care Workforce Development

Join Our Mission. Shape the Future.

At NCOA, we are on a mission to create the conditions for all to age well in America—today and into the future. Every day, we work to improve the lives of millions of older adults through innovative programs, trusted advocacy, and meaningful partnerships that advance health, economic security, and equity.

We are seeking a dynamic and strategic Lead, Direct Care Workforce (DCW) Development to bring their expertise, vision, and passion to help drive our mission forward. This leader will play a pivotal role in advancing innovative workforce strategies, strengthening cross-sector partnerships, and expanding technical assistance that improves job quality and strengthens the direct care workforce nationwide.

The ideal candidate is an accomplished workforce development leader who thrives on building collaborative partnerships, translating complex workforce challenges into practical solutions, and driving initiatives that create lasting systems-level impact. They will embrace and exemplify NCOA's core values of Caring for All, Collaboration, Innovation, Integrity, and Respect , fostering a culture of excellence while helping ensure that every older adult has the opportunity to age with dignity, purpose, and security.

If you are ready to make a lasting difference while leading with purpose, we invite you to join our team.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Lead, Direct Care Workforce Development provides day-to-day project leadership and support for the Direct Care Workforce (DCW) Strategies Center, supporting the delivery of technical assistance (TA) to states and the development of tools and resources that elevate promising practices, share lessons from states, and support efforts to strengthen the direct care workforce nationwide.

In this role, the Lead supports the design, coordination, and delivery of a multi-state technical assistance portfolio, while helping to coordinate and mobilize a national network of partners, Advisory Committee members, and subject matter experts. The Lead translates lessons from state technical assistance and national expertise into practical resources and learning opportunities, including webinars, reports, briefs, one-pagers, toolkits, presentations, and other resources that elevate promising practices and emerging strategies. 

A strong candidate will bring experience or expertise in one or more areas relevant to strengthening the direct care workforce and caregiving systems, including direct care workforce policy and practice, home and community-based services, aging and disability, health care, Medicaid, workforce and economic development, education and training, career pathways, labor and employment, state systems and cross-agency collaboration, national technical assistance and capacity building, systems change, cross-sector partnership development, or coalition building.

Positions at this level typically report to a director or senior director and require deep subject matter expertise, advanced knowledge and experience, as well as the ability to independently lead complex or high-impact work. Incumbents are required to exercise independent judgement within their scope of work and require minimal oversight. These roles often serve as recognized subject matter experts and may represent an area of specialization across the organization. Incumbents generally have five or more years of experience in their discipline and a bachelor’s degree or the equivalent, as well as substantive experience at this level. Graduate level degrees may be considered in lieu of experience.

*This grant-funded position is a short-term, temporary position that is currently funded through September 30, 2027, and designed to be filled by a W-2 employee.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Support the execution of the technical assistance (TA) strategy across modalities (e.g., direct TA, webinars, web-based workshop series); oversee development of tools and resources, ensuring high-quality, timely deliverables.
• Oversee the development of high-quality, public-facing deliverables (e.g., presentations, briefs, reports, e-newsletters) tailored to diverse audiences, ensuring clarity, consistency, and strategic alignment.
• Manage relationships with Strategies Center partners, including subcontractors, vendors, subgrantees, subject matter experts (SMEs), and Advisory Committee members; oversee coordination of contracts, POs, invoicing, and partner communications.
• Represent the Strategies Center at convenings and conferences.
• Monitor federal and state policy developments, workforce and industry trends, and emerging practices, including innovations in workforce development, caregiving, and technology and AI; translate relevant developments into actionable insights that inform technical assistance, resources, and broader Strategies Center priorities.
• Support the preparation of funder and program reports by synthesizing technical assistance activities, state accomplishments, partner contributions, deliverables, and emerging lessons into clear and compelling narratives.
• Perform other responsibilities as assigned.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE/QUALIFICATIONS

Successful candidates will bring a combination of experience and expertise across the areas below. Candidates are not expected to have experience in every area.  

• Bachelor’s degree in social sciences, health, economics, or related field required. Master’s degree preferred.
• 5-7 years of postgraduate work experience in a related capacity.
• Knowledge of issues related to the direct care workforce or related fields, including aging and disability, long-term services and supports (LTSS), home and community-based services (HCBS), Medicaid, health care, workforce and economic development, education and training, labor and employment, or career pathways.
• Understanding of state systems, programs, and cross-agency partnerships, including how states identify priorities, implement strategies, and leverage technical assistance and other external supports to advance their work.
• Experience working within or alongside federal, state, or national initiatives, with an understanding of the processes, timelines, deliverables, and reporting requirements associated with publicly funded programs and technical assistance efforts.
• Ability to translate complex policy, programmatic, and systems-level information into practical strategies, technical assistance, tools, and resources for state and national audiences.
• Experience managing complex projects with many sub-grantees, sub-contractors, stakeholders, steering committees, and advisory committees.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and experience with Asana or similar project management tools.
• Demonstrated skill in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships and communicating with vendors, clients, and diverse audiences. 
• Adaptability in fast-paced environments while meeting deadlines and satisfying evolving project parameters.
• Solid professional presence with excellent communication and operational instincts; good strategic skills and sound business judgment. 
• Demonstrated experience in supporting multiple projects simultaneously with a solid focus on results. 
• Willingness and ability to participate in anticipated in-state and out-of-state travel, including overnight travel, as requested (up to 10-15%). 

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Frequently required to sit or use a standing desk. 
• Occasionally required to walk. 
• Occasionally required to reach with hands and arms. 
• Frequently required to talk or listen. 
• Occasionally required to bend, lift or climb stairs.
• Occasionally required to lift light weights (less than 25 pounds). 

WORK ENVIRONMENT

• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
• Primarily office-based in Arlington, VA, with a hybrid schedule.
• Occasional travel is required for partner meetings, conferences, and other partner engagements.

Ready to Make an Impact?

If you are a strategic, mission-driven leader with a passion for strengthening the direct care workforce and creating meaningful change, we encourage you to apply.

Interested candidates should submit a cover letter and resume through the application link provided. Applications submitted without a cover letter will not be considered. Please note that we are unable to accept phone calls regarding this position.

NCOA is committed to providing competitive and equitable compensation. The salary range published in this job posting reflects the market range for positions based in the Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia (DMV) region. Because NCOA employs staff in multiple states, compensation may vary based on an employee's primary work location through our geographic pay structure. Geographic differentials are established using regional labor market data to ensure competitive and equitable pay across locations. Final starting salary will be determined based on the employee's work location, relevant experience, education, qualifications, and internal equity.

NCOA is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to fostering an equitable, inclusive, and respectful workplace where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

Compensation details: 100000-120000 Yearly Salary

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