About Ground Up
Ground Up PDX is a quickly growing nut butter company that employs women overcoming adversity to provide them with job skills and training to get back on their feet. We produce peanut-free, honey-sweetened nut butters in flavors such as Cinnamon Snickerdoodle and Coconut Cardamom with chia seeds. Our products are sold in New Seasons, Whole Foods, Fred Meyer, Target and other PNW retailers, along with significant business through ecommerce.
Job Opportunity
We are looking for a leader who is passionate about empowering women and believes in the power of second chances, to support our trainees to become more equipped to re-enter the workforce and reach their goals. This role offers an exciting opportunity to enhance the systems that support trainees on their path to professional success.
The Workforce Development Manager will improve and maintain the structure of Ground Up’s job training program by facilitating the recruiting and onboarding of participants, collecting and managing participant data to monitor progress and outcomes, and providing one-on-one and group professional support. They will also regularly lead team-building initiatives to foster a supportive and collaborative environment.
Additionally, the Workforce Development Manager will play a key role in strengthening partnerships with nonprofit and for-profit employers to expand job placement opportunities for trainees. While this position does not include direct supervision of staff, it offers significant opportunities to design and implement program improvements that will have a lasting impact on Ground Up’s workforce initiatives.
Location
Ground Up HQ
657 SE Yamhill St. Portland, OR
Type of Position: Exempt, Full-time
Wage Range: $55,000-$60,000
Benefits: Paid Holidays, PTO Accrual, Healthcare Reimbursement
Schedule: Varied shifts during Ground Up’s operating hours, typically weekdays between 7:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. A four-day work week is in place for most of the year, with a five-day schedule from September to December.
Responsibilities include:
Program Design & Improvement (or Workforce Development Strategy)
- Enhance and maintain the structure of Ground Up’s job training program to ensure long-term sustainability and success.
- Create and implement systems to track participant progress from recruitment through graduation and job placement.
- Design processes for monitoring program outcomes and ensuring continuous improvement, including feedback loops from trainees and partners.
- Develop new tools and resources to better support trainee success.
Participant Recruitment & Onboarding
- Lead the recruitment process and diversity-driven hiring for job training participants, including outreach to community partners and potential participants.
- Oversee the onboarding process, ensuring new trainees have a clear understanding of Ground Up program expectations and available support.
- Coordinate orientations and initial training sessions to set participants up for success.
- Collaborate with our operations team to ensure we maintain a strong pipeline of training program candidates and are proactively hiring to meet business needs
- Support with HR administration in our HR management platform, Gusto, in the areas of recruiting, onboarding, and documentation.
Participant Support & Coaching (or Employee Support)
- Provide one-on-one coaching to participants, supporting them in achieving their professional goals that help them transition towards after completion of Ground Up's training program.
- Facilitate group workshops and team-building activities focused on professional development.
- Meet weekly with participants’ supervisors to connect on support needed for their professional development
- Provide resources as needed for trainees to reach towards their goals (e.g. resume building, mentor connections, job shadowing)
- Support participants in job related skill building such as navigating a time-keeping app, setting up a bank account, and navigating various platforms online
- Spend time in the production and warehouse environment for a deeper understanding of participant expectations
- Track individual-level and group-level participant progress and provide regular feedback and resources to help trainees stay on track toward graduation.
Partnership Management
- Connect with advocates / case managers at our partner organizations to support current training program employees
- Build and maintain relationships with both nonprofit partners (for participant referrals and wraparound services) and for-profit employment partners (for job placements and internships).
- Collaborate with employers to understand their hiring needs and ensure the program aligns with those needs.
- Identify new partnership opportunities to expand job placement options for graduates.
Data Collection & Reporting
- Collect, track, and manage participant data, including attendance, progress, and outcomes.
- Create reports to share program impact with leadership, partners, and funders.
- Use data insights to continuously improve program effectiveness and participant success rates.
Team Collaboration & Culture Building
- Lead team-building activities to foster a supportive and inclusive environment for trainees, such as celebrating milestones and organizing team lunches.
- Work collaboratively with other Ground Up team members to ensure the job training program integrates well with overall organizational goals.
- Support Ground Up’s mission to empower women and provide second chances through equitable workforce development practices (e.g., Participating in designing and executing educational team workshops, participating in assigned trauma-informed management courses)
Qualifications:
- Experience working with diverse and vulnerable populations
- Experience in trauma-informed training and conflict resolution (preferred, continuous training is also provided)
- Well-organized and detail-oriented
- Experience providing job training, employment support, or career coaching
- Proficient in the Google Workspace Suite, the Microsoft Office Suite, and smart phone set up and apps
- Utilizing organizational systems for data, communication, and project management
- Experience providing HR support (nice to have, but not required)
If interested, email your resume and cover letter to wendy@grounduppdx.com