Chief Executive Officer

For over 25 years, the Spokane Workforce Council (SWC) has played a key role in guiding the region’s workforce and economic development. Originally established as a city department in the 1990s and evolving into a private‑sector‑led Local Workforce Board in 1998, the SWC transitioned into a governmental nonprofit organization in 2013. Today, the SWC is a mission‑driven leader dedicated to elevating local workforce efforts through critical insights, researched guidance, innovative funding, and strategic partnerships.

Last year, SWC invested more than $12M into local job seekers, employers, and the regional economy.

Our work is centered on the vision of a flourishing Spokane, a goal we achieve by managing our current annual budget of approximately $6.7M and a dedicated team of 10 professionals. This team operates across our specialized Work Source Spokane One‑Stop Campus, which serves as the heart of regional development and engaged 9,470 job seekers this past year. Our campus integrates three core service pillars:

• Work Source Spokane: Our hub for career matching provided over 6,500 services to more than 1,400 businesses in our community last year.
• Talent Solutions Center: Empowering business success through innovation and connection, including hosting hiring events attended by over 2,500 job seekers.
• Next Generation Zone: The area’s only career center for young adults, which supported 374 individuals last year and celebrated 195 GED graduates.

Through our dedicated community partnerships, we bridge the gap between jobseekers and employers. By modernizing the workforce system and integrating diverse services, SWC continues to build a stronger, more resilient community for all.

Recognized as one of the most innovative and well‑run workforce boards in the state of Washington, SWC operates with a culture of high trust, high accountability, and intentional autonomy. As we transition into a new chapter following the 20‑year legacy of former CEO Mark Mattke, whose transformative leadership built our reputation as a national model for workforce innovation, we remain anchored by a highly skilled senior leadership team and a deeply committed 26‑member Board of Directors.

Our team thrives in a family‑friendly workplace where they are given the freedom to perform their roles at a high level. We believe in empowering our team with the autonomy to innovate, balanced by a strong commitment to visibility and results. As stewards of public funds, we lead with data‑driven decision‑making and a steadfast dedication to transparency. At SWC, you are joining a professional, mission‑driven team that values your expertise and shares a common goal: building a more resilient Spokane.

• Salary – $150,000 - $178,000 DOE/Neg.
• Medical, dental, and life insurance, and long‑term disability per the plans offered through the Washington State Health Care Authority
• Retirement:
  Enrollment in the WA State PERS Employee Retirement System (PERS2 or
  3)
• PTO: 15 paid days off, accrued at 10 hours per month
• Sick Days: 12 paid sick days in year one (8 hours accrued each month starting month 13)
• Holidays: 10 paid holidays, 4 floating holidays, and 1 community service day each calendar year
• Monthly cell phone stipend

This is a hybrid role with an office located at 140 S Arthur St., Suite 300A, Spokane, WA 99202. SWC staff currently have the option on Fridays to work from home when circumstances do not necessitate presence in the office.

The CEO is a highly influential, public‑facing leader who serves as the strategic visionary for the Spokane workforce development system. Representing Spokane and SWC on local, state, and national levels, the CEO acts as the region’s primary convener, building high‑level alliances with business leaders, educational institutions, and government officials to cultivate a competitive workforce advantage.

Reporting to the Board of Directors, the CEO is responsible for the integrity and success of the entire workforce system, ensuring strict compliance with the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) while aggressively driving the diversification…