Manager, Workforce Development (Trades) (2025-458-CP)

Competition #2025-458-CP

Manager, Workforce Development (Trades) (2025-458-CP)

Employment Type:

Permanent Full-Time, Non-Bargaining Unit

Work Hours:

35 hours/week (M-F 9am-5pm)

Work Setting:

Onsite – Limited opportunities to work remotely

Salary:

$70,000 - $75,000

Application Deadline:

October 20, 2025 by 11:59 pm

Program Overview – Workforce Development, Community Programs

The Manager, Workforce Development (Trades), ensures service delivery excellence and target achievement across a dynamic portfolio of projects involving skills development and employment initiatives in the trades. Current projects include a Construction Project Management Bridging Program for Internationally Trained Individuals; a Building Code Official Ontario Bridging program; Construction Union Pathway Program; a Plumbing Pre-Apprenticeship Program as well as a CNC/Precision Machining program for women. Many programs are in collaboration with George Brown College. The manager will also be a driving force in business development, employer engagement and partner development.

The Manager directly leads a team of front-line service delivery staff. The Manager continuously improves service delivery and ensures an efficient approach to leveraging functional skill sets. The Manager collaborates effectively with functional leads (e.g. training and mentorship) and other project/program leads (e.g. Employment Services, WoodGreen Foundation) as well as employer and community partners to achieve organization objectives and best meet client needs.

The Manager demonstrates strong leadership, respect, and a collaborative approach that encourages a positive and productive environment for team members to thrive.

What You Will Do

• Ensures the successful management and delivery of multiple projects to meet all objectives and targets.
• Leads project teams and delivers specific project outcomes. Prepares workplans, supervise front-line staff, coordinates resources, implements project activities, fulfils data and documentation requirements, resolves issues, evaluates and improves performance, etc.
• Sources and allocates resources needed to deliver projects successfully including staff and volunteers, materials and supplies, equipment and tools, purchases of services from vendors and contributions from employers and community partners.
• Collaborates with internal and external stakeholders to achieve excellence in employer engagement. Contributes to development of a common employer engagement model. Coordinates with the WoodGreen Foundation, Employment Services and other teams that must effectively manage employer relationships to optimize the employer experience and positive client outcomes.
• Builds and manages strong, healthy and productive relationships with vendors and partners involved in Workforce Development projects.
• Collaborates with functional area leaders (e.g. training and assessments, mentorship, volunteer management, marketing, research/evaluation, etc.) to obtain resources, strategize/plan projects, create a positive and smoothly run work environment for staff, develop and innovate best practices, etc.
• Contributes to funding applications as requested by Senior Manager, with activities such as project/service ideation, establishing objectives, developing strategies and plans, designing new programs, creating budgets and preparing written submissions.
• Develops and implements marketing and communication plans for projects under their leadership.
• Provides coaching, training, and support to direct reports to address individual performance success and career growth within WoodGreen.
• Ensures annual performance reviews are completed for both direct and indirect reports in a manner that recognizes each individual’s strengths and areas for development. Creates individualized learning and development plans to grow internal talent.
• Responsible for staffing of assigned programs including recommending staffing model, recruiting, recommending candidate for hire, and working with the supervisor team to orient and train new employees.
• Identifies, coordinates and facilitates staff training opportunities to ensure that staff have skills to meet the current and future expectations of their role.
• Creates a work environment that embraces innovation and excellence amongst staff.
• Fosters a collaborative and cooperative team environment within program and unit and across the agency.
• Represents the Unit on internal or external committees as directed by the Senior Manager.
• Ensures the anti-racism objectives and community development principles of the organization are achieved within the programs
• Performs other related duties as required from time to time.

What You Bring to the Team

• Bachelor Degree in relevant discipline (preferred).
• Minimum 2 years’ supervisory, preferably within a unionized/community services sector.
• Proven ability to manage multiple projects, ideally in a client-focused, service delivery environment, with attainment of target outcomes.
• Experienced leading a team with varying roles, skills and experience.
• Demonstrated ability to implement policies, procedures and business systems to meet operational outcomes.
• Knowledge and experience working in the trades, trades-related programming or other exposures/knowledge of trades.

What Will Set You Apart

• Established relationships with various business sectors and partnership relationships with employers in the trades a strong plus.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills with a track record of effectively managing and mediating conflict.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with community partners and stakeholders.
• Demonstrated problem-solving, analytical, and decision making skills.
• Experience with data management, with the ability to monitor data quality, analyze data through reporting, and interpret the result to inform program development recommendations.
• A solid understanding of trends, issues and services within the career and employment sector, with knowledge of strategies to integrate vulnerable population in the labour market.
• Able to manage and engage staff in an outcome-based environment.
• Able to work as part of integrated management team in which you are responsible for both team and personal results.
• Demonstrated ability to support a culturally diverse staff team.
• Capable of overseeing services to a vulnerable and traditionally marginalized populations.