Position Title: Director of Vocational Workforce Development
Reports Directly To: Executive Director of Product & Market Strategies
FLSA Status: Exempt
Location: Remote with occasional travel to our locations in West Virginia and Indiana
Position Summary:
Salem University is building a Workforce Enterprises division focused on employer-aligned workforce solutions, industry partnerships, workforce education pathways, and scalable workforce development initiatives that support institutional growth and regional labor market needs.
The Director of Vocational Workforce Development will lead the operational development, implementation, and scaling of the Workforce Enterprises division. This role is responsible for translating institutional growth strategy into executable workforce operations by building employer partnerships, developing workforce offerings and pathways, creating operational infrastructure, and driving workforce-related revenue growth.
This position will work within the Growth Strategy & Commercialization structure, where institutional commercialization strategy, market selection, and long-term growth priorities remain centralized. The Director will be responsible for executing against that strategy by building scalable workforce operations, employer engagement pipelines, workforce delivery models, and workforce-to-degree pathways that support both employer demand and institutional growth objectives.
The ideal candidate is an operational builder with experience developing workforce initiatives, employer partnerships, revenue-generating education or training programs, and scalable operational processes within higher education, workforce development, continuing education, corporate training, or related environments.
The division will incorporate innovative workforce delivery models, including simulation-based learning, immersive technologies, employer-sponsored education pathways, and workforce-aligned credential programs.
Key Responsibilities:
Workforce Enterprise Development & Operations
- Lead the operational development and scaling of the Workforce Enterprises division
- Build and implement operational infrastructure, workflows, and scalable workforce delivery processes
- Execute workforce enterprise initiatives aligned with institutional growth strategy and commercialization priorities
- Develop and operationalize workforce offerings, employer-sponsored education models, and workforce-to-degree pathways
- Coordinate cross-functional collaboration with academic, enrollment, compliance, finance, marketing, and operational teams to support workforce initiative execution
- Establish scalable operational models that support growth, sustainability, and workforce program performance
Employer & Industry Partnerships
- Develop and maintain strategic employer, industry, and community partnerships that support workforce enrollment and revenue growth
- Build employer engagement pipelines and workforce partnership development strategies
- Negotiate and manage workforce partnership agreements and employer-sponsored education opportunities
- Identify workforce market opportunities based on employer demand, labor market trends, institutional capabilities, and operational feasibility
- Support the expansion of repeat and renewal employer partnership opportunities
Workforce Revenue & Growth
- Drive workforce-specific revenue growth, enrollment pipeline development, and employer-sponsored participation
- Support pricing model implementation and workforce operational performance targets
- Monitor workforce enterprise financial performance, operational sustainability, and margin expectations
- Collaborate with enrollment and marketing teams to support workforce recruitment and employer outreach strategies
- Support the development and launch of new workforce verticals aligned with approved institutional strategy
Workforce Pathway Development
- Develop pathways connecting workforce offerings to certificates, apprenticeships, credentials, and degree programs
- Support workforce learner progression into longer-term academic pathways
- Coordinate workforce delivery models that align with accreditation, compliance, and institutional standards
- Support innovative workforce learning models, including simulation-based and technology-enabled delivery approaches
Performance Metrics
- Workforce revenue growth and gross margin performance
- Employer pipeline development and contracts secured
- Repeat and renewal of employer partnership revenue
- Employer-sponsored enrollment growth
- Workforce verticals launched on time and within approved operational economics
- Cohort fill rates and cost-per-start performance
- Workforce enrollment growth and participation metrics
- Completion, placement, and employer satisfaction outcomes
- Conversion from workforce offerings into certificates, credentials, apprenticeships, and degree pathways
- Operational scalability and time from concept to launch
Position Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred
- 5–8+ years of leadership experience in workforce development, vocational education, skilled trades training, apprenticeship programs, construction management, HVAC, industrial training, or related workforce enterprise operations
- Demonstrated experience building, launching, scaling, or operating workforce, continuing education, employer-sponsored education, or revenue-generating training initiatives
- Experience developing employer partnerships, workforce pipelines, or business-to-business relationship strategies
- Strong operational leadership and execution experience in growth-oriented or evolving environments
- Experience managing operational performance metrics, workforce revenue targets, enrollment pipelines, or business-line performance preferred
- Knowledge of workforce education ecosystems, employer-sponsored education models, workforce credential pathways, or continuing education operations preferred
- Ability to lead cross-functional operational initiatives and build scalable processes
- Strong relationship-building, organizational leadership, communication, and execution skills
- Experience working within matrixed organizational structures preferred
Compensation Range:
Base Salary: $115,000-$145,000.00
EEO Statement:
As an EEO/AA employer, Salem University and its components will not discriminate in our employment practices based on an applicant’s race, ethnicity, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, genetic information or status as a protected veteran.
How to Apply:
- Please submit your resume, cover letter, and contact information for three professional references to [email protected]. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled