Director of Workplace Development Policy

OPPORTUNITY

National 501c4, the BlueGreen Alliance (BGA) seeks strategic professional for the Director of Workforce Development Policy position at our Washington D.C. office. This is a full-time, exempt, management position that requires two days per week in office.

ORGANIZATION

The BlueGreen Alliance (BGA) is a powerful and unified voice for building an economy that addresses climate change, protects the health of people and the environment, eliminates income and racial disparities, and creates and maintains good-paying, union jobs in communities across the country. BGA brings together labor unions and environmental organizations—representing millions of members and supporters—around a shared agenda and enacts change by advocating at the state and federal level; providing education and engaging union members and environmentalists; and communicating the benefits of this shared agenda for working people, their families, and their communities. As a hybrid remote organization with offices in Minneapolis and Washington D.C., BGA strives to build a positive, supportive, and inclusive culture of cohesive teams collaborating across the United States.

JOB SUMMARY

The Director of Workforce Development Policy (DWD) will lead BGA’s Workforce Development program to advance BGA’s mission to build a high-road clean energy economy by supporting accessible and inclusive workforce pathways into union registered apprenticeship and union-affiliated training programs that prepare workers for jobs and careers in the clean economy. Reporting to the Vice President of Federal Affairs, the DWD works across the organization and with BGA’s labor partners and allies to develop, advocate for, and win workforce development policies as well as embed demand-side levers to ensure investments lead to high-road outcomes. The successful candidate will reside in the D.C. area and have deep knowledge of workforce development and high-road employment policy at federal and state levels, demonstrated success working within or leading broad coalitions, strong government agency relationship management experience, excellent people management skills, a passion for strengthening the labor and environmental movements, and a deep commitment to racial and economic justice.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategize with BGA’s coalition members and federal policymakers to develop, advance or reauthorize existing federal workforce development policies and to defend against Executive Branch efforts to defund and weaken existing workforce development programs, including Registered Apprenticeship programs;
• Work with BGA’s national partners and regional and state affiliates that have workforce education resources to lift up best practices and identify and collaborate as needed on workforce polices and strategies that increase their impact;
• Work in the nine states where BGA has state tables and staff to support state-level and regional public investment in workforce training and related supports tied to clean energy, manufacturing and climate-aligned jobs and careers;
• Develop state-level policy that ties high-road workforce standards to state investments in public infrastructure and clean technologies, and create new capacity and rules in states that reinforce or improve upon federal labor standards on remaining clean energy tax credits;
• Advance BGA priorities by attending Congressional hearings and meetings with members of Congress and federal agencies, and conducting in-person education and outreach to key officials and regulators in Washington, D.C.;
• Support regional workforce intermediary strategies that convene partnerships, match-make between stakeholders, and drive high-road workforce outcomes. This will include aiding efforts to develop relationships between companies, developers and contractors and union registered apprenticeship programs to meet federal tax credit apprenticeship standards as well as place-based efforts by labor and aligned groups to convene sectoral partnerships, create or expand pre-apprenticeship to registered apprenticeship workforce pipelines, and pursue related strategies that connect workers to high-quality union jobs;
• Work with the Vice President of Development and development staff to secure additional funding for the Workforce Development program;
• Supervise federal policy staff as needed; and
• Other duties as required.

SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS

• A minimum of 7 years of progressively responsible experience in workforce development policy, including a record of advancing policy advocacy campaigns and influencing legislative or regulatory outcomes;
• Demonstrated success leading or strategizing within broad, cross-sector coalitions of labor unions, community organizations, environmental advocates, and industry partners;
• Strong relationship and consensus-building skills with lawmakers, labor partners, workforce boards, philanthropy, and government agencies;
• Familiarity with major clean energy and infrastructure investments (e.g., IRA, IIJA), and federal and state programs that support workforce development and career/technical education;
• Proven leadership and organizational abilities, including experience managing complex, multi-region projects and supervising staff, consultants, and regional partners;
• Exceptional written, verbal, and presentation skills, with the ability to communicate complex policy issues clearly to diverse audiences;
• Experience with policies and strategies that support inclusive, equity-centered workforce programs that expand access for marginalized workers;
• Ability to travel nationally up to 25% of the time, including occasional evenings and weekends for partner convenings and campaign events;
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize equity, inclusion, and belonging in your role; and
• A deep commitment to the mission of the BlueGreen Alliance.

COMPENSATION

A compensation package including competitive salary with annual COLA increases and 100% employer-funded benefits is available.

Salary

The salary range is $125,000 - $140,000 annually, exempt. BGA utilizes salary bands to ensure pay equity and transparency. Final salary within the salary range will be based on experience level and qualifications.

Benefits

We equip all our staff members to live well-rounded, healthy lives. BGA continues to pride itself on industry-leading, family-friendly offerings for individuals and families of all compositions.

• 100% employer paid medical, dental, and vision for employees and family
• 100% employer paid Life, Short-Term, and Long-Term Insurance for employee
• 4% 401K company contribution with no match required with a ROTH option
• 15 days of vacation time and 10 days of wellness time per year to start
• 18 paid holidays per year (per union contract)
• $125 monthly internet and cell phone allowance
• 12 weeks of paid parental leave
• Access to Healthcare Savings and Dependent Care FSA's

How to Apply: Apply online here. Applications will be reviewed as received. Position open until filled. Women and people of color are encouraged to apply. Contact aclark@bluegreenalliance.org with any questions or accommodation requests.

BlueGreen Alliance welcomes people from all backgrounds and walks of life. BGA is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing equal opportunity for all employees and applicants. BGA administers all personnel actions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sex stereotyping, pregnancy, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, mental or physical disability, ancestry, medical condition, marital status, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, or any other status protected by applicable law.

We will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

We are an E-Verify company.

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