Workforce Development Manager

University of Wisconsin Madison
$70,000 ANNUAL (12 months)
paid time off
United States, Wisconsin, Madison
21 North Park Street (Show on map)
Jan 27, 2025
Job Summary: At the Wisconsin Energy Institute (WEI), we envision a world powered by sustainable and reliable energy that is affordable and accessible to everyone. As the home of collaborative energy research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, we connect and empower researchers to help solve one of the world's greatest challenges: developing sustainable alternatives to meet society's ever-growing need for power, fuels, and chemicals. WEI is home to the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC), whose mission is to create biofuels and bioproducts that are economically viable and environmentally sustainable. GLBRC (www.glbrc.org) is a cross-disciplinary and integrated research center funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and led by the University of Wisconsin-Madison. With Michigan State University and other collaborators in the US and Canada, GLBRC draws on the expertise of over 400 scientists to address today's greatest challenges to produce transportation fuels and high-value chemicals while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The Workforce Development Manager will be responsible for updating and implementing the strategic plan to build a sustainable recruitment pipeline for postdocs and graduate students, continuously evaluating the effectiveness and making improvements to our professional development and mentorship programs to support our members' career and personal growth needs. This position reports directly to the GLBRC Associate Director and interacts collaboratively with the WEI and GLBRC leadership and our collaborators at other DOE-funded Biological Research Centers (BRCs). Responsibilities: Coordinates and delivers career development programming, resource materials, and/or advising to students and alumni. Educates students, alumni, and other stakeholders about career development and opportunities and maintains relationships to aid in effective career planning. Supervises unit staff and/or has significant program management authority/responsibility, and strives to create a welcoming, equitable, and inclusive work environment. 15% Educates or advises students and recent alumni individually, or in groups through various mediums about career exploration, self-assessment, skills, materials development, and career decisions 10% Develops and delivers career development programming and resource materials across various mediums to provide education to students 5% Responds to questions and provides information regarding student services, policies, procedures, and employment preparation 40% May identify and maintain a professional network of employers or other stakeholders to facilitate career exploration and employment opportunities for students 15% Participates in campus-wide career services community providing input to leadership regarding the development of advising, recruitment, and co/curricular programs offered by the school/college/unit 10% Supervises unit staff and/or plans, organizes, allocates resources, assesses performance, and leads the operational activities for a significant portion of the unit's career services portfolio 5% Participates in collaborative activities to promote and foster a culture that welcomes, celebrates, and supports everyone Tasks: Coordinate activities related to postdoc recruitment and professional development Coordinate, organize, conduct, and evaluate professional development workshops for graduate students, postdocs, and staff Partner with the WEI Outreach Coordinator and other institutional partners in summer research internship program planning and implementation Lead and improve the internal mentorship program Provide campus resources or help make connections for members regarding student services, policies, procedures and employment preparation Coordinate with other DOE Bioenergy Research Centers (BRCs) on cross training opportunities for postdocs and students Establish a recruiting network, including strategic alliances with relevant institutions, to increase postdoc recruitment, especially within underrepresented communities Work with GLBRC Directors, UW and MSU postdoctoral affairs offices, and other BRCs to update and implement the training and professional development strategic plan for the postdocs within GLBRC Work with our counterparts at other institutions in postdoc recruiting activities Attend recruiting events on and off campus Identify and participate in campus-wide career services resources and networks Lead proposal efforts to pursue funding opportunities for pipeline building and workforce development Support GLBRC Associate Director in developing GLBRC annual recruitment and professional development budget Update and implement the strategic plan for a sustainable and diverse pipeline for postdoc recruiting Institutional Statement on Diversity: Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals. The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world. For more information on diversity and inclusion on campus, please visit: Diversity and Inclusion Education: Preferred Bachelor's Degree Strong preference given to those with a Bachelor's Degree or higher Qualifications: Required: - At least three years of substantial involvement in workforce development for postdocs and/or graduate students - At least three years of experience with professional development and/or mentorship programs in a higher education institution - Extensive understanding and working knowledge on postdoc and graduate student pipeline building - Excellent communication, organizational and interpersonal skills - Experience with strategic planning and developing actionable implementation plan - Prior experience on grant/proposal writing Strong preference given to those with the following experience: - Education or prior experience in biology, chemistry, or engineering - Familiarity with workforce development funding opportunities from government agencies, NGOs or the private sector - Demonstrated ability to plan, establish priorities and organize varied and complex tasks - Demonstrated ability to work independently and in a team setting to establish and maintain effective working relationships; supervisory experience is a plus - Demonstrated ability to prioritize workload, manage multiple projects and deadlines effectively, and follow-through on tasks and work unsupervised - Demonstrated good judgement and decision-making skills - Positive and collaborative approach - Openness for new ideas; willingness to be a change agent - Knowledge about GLBRC and/or UW-Madison is a plus Work Type: Full or Part Time: 75% - 100% This position may require some work to be performed in-person, onsite, at a designated campus work location. Some work may be performed remotely, at an offsite, non-campus work location. Appointment Type, Duration: Ongoing/Renewable Salary: Minimum $70,000 ANNUAL (12 months) Depending on Qualifications The starting salary listed is $70,000, however, it is negotiable and will be based on experience and skills. Employees in this position can expect to receive benefits such as generous vacation, holidays, and paid time off; competitive insurances and savings accounts; retirement benefits. We value and support our employees' work-life balance and personal wellbeing. Additional Information: The successful applicant will be responsible for ensuring eligibility for employment in the United States on or before the effective date of the appointment. University sponsorship is not available for this position. How to Apply: To apply for this position, please click on the "Apply Now" button. You will be asked to upload a resume and cover letter as a part of the application process. To qualify, please ensure that the resume and cover letter address how you meet the minimum/preferred qualifications for the position. Contact: Heather Heimbecker hheimbecker@wisc.edu 608-890-2286 Relay Access (WTRS): 7-1-1. See RELAY_SERVICE for further information. Official Title: Career Development Manager(AE079) Department(s): A34-OVCR/GLBRC Employment Class: Academic Staff-Renewable Job Number: 310420-AS The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, including but not limited to, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, or status as a protected veteran and other bases as defined by federal regulations and UW System policies. We promote excellence through diversity and encourage all qualified individuals to apply. For more information regarding applicant and employee rights and to view federal and state required postings, click here If you need to request an accommodation because of a disability, you can find information about how to make a request at the following website: https://employeedisabilities.wisc.edu/disability-accommodation-information-for-applicants/ Employment may require a criminal background check. It may also require you and your references to answer questions regarding sexual violence and sexual harassment. The University of Wisconsin System will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing, except that the identity of the successful candidate will be released. See Wis. Stat. sec. 19.36(7). The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report contains current campus safety and disciplinary policies, crime statistics for the previous 3 calendar years, and on-campus student housing fire safety policies and fire statistics for the previous 3 calendar years. UW-Madison will provide a paper copy upon request; please contact the University of Wisconsin Police Department.