Nexight Group is looking for a senior, experienced workforce development leader with a background in workforce development for the manufacturing sector. An ideal candidate will be knowledgeable about manufacturing workforce issues and relevant workforce development efforts at local, state, regional, and national levels. Ideally, this person also has direct experience with the Manufacturing USA Institutes, a network of innovation and workforce development Institutes funded by the federal government and member organizations.
The Manager for Workforce Development will not work directly with manufacturing companies. This is not a position that will directly train workers. Rather, the individual will work with government clients, industry peers, and policymakers to address complex workforce development challenges in manufacturing, lead research-informed studies of workforce needs, and act as a subject matter expert for workforce development program design and measurement. While we don’t seek a flawless writer, the individual must be able to translate and discuss complex topics clearly in both discussions and written products.
Nexight Group is a small technical and management consulting firm working for a variety of public- and private-sector clients in many topic areas. This position will primarily support government clients funding efforts to train the advanced manufacturing workforce. Adaptability, critical thinking, and genuine curiosity are all equally important as skills and subject matter expertise.
Skills
Applicants should have the necessary skills to perform the following job responsibilities:
- Lead workforce development program strategy development for manufacturing-focused clients in government, including but not limited to the following tasks:
- Assist with all phases of federal workforce development programs targeting the manufacturing sector.
- Development of metrics to help assess the success and impact of workforce development programs targeting the manufacturing sector.
- Conduct strategic reviews of existing workforce development programs, particularly across Manufacturing USA Institutes, to identify gaps, synergies, and potential for coordinated efforts.
- Interact confidently as a peer with experts and leaders in industry, government, and academia to gather views on topics regarding the manufacturing workforce.
- Effectively synthesize research, data, expert viewpoints, and your own expertise to develop strategies, white papers, studies, reports, presentations, and other products—understanding the difference between summarizing and synthesizing.
- Provide subject matter expertise to review colleague and client work and produce reports, studies, briefings, and analyses that are technically accurate and defensible.
- Write concise and clear content for reports, roadmaps, presentations, fact sheets, and training material.
- Proactively evaluate client needs and recommend strategies and solutions, including program planning and analysis, process improvements, strategic planning and roadmapping, facilitation, and data gathering and analysis.
- Lead and facilitate collaborative projects and consensus decision-making within government programs and agencies, multi-agency/cross-sector working groups, and public-private partnership bodies.
- Manage and grow client relationships, often in collaboration with Nexight leadership.
- Rapidly build an understanding of specialized, highly technical information in new subject areas and translate that understanding into a format that is accessible for both technical and non-technical audiences.
- Support Nexight staff in their understanding and effective utilization of workforce development concepts and terminology.
- Demonstrate excellent written and verbal communications skills.
- Skillfully, tactfully, and earnestly give and receive feedback from peers, colleagues, and leadership.
Work location will be Silver Spring, MD, but candidates who wish to work remotely and live outside the Washington, DC area are welcome to apply. For remote candidates, occasional work in Washington, DC may be required to support clients; applicants should expect to travel to Nexight’s offices at least once per quarter.
Summary of Qualifications
Minimum
- Bachelor’s degree in manufacturing-oriented discipline (e.g., engineering, materials science, energy, or related scientific fields) or workforce development disciplines (e.g., education, economics).
- 10+ years of full-time professional experience, preferably in a role in manufacturing, government, consulting, or other professional services environment.
- Demonstrated experience designing, managing, and measuring workforce development programs for the manufacturing sector or related technical disciplines.
- Writing skills that reflect strong critical thinking, analysis, and synthesis capabilities.
- Ability to work well in both independent and team-based environments.
- Strict attention to detail with minimal oversight required.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office programs.
- An entrepreneurial, “roll up your sleeves” spirit that realizes value in all tasks, large and small, likes to learn by doing, and desires continuous improvement and innovation.
Preferred
- Master’s degree in related field
- Direct experience with Manufacturing USA Institutes in a workforce development capacity
- Demonstrated professional network of workforce development partners
- Strategic planning and communications
- Facilitation and stakeholder engagement
- Experience supervising junior technical staff