Career Pathways Coordinator

General Description

The Community Development Division is looking to hire an Employment and Career Pathways Coordinator
This position has a strong employment and career development focus centered on supporting programming and services for youth, young adults, and adults across the City of Madison. The employee will support, coordinate, and monitor community-based employment and career development programs designed to help residents build skills, access meaningful employment opportunities, increase economic stability, and achieve long-term career growth. This includes programming related to workforce readiness, career exploration, job training, financial empowerment, mentoring, internships, and employment supports for individuals facing barriers to employment.

This role also works closely with community partners and other interested parties to support a coordinated continuum of employment and career development services across the city. Responsibilities include building and maintaining collaborative relationships with funded agencies, monitoring contract performance and program outcomes, supporting innovative and responsive workforce strategies, and helping ensure programs remain community-centered, accessible, and aligned with resident and employer needs.

The position values approaches that promote economic mobility, self-sufficiency, community connection, and equitable access to opportunity for residents across the lifespan.

This series is structured to provide advancement from a Community Development Specialist (CDS) 1 to a CDS 2, as a function of the employee’s career development, but generally within 2 years of starting employment as a CDS 1. Progression to a CDS 3 or CDS 4 is dependent upon the employee taking on more complex assignments, additional duties and responsibilities including having attained an advanced level of expertise and the needs of the department.

CDS 3 and CDS 4 positions will occur through competition or a position study process.

Employees may be eligible for loan forgiveness through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.

Black, Indigenous, people of color, women, trans, nonbinary, and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply. We value the unique blend of lived experiences and diverse perspectives that comes from non-traditional education pathways and the variety of transferrable skills each candidate brings to the table. We value diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. Even if every item on the job posting doesn’t match your experience perfectly, we encourage you to apply and share how your skills and experience can best serve our community.

Negotiate, prepare, manage and monitor contracts with community-based organizations awarded funding. Review reimbursement requests for eligibility, consistency with budget and readiness for payment. Monitor project budgets and expenditures. Review status reports for timeliness, completeness, and content. Maintain good communication with agencies and provide assistance to help understand and comply with contract requirements, resolve problems, facilitate partnerships and complete contract goals and outcomes.
Work with employment and career development service providers to support implementation of workforce development programming grounded in equity, accessibility, economic mobility, and culturally responsive practice. Monitor employment and career development agencies for alignment with City expectations related to program quality, equity, accessibility, participant outcomes, and effective service delivery for youth, young adults, and adults. Provide assistance related to employment program design, workforce readiness strategies, participant engagement and retention, career pathway development, financial empowerment services, partnerships with employers and training providers, and program evaluation.
Support and strengthen multigenerational approaches to employment and career development programming that recognize the unique strengths, needs, and contributions of youth, young adults, adults, and older adults.