Address:

Arizona Correctional Industries (ACI)
4441 East McDowell Road
Phoenix, AZ 85008
https://www.aci.az.gov/

Salary: $78,000.00 

Grade: 21

Closing Date: 07/31/2025

The Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation & Reentry (ADCRR) is seeking an experienced operations leader to serve as our Workforce Development Manager. This position oversees all labor-related operations and workforce development initiatives within Arizona Correctional Industries (ACI). The ideal candidate will establish and maintain strategic partnerships with private companies, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies to expand career opportunities for incarcerated individuals. This role promotes rehabilitation by providing meaningful work experiences that foster a sense of purpose and equip inmates with marketable skills to reduce recidivism. The manager is also responsible for ensuring compliance with all relevant policies, procedures, and federal, state, and local regulations governing ACI operations.

- Oversees and manages ACI’s Workforce Development Contracts, ensuring compliance with rules, policies, and safety protocols for both staff and inmates
- Develops and administers operational budgets for workforce development initiatives
- Anticipate and address evolving workforce demands in both public and private sectors
- Markets inmate workforce development and career readiness training programs to potential clients
- Develops and implements aspects of inmate workforce training contracts with prisons and private sector entities
- Conducts periodic and recurring compliance visits and security audits to private and public sector inmate workforce development programs as directed by the ACI Chief of Workforce Development and/or the ACI Workforce Development Administrator
- Acts as the hiring authority for Industry Programs Specialist staff and inmate workforce participants
- Ensures inmate workforce participant availability, safety, and security meet the needs of current and potential partners
- Reviews labor market analysis to inform training and employment pathways for inmate workforce participants
- In collaboration with the training and education team, ensures that workforce development contracts include industry-informed training, curriculum, and transitional work opportunities that align with in-demand occupations
- Assists in the facilitation of interactions between institutions and contract partner staff
- Responds to correspondence and inquiries to the ACI Workforce Development Administrator on matters of a non-routine nature
- Conducts and attends staff meetings and represents ACI at Prison Complex meetings in the absence of the Workforce Development Administrator
- Confers with and advises the ACI Workforce Development Administrator on a variety of matters concerning the administration, production activities, and operations of ACI’s workforce development contracts
- Serves as a technical expert to the ACI Chef of Workforce Development and the ACI Workforce Development Administrator
- Directs on-the-job training for contract partners and assists in the conduct of Prison Industry Enhancement Certified program assessments
- Directly supervises PSS staff to include evaluations and recommendations of disciplinary
- Supports reentry planning efforts and coordinates with the community reentry team to ensure continuity of employment and training post-release
- Drives on State business
- Performs other duties appropriate to the assignment

Knowledge of:
- Supervisory techniques for the assigned inmate workforce participants, production, and materials management
- Workforce development principles and computer applications
- Divisional and departmental policies and procedures, including fire and safety standards and regulations
- Security requirements and practices
- Procurement code and ARS title 41, rules, policies, and procedures
- Sound management, including short, medium, and long-range planning
- Directing, communicating, and controlling business management
- Manufacturing techniques and production practices
- Control and development regarding workforce development contracts, quality control, personnel procedures, and industry operations
- Principles of public administration and the requirements and constraints of administrations in the public and private sectors
- Customer service and facility management
- Principles of budget control and security
- Fiscal management and resource allocation
- Acceptable quality standards and records management
- Divisional goals and objectives
- Policy formulation
- Applicable safety regulations and requirements

Skill in:
- Written and verbal communications in facilitating meetings and writing clearly and concisely (rules, policies, correspondence, manuals, and reports)
- Negotiation and strategies
- Decision making
- Resource utilization through personnel, materials, and equipment
- Interpretation and application of statutory requirements, rules, and regulations
- Establishing and maintaining interpersonal relationships on all levels inside and outside the organization
- Building partnerships with employers, educational providers, and community-based organizations to expand workforce and reentry opportunities

Ability to:
- Logically analyze issues to resolve problems through the identification and interpretation of the problem to reach a conclusion, for the implementation of the solutions
- Manage through others to obtain results
- Interpret and apply statutory requirements, rules, and regulations
- Work successfully with individuals on all levels inside and outside the organization
- Develop and implement workforce programs that enhance job readiness and reduce recidivism

- Experience in and working knowledge of ADCRR’s state statutes, federal regulations, labor partner business operations, and environmental concerns

Employment is contingent on the selected applicant passing a background investigation and a drug test.

If this position requires driving or the use of a vehicle as an essential function of the job, then the following requirements apply. Any employee operating a motor vehicle on State business must possess and retain a current, valid class-appropriate driver’s license, complete all required training, and successfully pass all necessary driver’s license record checks. The license must be current, unexpired, and neither revoked nor suspended. Employees who drive on state business are subject to driver’s license record checks, must maintain acceptable driving records, and must complete all required driver training. An employee who operates a personally owned vehicle on state business shall maintain the statutorily required liability insurance (see Arizona Administrative Code (A.A.C.) R2-10-207.11).

In an effort to maintain a safe environment, all employees are required to take a Tuberculosis (TB) test during their New Employee Orientation and every year thereafter.

All newly hired State employees are subject to and must successfully complete the Electronic Employment Eligibility Verification Program (E-Verify).

We offer an excellent and affordable comprehensive benefits package to meet the needs of our employees:
- Vacation and sick days with 10 paid holidays per year
- Paid Parental Leave-Up to 12 weeks per year paid leave for newborn or newly-placed foster/adopted child (pilot program).
- Robust and affordable insurance plan to include medical, dental, life, short-term and long-term disability options
- Exceptional retirement program
- Optional employee benefits such as deferred compensation plans, credit union membership, and a wellness program
- An incentivized commuter club and public transportation subsidy program

Learn more about the Paid Parental Leave pilot program here. For a complete list of benefits provided by The State of Arizona, please visit our benefits page

Positions in this classification participate in the Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS). Enrollment eligibility will become effective after 27 weeks of employment.

Current ADCRR Employees: Consult with your respective Human Resources Liaison if you are in a different retirement plan than the one indicated above.

The State of Arizona is an Equal Opportunity/Reasonable Accommodation Employer. Persons with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation such as a sign language interpreter or an alternative format by calling (602) 255-2430. Requests should be made as early as possible to allow sufficient time to arrange the accommodation.