Engagement and Partnerships Specialist

JOB DESCRIPTION

The New York City Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) invests in a network of community-based organizations and programs to alleviate the effects of poverty and to provide opportunities for New Yorkers and communities to flourish. Workforce Connect (a division of DYCD) is comprised of a portfolio of Youth and Adult Workforce Development programs, including those that focus primarily on in-school youth such as the Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) and Work, Learn and Grow (WLG) as well as programs for Out-of-School, Out-of-Work (OSOW) young adults such as Advance & Earn and Train & Earn.

These programs provide OSOW young adults ages 16-24 with career pathway opportunities through a continuum of services including academic instruction, GED test preparation, work readiness training, college and career exploration, paid work experience, advanced occupational training, and industry credential attainment. DYCD’s newest workforce development initiative, CRED NYC (Community Resources for Employment and Development), offers participants ages 18-40 who are involved in the criminal justice system or impacted by community violence with work readiness and occupational training, internships, job placement support services such as mental health counseling, and connections to social services and resources such as housing, life coaching, academic support, legal support, and access to healthcare.

DYCD is seeking to hire an Employer Engagement Specialist to support the CRED NYC program and Workforce Connect initiatives. This role will focus on developing and maintaining strong employer partnerships, advancing equity in workforce development, and supporting special projects that strengthen DYCD’s capacity to deliver inclusive, high-quality programming for all New Yorkers, especially those impacted by the justice system and community violence.

This individual will have knowledge and experience in the workforce development field and/or experience working with OSOW populations, justice-involved individuals and/or organizations serving justice-involved individuals or those at risk of community violence.

• Cultivate and maintain relationships with employers and workforce partners, ensuring alignment with program goals, building trust and buy-in, and providing consistent follow-up to sustain partnerships.
• Support the planning, execution, and monitoring of employer engagement strategies and special projects, including equity-focused initiatives that expand access to opportunity for justice-involved New Yorkers and those impacted by community violence.
• Provide technical assistance to community-based organizations (CBOs), employers, and colleagues to strengthen worksite quality and improve employment outcomes for program participants.
• Assist in training and capacity building for CBO staff and employer partners through group presentations, one-on-one meetings, and resource sharing.
• Conduct research and data analysis to assess employer engagement outcomes, identify trends, and recommend strategies to enhance partnership impact.
• Contribute to communications and storytelling efforts that highlight the impact of partnerships, using digital platforms and creative tools to promote DYCD’s workforce initiatives.
• Utilize DYCD’s data and web-based systems (e.g., YEPS, DYCD Connect, SharePoint) to support partnership tracking and reporting.
• Collaborate with employers and partners to advance equity-focused initiatives through employer relationships, partnerships, and resource development, ensuring workforce programs are inclusive and accessible to all participants and support DYCD’s mission and vision to support all New Yorkers regardless of race, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, income, neighborhood, immigration status, or disability.
• Work collaboratively…