Chief of Workforce Innovation and Readiness

At the State of Ohio, we take care of the team that cares for Ohioans. We provide a variety of quality, competitive benefits to eligible full-time and part-time employees*. For a list of all the State of Ohio Benefits, visit our Total Rewards website! Our benefits package includes:

Medical Coverage

Free Dental, Vision and Basic Life Insurance premiums after completion of eligibility period

Paid time off, including vacation, personal, sick leave and 11 paid holidays per year

Childbirth, Adoption, and Foster Care leave

Education and Development Opportunities (Employee Development Funds, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, and more)

Public Retirement Systems (such as OPERS, STRS, SERS, and HPRS) & Optional Deferred Compensation (Ohio Deferred Compensation)

*Benefits eligibility is dependent on a number of factors. The Agency Contact listed above will be able to provide specific benefits information for this position.

The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce is a diverse team of passionate, education-focused professionals responsible for overseeing and enhancing the quality of education for each of Ohio’s 1.7 million students. The Department provides the resources and supports essential to raising student achievement and accelerating learning opportunities, advancing the connectivity between K-12 and postsecondary learning, creating programs to support and expand workforce experiences, and ensuring students have the necessary supports to be ready each day to learn.

As the governing body responsible for overseeing and enhancing the quality of education within the State of Ohio, the Department of Education and Workforce is dedicated to promoting educational excellence and ensuring equal access to learning opportunities for all students. The Department is committed to collaborating with schools, districts, educators, students, families, businesses, nonprofits and all stakeholders to achieve our educational goals.

Under the direction of the Deputy Director of the Division of Career Technical Education and Workforce Readiness, oversees the Workforce Readiness Section, providing leadership and support for schools and districts:

· Implements agency and division workforce readiness priorities;

· Advises agency leadership on workforce readiness strategies, informed by the efforts of other states and research nationally;

· Supports major agency initiatives and policies as they arise;

· Assists in development of agency policy and legislative initiatives;

· Collaborates with other agency offices to ensure alignment of programmatic initiatives (e.g., academic standards, school improvement, accountability) and effective implementation;

· Ensures offices are supported by operational units (e.g., legal, communications, accounting);

· Ensures integration of workforce readiness into initiatives managed by other sections;

· Leads section communications strategy;

· Works with Deputy Director on policy development and stakeholder engagement:

o Working with internal and external stakeholders, provides input to education policies;

o Reviews and approves rule development, and interprets state and federal law (e.g., policies specific to programs, subgroups of students or issues);

· Provides management, leadership, and direction to the section offices;

· Facilitates coordination of program and research/evaluation initiatives;

· Monitors and evaluates work toward accomplishing section goals, strategies and performance measures;

· Represents senior leadership at meetings or functions;

· Conducts continuing studies of center/office practices and recommends improvements as necessary;

· Formulates biennial budget and section/office budgets and ensures alignment with agency goals;

· Monitors project timelines and ensures project completion;

· Communicates with stakeholders and obtains perspectives of agency work and progress;

· Reviews research reports, federal reports specific to legislation, and reports created in response to requests from the Governor or Legislature;

· Researches national trends and thinking (e.g., evidence-based practices, implications);

· Ensures processes are aligned with goals of agency (e.g., policy development, work-flow, and communications);

· Collaborates with administrative personnel in other sections to integrate the planning and implementation of state education policy and programs.

Works with senior leadership to build a strong staff ensuring the competencies needed to support section strategic initiatives:

· Works with section Administrators to ensure the climate and culture of center represents a healthy and productive workplace;

· Works with center Administrators to identify professional development/training needs of center staff;

· Manages cross-office initiatives;

· Conducts performance evaluations of staff.

The work location of this position is 25 South Front Street, Columbus, Ohio 43215. You will be required to report to this work location full-time, if selected.

If this position is filled with an internal employee who has an approved telework agreement, the employee may be required to report in-person during the initial training period.

Experience in public administration, education, workforce development, or economic development.

Proven ability to manage enterprise-level initiatives, align complex organizations, and lead through influence and collaboration.

Excellent communication, facilitation, and political navigation skills.

Demonstrated understanding of the workforce readiness policy landscape.

Ohio is a Disability Inclusion State and strives to be a model employer of individuals with disabilities. The State of Ohio is committed to providing access and inclusion and reasonable accommodation in its services, activities, programs and employment opportunities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other applicable laws.

The State of Ohio is a drug-free workplace which prohibits the use of marijuana (recreational marijuana/non-medical cannabis). Please note, this position may be subject to additional restrictions pursuant to the State of Ohio Drug-Free Workplace Policy (HR-39), and as outlined in the posting.

The final candidate selected for this position will be required to undergo a criminal background check as well as other investigative reviews. Criminal convictions do not necessarily preclude an applicant from consideration for a position, unless restricted under state or federal law or federal restrictions. An individual assessment of an applicant's prior criminal convictions will be made before excluding an applicant from consideration.

The final applicant for this position will be required to submit urinalysis to test for illegal drug use prior to an appointment. The State will decline to extend a final offer of employment to any applicant with a verified positive test result. Also, an applicant with a positive test result will not be considered for any position with the State of Ohio for a period of one year.

The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer that values diversity and seeks talented individuals from diverse backgrounds. Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status or any other legally protected class. Questions or concerns about this should be directed to the Office of Human Resources ().