Goodwill Greater New York and Northern New Jersey (GWNYNJ) believes that the power of work and sustainable fashion is how we unlock the good in our communities. For over 100 years, we have helped people get jobs, stay employed, and progress in careers across New York and Northern New Jersey. We believe that diversity drives innovation and strengthens our workplace. We are committed to fostering our inclusive environment where all employees feel valued, respected, and empowered to contribute fully. We welcome applicants of all backgrounds, identities, experiences, and abilities.

Manager of Occupational Initiatives

Division: Mission Division

Classification: Full-Time | Manager-Level

Location: Brooklyn, NY

Reports To: SVP, Workforce Development

Experience Level: Manager-Level | 5-7+ Years

Position Summary

The Manager of Occupational Initiatives is a functional leadership role responsible for coordinating, strengthening, and expanding targeted occupational training initiatives across the Mission Division. The position oversees training implementation, curriculum alignment, employer engagement, industry partnerships, career pathway development, and training-to-employment outcomes.

Occupational Training Coordination & Implementation

Coordinate planning, launch, delivery, and continuous improvement of targeted occupational training programs.
Develop implementation plans, participant flow processes, training schedules, benchmarks, and outcome expectations.
Monitor completion, credential attainment, retention, and placement outcomes.
Identify operational gaps and recommend improvements to strengthen training effectiveness, participant retention, and employment outcomes.

Curriculum Development & Training Quality

Partner with internal staff, instructors, training providers, employers, and industry stakeholders to review and strengthen curriculum content.
Ensure curricula reflect occupational standards, employer expectations, workplace readiness needs, credential requirements, and sector-specific competencies.
Support the creation or refinement of training materials, work-based learning components, employer feedback loops, and participant assessment tools.
Use data and employer feedback to recommend curriculum updates and training model improvements.

Employer Engagement & Industry Partnerships

Build and manage partnerships with employers, industry associations, training providers, credentialing organizations, sector intermediaries, public agencies, and community partners.
Translate employer and industry needs into training improvements, recruitment priorities, curriculum updates, and placement strategies.
Serve as a key liaison between training programs and external partners to support commitments, feedback, hiring pipelines, and long-term partnership development.
Represent workforce training initiatives at employer meetings, sector convenings, funder discussions, and community partnership opportunities.

Career Pathway Development

Develop and strengthen career pathway models that connect occupational training to employment, advancement, wage progression, and credential attainment.
Identify opportunities to expand training pathways into new sectors, employer partnerships, and advancement tracks.
Collaborate with internal teams to ensure participants receive clear pathway guidance, employment preparation, and post-training support.
Track pathway outcomes and use findings to inform program growth, funder reporting, and strategic planning.

Cross-Functional Leadership

Provide functional leadership across staff, vendors, partners, and initiatives.
Lead workgroups and coordinate implementation across programs.

Data, Reporting & Strategic Growth

Produce data-informed reports on training performance, employer engagement, participant progression, placement outcomes, and partnership impact.
Identify trends, risks, opportunities, and growth areas across the training-to-employment pipeline.
Contribute to grant reporting, funder updates, strategic planning, and organizational growth conversations.
Support the development of scalable models that can be adapted across programs, populations, and priority industries within the Mission Division.

Qualifications

Bachelor degree preferred.
5+ years workforce development, training, employer engagement, or related experience.
Strong project management, partnership development, communication, and data analysis skills.

Competencies for Success

Functional Leadership
Systems Thinking
Industry Alignment
Implementation Management
Career Pathway Orientation
Data-Informed Decision Making
Growth Mindset

Growth Trajectory

This position is intentionally structured to grow. Strong performers will be positioned to take on expanded organizational responsibilities and leadership.

We believe in creating space for everyone to do their best work and have individual and collective impact. We believe in challenging the status quo and setting ambitious goals in the name of doing more good. We believe that being your best self and helping others do the same is how we bring our mission alive. Even if you don’t think you meet all the qualifications listed for the job, we would love to hear from you!

If you require a reasonable accommodation at any point in the application or interview process, or if you are unable to apply through our recruitment portal, please contact us at humanresources@goodwillny.org. We are happy to assist and ensure you have an equal opportunity to apply.

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