Human Services Program Administrator

The City of Alexandria is bordered by Washington D.C. and the Potomac River, Arlington and Fairfax counties, and Maryland. The small city has a cosmopolitan feel with 150,000 people living within its 15.75 square miles. At the Department of Community and Human Services, we provide essential safety net services to help city residents enjoy a sense of well-being, safety and self-sufficiency. Our behavioral health programs provide compassionate services that support self-determination and recovery. The beauty of our diverse and resilient people and our commitment to race and social equity, coupled with a historic district dating to 1749, charming waterfront, vibrant arts community and unique places for foodies and shopping, make the City of Alexandria a uniquely wonderful place to live, work and play. We invite all qualified candidates to learn more and apply for our Human services Program Administrator position.

General Statement of Duties:

The City of Alexandria Workforce Development Center's Employment and Training Program Manager manages and supervises the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Adult, Dislocated, and Youth programs. The incumbent administers and oversees initiatives that support youth employment outcomes, including Alexandria's year-round training and employment services and the summer work experience program. The position also manages and supervises all aspects of disability employment initiatives. Under the general direction of the Division Chief for Workforce, the Employment and Training Program manager develops initiatives, grants, and projects to support the mission of the center. Moreover, the person in this role performs other activities, including customer service, planning, budgeting, reporting, and issues relating to facilities and financial operations. 

Core Competencies

• Work effectively with team/work group to accomplish organizational goals; take actions that respect the needs and contributions of others; contribute to and accept consensus; subordinate own objectives to the objectives of the organization or team; 

• Effectively communicate information (written or verbal), build coalitions, and influence and advise others; 

• Commitment to the customer, demonstrate integrity and operationalize the values of the City, DCHS, and philosophy of the Center for Economic Support, and adapt to evolving customer needs;

• Effectively lead change, embrace change, manage conflict, and adjust behaviors to situations;

• Engage in continuous learning, develop, and implement quality programming and services, manage employee development including directing, monitoring, and evaluating work, and setting goals and expectations. 

Examples of Duties: 

• Administers and supervises program operations, strategic planning, and administration of WIOA program, including Adults, Dislocated Workers, Youth, and Disability Employment; Teens Work Youth Summer Employment program, Year-Round Public and Private Youth Employment programs, and Youth Career Academy services;  

• Prepares submissions including reports, data, and other relevant information to managers, Alexandria Commission on Employment, Alexandria/Arlington Regional Workforce Council other entities; 

• Attends local and regional collaborative meetings including the Alexandria/Arlington Regional Workforce Council and the Chamber of Commerce to promote training and employment outcomes for residents of the City; 

• Serve as part of the WDC leadership team actively participating in office-wide initiatives to advance the overall missions of the DCHS and the center while sustaining a healthy work environment and high performing organizational culture;

• Negotiates contracts with and prepares grant application documents for Federal, State, and/or private funding sources;

• Prepares program objectives and plans, and evaluates service delivery;

• Reviews and evaluates work performed by program and contract staff;

• Serves on a variety of intra-and inter-departmental committees;

• Assists in providing oversight to Division fiscal operations, assists in preparation of annual budget submissions;

• Examines prepares, and revises program regulations and procedures;

• Represents the Director of WDC as designee and attends and leads meetings with high-level community leaders to provide public awareness regarding available programs and services;

• Implement a strengths-based approach to supervision and provide guidance and direction to supervisory unit members;

• Serves as the subject matter expert related to WIOA, Youth Employment, Disability Employment, and program performance metrics attainment; 

• Collaborates with the Business Services and Community Partnerships Unit and other co-located partners to achieve employment-related and other performance measures of WDC;

• Researches and applies for grant opportunities and ensures effective and efficient services to meet the expectations of the funders;

• Builds collaborative relationships with community stakeholders and businesses to achieve employment placement goals and relationship building;

• Performs related work as required and assigned.

Essential Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Good understanding of current social, economic assets, problems and trends of a culturally diverse youth, adult, dislocated populations and individuals with disabilities; Excellent knowledge of management of  information systems; ability to generate computer-based reports; Ability to plan, organize, and monitor a budget consisting of multiple funding sources; ability to communicate clearly and effectively, verbally and in writing; ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with colleagues, government officials, and representatives of private and community agencies; ability to collaborate and coordinate with agencies for a common objective; and the ability to plan and supervise the work of others. 

Minimum Qualifications:  

Thorough knowledge of administrative practices and procedures; in-depth understanding of diverse cultures and customs; Excellent knowledge of youth development, social service programs, and of Federal, State and Local government functions and operations; Excellent knowledge of fiscal policy; Ability to perform research and analyze social and economic problems as they relate to low and moderate-income households; Considerable professional experience in employment training and computerized, management-information systems for the positions in the Office of Employment and Training; Considerable professional experience with human service programs; Some supervisory experience required; and completion of college-level courses in social work, sociology, planning, history, economics, and any equivalent combination of experience and training which provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities; A Virginia Workforce Development Professional certification is preferred for positions working in the Centers for Economic Support and Adult Services.

Preferred Qualifications: 

Four-year degree or Master's degree in Human Resources, Public Administration, or Business Administration; Considerable experience in program and project development as it relates to managing Federal and State fended workforce development programs and initiatives such as the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, and those that help youth and individuals with disabilities, dislocated workers, and others; considerable experience in working with data collection, analysts and reporting to support data-driven decision making. Demonstrated success in supervisory and leadership as well as grant writing and implementation.