Manager, Workforce Development

Manager, Workforce Development

Organization: John Howard Society of Victoria

Location: In Person, Victoria, BC

Job Type: Full-time, Permanent

Work hours: 40 hours a week, Mon - Fri, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm

Lead Workforce Development. Drive Results. Create Community Impact

John Howard Society of Victoria is seeking a passionate, innovative, and results-driven Manager, Workforce Development to lead our employment and workforce development services.

This is an exciting opportunity for a proven leader who thrives in a fast-paced environment and is motivated by creating measurable employment outcomes for individuals facing barriers to employment. Reporting to senior leadership, you will provide operational oversight, lead a high-performing team, strengthen employer and community partnerships, and ensure programs consistently achieve contractual deliverables and participant success outcomes.

If you are a strategic thinker with strong operational leadership skills and a passion for helping people achieve sustainable employment, we want to hear from you.

About John Howard Society of Victoria

John Howard Society of Victoria is a fast paced growing, dynamic and innovative social service organization that strives to create safe, healthy, and inclusive communities for all. Our goal is to help individuals achieve greater independence by providing support with housing, life-skills, education, employment, and community-based services.

At John Howard Society of Victoria we come from various backgrounds and share a common goal of wanting to make things better in our community, for our community. We believe in creating a dynamic work environment that adapts to your needs.

What We Offer

Annual Salary of $76,000 determined based on a variety of factors, including pay equity, market conditions, candidate experience, internal equity, and organizational priorities. In addition to a competitive wage based on experience and qualifications, JHSV offers:

• Municipal Pension Plan

• Extended Health and Dental Coverage

• Disability and Life Insurance

• Employee and Family Assistance Program

• Paid Vacation and Time Off

• Employee Engagement Activities

• Professional Development Opportunities

• A Supportive and Collaborative Work Environment

About the Job

We is seeking a passionate, results-driven, and innovative Manager, Workforce Development to provide operational leadership and performance oversight for JHS employment and workforce development programs in a fast paced and dynamic environment. This is a highly accountable, results-focused leadership role responsible for translating departmental priorities into effective day-to-day operations, ensuring contractual targets and performance indicators are achieved, and maintaining high standards of service delivery.

The Manager monitors program performance and data, identifies risks and areas requiring improvement, and implements timely operational strategies and corrective actions to strengthen participant outcomes. The Manager leads and develops a high-performing employment team, strengthens employer and community partnerships, drives innovation and continuous quality improvement, and ensures programs consistently meet or exceed contractual deliverables and performance indicators. Success in this role is demonstrated through consistently achieving contractual targets and strengthening employment placement and retention outcomes. The Manager builds productive employer partnerships, develops a high-performing and accountable team, and maintains high standards of program quality and compliance. They continuously identify and implement measurable improvements that strengthen program performance and sustainability. The position is in-person with no opportunities to work remotely.

What You'll Do

Contract Performance and Outcomes (30%)

• Monitor employment programs to ensure contractual performance measures, participant outcomes, and funder expectations are consistently achieved or exceeded.

• Monitor weekly, monthly, and contractual key performance indicators, including participant engagement, employment placements, retention, and other required outcomes.

• Drive participant progression from intake through program completion and into employment, ensuring enrolment, completion, employment placement, and retention targets are consistently achieved or exceeded.

• Ensure accurate and timely monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, annual, and ad hoc reporting to funders and organizational leadership.

• Support program sustainability through effective contract management, proactive performance monitoring, and timely response to identified performance risks.

Program Implementation and Daily Operations (25%)

• Oversee the day-to-day implementation and delivery of employment programs, ensuring services are structured, responsive, efficient, and aligned with organizational priorities, employer needs, and current labour market demands.

• Translate departmental priorities and program objectives into clear operational plans, workflows, staff responsibilities, and measurable deliverables.

• Designing and maintaining effective and inclusive employment programs that support participants in achieving meaningful and sustainable employment outcomes.

• Coordinate staffing, scheduling, training, participant flow, resources, and other operational requirements necessary for effective program delivery.

• Implement and enhance program processes, curricula, tools, resources, and service delivery practices in response to operational needs, labour market trends, and established program priorities.

• Collaborate across JHS programs to strengthen internal referrals, coordinated service delivery, and participant access to appropriate supports.

Leadership and Team Performance (15%)

• Develop and lead a high-performing, accountable workforce development team while fostering a collaborative and results-focused team culture.

• Establish clear individual and team expectations to achieve measurable outcomes aligned with contractual targets, program objectives, service standards, and organizational expectations.

• Coordinate and execute recruitment, selection, onboarding, orientation, employee evaluations, and other staffing processes in collaboration with Human Resources and senior leadership.

• Provide day-to-day supervision and direction to employees in accordance with organizational policies and procedures.

• Monitor staff performance, productivity, and outcomes through regular performance evaluations, providing ongoing coaching, feedback, and performance management to support employee development and address performance gaps.

Financial and Resource Management (10%)

• Monitor program budgets and expenditures to ensure alignment with approved allocations, funding agreements, and organizational requirements.

• Review and approve program expenditures within delegated authority and ensure appropriate financial documentation is maintained.

• Monitor financial performance, identify budget variances, and recommend or implement operational adjustments as appropriate.

• Support budget development, financial reporting, and funding-related requirements in collaboration with senior leadership and Finance.

• Identify and support the development of new funding opportunities and proposals that strengthen program sustainability and expand service capacity, in alignment with the strategic plan and labour market needs.

Quality Assurance, Compliance, & Risk Monitoring (10%)

• Monitor and evaluate program effectiveness through performance data, participant and employer outcomes, service trends, and stakeholder feedback to identify strengths, gaps, and opportunities to improve program delivery and outcomes.

• Lead continuous quality improvement by identifying improvement priorities, establishing action plans, monitoring progress, and evaluating the effectiveness of changes implemented.

• Monitor program delivery, documentation, reporting, and operational practices to ensure compliance with funding agreements, accreditation standards, organizational policies, and established service standards.

• Support program audits, and provide corrective action processes and recommendations to senior leadership as required.

• Maintain effective risk management practices by proactively identifying, assessing, mitigating, and escalating program risks as appropriate.

Job Development & Partnerships (10%)

• Execute the implementation of employer engagement strategies to build relationships and create sustainable employment opportunities for program participants.

• Expand employment placement opportunities through targeted employer engagement, relationship development, and identification of opportunities aligned with participant and labour market needs.

• Promote employment programs to employers, including the benefits of hiring program participants and accessing available supports such as wage subsidies.

• Support the development of hiring initiatives such as employer information sessions, hiring events, and job fairs to expand employment opportunities for participants.

• Build and maintain effective working relationships with community agencies, educational and training providers, government stakeholders, referral partners, and other organizations that support participant employment outcomes.

• Identify emerging community, industry, and labour market needs and communicate opportunities, risks, and recommendations to senior leadership.

• Support the implementation of partnership and program initiatives established through departmental and organizational planning.

• Represent the Society at relevant community tables, industry events, networks, and stakeholder meetings.

Perform other duties and projects as required and not limited to the responsibilities as mentioned.

*The assigned percentage of job responsibilities may vary based on organizational and operational priorities.

What We’re Looking For:

Must have Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Human Services, Social Sciences, Business Administration, Human Resources, Workforce Development, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.

• Minimum of 5 years of progressive experience in employment services, workforce development, program management, or a related field, including demonstrated leadership and people management experience.

• Demonstrated experience managing outcome-based programs with responsibility for contractual targets, key performance indicators, and measurable participant outcomes.

• Experience developing employer, industry, community, and/or government partnerships that support employment and workforce outcomes.

• Experience delivering or overseeing employment services for individuals facing barriers to employment.

• Experience with program budgets, financial monitoring, funding agreements, and grant or proposal development.

• Proficient in verbal and written English at a professional level, with excellent communication and interpersonal abilities.

• High proficiency in MS Office Suite (Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Outlook, SharePoint).

• Valid BC Class 5 Driver’s License and access to a reliable vehicle.

• Ability to successfully complete a Criminal Record Check

Skills and Competencies:

• Results-oriented leadership with a demonstrated ability to drive measurable program, participant, and employment outcomes.

• Demonstrated people leadership and performance management skills, with the ability to establish clear expectations, coach and develop employees, address performance gaps, and foster an accountable, high-performing team culture.

• Operational management expertise, with the ability to translate priorities into clear plans, workflows, deliverables, and staff accountabilities.

• Strong understanding of quality assurance, continuous quality improvement, contractual compliance, and risk management.

• High degree of professionalism, integrity, discretion, and accountability when managing confidential or sensitive information.

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build collaborative relationships with staff, participants, employers, funders, government representatives, and community partners.

• Adaptable and resilient, with the ability to lead effectively and maintain accountability in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.

• Demonstrated sound judgment and problem-solving abilities, with the capacity to make timely decisions, manage competing priorities, and escalate significant risks appropriately.

• Understanding of person-centred and trauma-informed practices, with the ability to support inclusive service delivery that recognizes individual strengths, needs, barriers, and goals.

Creating Safe, Healthy and Inclusive Communities at JHS Victoria:

At John Howard Society of Victoria, we proudly embrace the rich diversity of the communities we serve, and we’re excited to invite applicants from all backgrounds to join our team! We understand that everyone’s journey is different, and we are committed to providing the support needed to ensure equal opportunities for success throughout the hiring process. John Howard Society of Victoria will provide reasonable accommodation upon request. Please email [email protected] if you have a need for any accommodation. We’re here to help!

Ready to Make a Positive Impact?

If you’re passionate about making a positive impact in people’s lives and meet the qualifications for this role, we’d love to hear from you!

Please submit your application through our portal. We’ll be reviewing applications on an ongoing basis until the position is filled. So don’t wait—apply today and take the next step in your journey with us!