AttainmentNC Program Manager

Employment Type:

Full-time with comprehensive benefits package, grant-funded, term-limited (July 2028)

• Build and lead a monthly team of representatives from Wilson County Schools, Wilson Community College, Barton College, the Chamber of Commerce, and local employers.
• Ensure at least one employer plays a formal leadership role on that team.
• Represent this work within the broader countywide workforce partnership and connect with similar programs across the state.

• Carry out and continually improve Wilson County's Attainment NC plan for career-connected learning, with an initial focus on advanced manufacturing and life sciences.
• Support both the program's identified focus population (low-income high school students and postsecondary students)
• Connect high school career and technical pathways to college credential and degree programs.

• Maintain a shared, up-to-date inventory of internship, apprenticeship, and job-shadowing opportunities with local employers, and make it directly accessible to students, families, and educators.
• Manage a countywide referral and opportunity-routing process to ensure students, employers, and partners are connected to the appropriate institution, program, or service.
• Serve as a central point of connection for employer partners, identifying and routing inquiries to the appropriate contact at Wilson Community College, Barton College, or Wilson County Schools; maintain a designated point of contact at each partner institution to keep referrals clear and consistent.
• Connect learners' existing career development plans and CTE pathways to employer-connected experiences, credentials, and postsecondary programs at Wilson Community College and Barton College.
• Lead outreach across local education institutions and refer learners to advising, FAFSA, and other support services delivered directly by education and community partners.

• Track outcomes (job placements, credentials earned, employment, and financial-aid completion, etc.).
• Serve as the primary liaison to Attainment NC and myFutureNC, coordinating communication, reporting, and performance metrics.
• Prepare regular progress reports for the state program and the collaborative's leadership.
• Maintain a shared dashboard so partners can track progress together.
• Ability to bring senior leaders together across different institutions and sectors.
• Comfort acting as a neutral coordinator.
• Strong relationship-building and consensus-building skills.
• Professionalism and follow-through.

• Experience in education, workforce development, or economic development.
• A track record of managing partnerships across multiple organizations.
• Experience with community-based or place-based initiatives.
• Familiarity with Wilson County or eastern North Carolina.
• Candidate must live in Wilson County, NC.
• Strong project management and organizational skills.
• Excellent communication and facilitation abilities.
• Comfort working in a collaborative, non-hierarchical environment.
• Good judgment and adaptability.

• This position is grant-funded and administered by Wilson Forward, a local nonprofit.
• The role is full-time and with guaranteed funding support until July 2028
• Continuation beyond that period depends on evidence of successful outcomes and additional funding.