Vice President, Center for Apprenticeship and Work-Based Learning

ABOUT JFF 

Jobs for the Future (JFF) is a leading national nonprofit focused on accelerating the alignment, transformation and reimagination of the American workforce and education systems to achieve equitable economic advancement for all. 

Uniquely situated at the intersection of education and workforce, for nearly 40 years JFF has led the way in designing innovative and scalable solutions to ensure that all Americans have the skills, resources, and credentials they need to achieve economic advancement. JFF works with partners across the field to improve labor market outcomes for youth and adults—particularly for individuals who face barriers to economic mobility and populations that have been historically denied opportunity.  

JFF operates at the national, state, and local levels to bridge education, workforce, and policy within regions of all sizes. The organization employs a staff of more than 300 across the U.S., both fully remote and in offices in Boston (headquarters); Washington, DC; and Oakland, CA. With a $105 million operating budget, JFF is on a path of continued scale and impact. JFF has developed powerful partnerships and networks across the public, private and non-profit sectors and is funded by dozens of leading government agencies, foundations and corporations. JFF’s work is guided by a set of five strategic priority areas.  

Learn more about JFF and join us as we build a future that works.  

ABOUT THE CENTER FOR APPRENTICESHIP AND WORK-BASED LEARNING   

JFF is a leader in expanding apprenticeship and work-based learning to new industries and professions. JFF’s Center for Apprenticeship and Work-Based Learning (CAWBL) provides expert guidance and resources on effective approaches to apprenticeship and other forms of work-based learning that benefit businesses, students, and workers.  

Working with businesses, intermediaries, government agencies, secondary and post-secondary educational institutions, training providers, workforce boards, and more, the Center develops, scales, and promotes effective apprenticeship and work-based learning programs that work for a range of participants. By partnering with employers, government, educators, industry associations, and others, the Center works to transform policies and practices, build capacities, and drive behavior change in Registered Apprenticeship and emerging work-based learning systems to center on ensuring and delivering equitable and high-quality career opportunities. 

The Center for Apprenticeship and Work-Based Learning is one of the largest and most established programs within JFF’s portfolio. Over the last five years, the Center has: 

• Provided apprenticeship opportunities to more than 7,355 individuals, including Brandi Dunham, the first apprentice in the Industrial Manufacturing Technician Registered Apprenticeship program 
• Engaged with more than 2,400 employers and worked closely with 897 of them to start or grow Registered Apprenticeship programs, including working with a range of small, medium, and large employers, to establish both local and national programs 
• Created 172 tools, webinars, blogs, and other resources for the field, including JFF’s Framework for a High-Quality Pre-Apprenticeship Program that provides six characteristics for an effective and equitable program 
• Launched the National Innovation Hub on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in Registered Apprenticeship, a Department of Labor Center of Excellence that expands access to, and equitable outcomes within, Registered Apprenticeship opportunities 

ABOUT THE POSITION  

Following a period of exciting and unprecedented growth, JFF is strategically organizing both to scale its impact and to support the wellbeing of our staff. As a result, we've recently created several new positions and departments to build a solid foundation for growth in support of our mission to drive equitable economic advancement for all. The Vice President, Center for Apprenticeship and Work-Based Learning sits in a newly created Solutions Group, reporting to the Chief Solutions Officer (to be hired from a national search early in 2023). The VP oversees JFF’s longest standing Center and serves on JFF’s Executive Leadership Council.  

The VP leads JFF’s strategy and initiatives for increasing access to, and the quality of, apprenticeship and emerging work-based learning strategies that work for a wide range of participants in delivering equitable and high-quality career opportunities. They will develop and execute fundraising and business development strategies to secure resources from corporate, foundation, and government sources to build and scale programs. As an expert in apprenticeships and work-based learning models, workforce policy and systems, and leading public, private, and innovation-oriented actors in the field, the VP will influence national and state-level strategies, policies, infrastructure, and funding mechanisms to drive equitable outcomes and address systemic barriers to equality and opportunity. In addition to continuing the Center’s existing work, the new VP also has the opportunity to innovate and launch new initiatives to deepen impact. 

The Vice President leads a small team of changemakers in the Center for Apprenticeship and Work-Based Learning who are deep subject matter experts, responsible for generating ideas and solutions that drive impact in the field. The VP will provide thought partnership and vision-setting for their team in order to align the Center’s work with JFF’s theory of action and strategic priorities. As strategic leaders of the Center’s work, this team produces thought leadership that drives the national agenda and conversation, convenes stakeholders and actors to drive change, provides strategic support to partners, clients, and stakeholders, and oversees the execution of successful and impactful programs. Collectively, this team will work together to attract partnerships, funding, and other resources to fund their bold visions.  

The Center for Apprenticeship and Work-Based Learning team works closely with Solutions Design & Delivery teams to execute initiatives and projects aligned with the Center. They collaborate deeply with other JFF Practices and Centers as well as teams across JFF, including Strategic Engagements, the Policy & Advocacy team, JFFLabs, and more. The VP and other leaders in the Center will be supported by an Executive Assistant, as well as dedicated business partners from JFF’s People & Culture, Development, Finance, and Marketing & Communications teams. 

This is an exciting opportunity for a national leader in the field of workforce development to advance JFF’s leadership and impact in driving changes leading to more equitable outcomes for people and communities that have been systemically underserved.  

WHAT YOU’LL DO  

Program and Project Oversight:   

• Lead all major workstreams and bodies of work related to apprenticeships and work-based learning, either as a project sponsor and/or by directly running key projects and initiatives 
• Develop strong partnerships with the VP, Solutions Design & Delivery and other leaders within Solutions Design & Delivery to ensure strong, consistent, high-quality execution on project work  
• Develop content and design replicable solutions or frameworks
• In partnership with the Finance team, manage the performance of the team’s portfolio of projects and budgets
• Seek ways to integrate initiatives, foster connections and maximize synergies across JFF that leverage the broad expertise of our staff to achieve greater impact 

Field Leadership:   

• Evolve, refine, and position JFF’s point of view and theory of action for the Center, and its work around apprenticeships and work-based learning initiatives, within the broader ecosystem of players; design and build impactful programs, policies, and initiatives that drive equitable outcomes and address systemic barriers to opportunity 
• Provide organizational and national thought leadership on issues related to domains of expertise, including through speaking engagements at high-profile events, op-eds, publications, and social media; represent JFF on the national stage 
• Define the Center’s research agenda in collaboration with the Research & Analytics unit 
• Serve as a subject matter expert for strategic advising and program design to field partners and clients 

Strategic Relationship Management, Partnership Cultivation and Fundraising:   

• Cultivate and manage high-level relationships with external partners, funders and clients; design, build, and curate key networks within the sector in accordance with JFF’s overall network strategy 
• Successfully engage funders and strategic partners in the development and funding of new ideas and initiatives, with accountability for achieving annual business development goals for the Center and contributing to shared business development goals for the Solutions Group 
• Working closely with the Development team, lead the Center for Apprenticeship and Work-Based Learning team in raising funding, including proposal development, capture management from cultivation through award, and relationship management aligned to goals and priorities in JFF’s strategic and operational plans 

Organizational and Team Leadership:   

• As a key organizational leader, contribute to strategic planning and decision making for the Solutions Group, and for the organization, working with colleagues to continuously strengthen JFF’s performance and impact 
• Serve on JFF’s Executive Leadership Council, JFF’s senior leadership team, comprising the Executive Team, all Vice Presidents, and JFFLabs Managing Directors 
• Lead with equity and model inclusive leadership, stewarding a team culture that celebrates the diversity of each individual and ensures that each person has equal opportunity to thrive at JFF 

WHO YOU ARE 

• You are a field-recognized leader in apprenticeships and work-based learning with an appetite to drive national conversations and impact 
• You have demonstrated success as a thought leader with experience has presenting to, and contributing to written communications for, a diverse range of audiences 
• You have an established network of relationships with funders and partners important in the learn to work ecosystem 
• You excel in managing senior expert leaders, partnering with cross-functional teams, and collaborating with a diverse range of decision-makers; you bring a proven ability to motivate, inspire and mobilize staff to produce strong outcomes 
• You are skilled at designing and carrying out strategic advising, capacity building, and program design with and for partners, and coaching others to do so 
• You have a demonstrated ability to manage disparate and competing priorities with multiple timetables and deliverables, and to keep work on track and on budget 
• You have excellent written and verbal communication skills including the ability to synthesize and communicate complex issues to a variety of audiences in a variety of media and settings  
• You have been successful in raising funds from private, public, and government sources for new and continuing initiatives and are comfortable pitching ideas, shaping proposals, and developing budgets 
• You possess high energy and passion for JFF’s mission and the ability to apply JFF’s core values to all areas of your work 
• You model inclusive leadership, working effectively with colleagues from a diverse range of backgrounds, and building and stewarding an organizational culture that embraces diversity, equity, and inclusion 
• You build positive, effective, collaborative cultures and teams wherever you work 
• You are a curious and adaptive learner, with a willingness to take in new information, perspectives and data to inform your work  
• You demonstrate a growth mindset and a desire to continuously improve both personally and professionally; you are eager to build on past successes and open to trying new and innovative approaches to achieve impact in an evolving space. 
• You are able and willing to travel up to 30%.   

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at JFF:  

JFF is committed to sustaining a diverse community with a work environment that is welcoming, respectful, and encouraging to all. JFF fosters a culture of inclusion that celebrates and cultivates diversity along multiple dimensions, including race, ethnicity, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, national origin, socioeconomic status, religion, ability, culture, and experience. As part of our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, JFF strongly encourages people impacted by the criminal legal system to apply.   

COMPENSATION 

JFF offers a competitive salary and benefits package, commensurate with experience and skills.  

TO APPLY 

JFF is partnering with Korn Ferry to manage this search. As part of your application, please include your resume and a thoughtful cover letter, addressed to the Korn Ferry team, outlining how your skills and experience meet the qualifications of the position. Please apply directly to the posting on JFF's job board and also email your materials to the Korn Ferry team (divina.gamble@kornferry.com, cristina.fisher@kornferry.com, and traci.robinson@kornferry.com) for consideration. Any questions should also be sent to Divina, Cristina, and Traci.  

Positions at JFF are not eligible for employer-visa sponsorship or open to F-1 student visa holders. 

All JFF employees are required to be fully up to date on their vaccinations against COVID-19, unless a medical or religious exemption has been requested and a reasonable accommodation approved.