Title: Economic Mobility Director, #W5462

State Role Title: Prog Admin Manager III

Hiring Range: $104,000 – $125,000 per year (salary commensurate with experience)

Pay Band: 6

Agency: Department of Social Services

Location: DSS HOME OFFICE

Agency Website: https://www.dss.virginia.gov/

Recruitment Type: General Public - G

Job Duties

At the Virginia Department of Social Services, we put people at the center of everything we do. We believe that every Virginian can live a life of dignity and that all voices, ideas and experiences contribute greatly to our pursuit of excellence. Inspired by continuous improvement, we commit ourselves to listening, learning and cultivating environments of trust, respect and positive engagement. Together, we are mission-driven, eager to achieve, and passionate about bringing the best of who we are to those we serve.

We design and deliver high-quality human services that help Virginians achieve safety, independence and overall well-being. We are a $2 billion agency – one of the largest in the Commonwealth of Virginia – partnering with 120 local departments of social services and 31 community action agencies, along with faith-based and non-profit organizations, to promote the well-being of children, adults, and families statewide. We proudly serve alongside 1,650 (state) and 12,200 (local) human services professionals throughout the Social Services System, who ensure that thousands of Virginia’s most vulnerable citizens have easy access to the services and benefits available to them.

The Economic Mobility Director, reporting to the Deputy Commissioner, Strategy & Engagement, plays a pivotal role in shaping the agency’s workforce strategy and overseeing the implementation of its programs. This position is responsible for designing and executing career pathways and support services that drive economic mobility for individuals served through programs such as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), the Virginia Initiative for Employment and Work (VIEW), the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Employment & Training (SNAP E&T), and child support services. This role is responsible for overseeing operations and performance outcomes while setting the strategic direction for the office. The role requires developing and expanding sectoral training programs, apprenticeships, and employer partnerships that not only provide immediate employment opportunities but also lay the foundation for long-term financial stability and career advancement. In addition to managing policy development, personnel management, fiscal operations, and performance reporting, the director will collaborate with local social service departments, workforce agencies and boards, and educational institutions to align resources, eliminate redundancies, and create a cohesive, results-driven workforce development system. Strong partnerships with private sector employers, nonprofit organizations, and the Virginia Community College System will be essential to building sustainable pathways out of poverty and into stable, well-paying careers.

The director will develop and implement a proactive employer engagement strategy that prioritizes long-term workforce partnerships over short-term job placements. This includes working closely with businesses to create structured hiring pipelines, employer-sponsored training programs, and sustainable career pathways that align with industry needs. The role will require direct collaboration with employers to develop tailored skills training, apprenticeship opportunities, and industry certifications that improve job retention and wage growth for VDSS clients. Employer engagement success will be assessed based on sustained hiring commitments, client wage progression, and career advancement outcomes

The director will ensure that workforce programs lead to meaningful, long-term employment for clients. This requires continuous evaluation of job retention rates, wage progression, and career advancement opportunities. Using real-time labor market data, the director will adjust training and placement strategies to match employer demand with client skill sets. Rather than prioritizing quick job placements, the director will focus on creating structured career pathways that lead to economic independence, ensuring that clients transition from low-wage jobs to sustainable careers with opportunities for wage growth and professional development.

Minimum Qualifications

• Extensive experience in workforce development, economic mobility programs, or employer-driven training initiatives, with a focus on career pathways, apprenticeships, skills development, and structured hiring partnerships.
• Demonstrated success in building and sustaining employer partnerships that result in long-term workforce pipelines and industry-driven upskilling programs.
• Proven ability to use workforce data analytics and labor market intelligence to guide programmatic decisions, improve job retention outcomes, and align workforce education and training with employer demand.
• Strong experience managing large-scale workforce funding streams, grants, and regulatory compliance, including knowledge of federal workforce programs (WIOA, TANF, SNAP E&T, WOTC, etc.).
• Significant leadership experience managing workforce development teams, regional workforce boards, or multi-stakeholder workforce initiatives aimed at improving workforce development outcomes.
• Proficiency in performance-based program evaluation, with the ability to track ROI, measure long-term client wage progression, and redesign workforce strategies based on data insights.
• Experience developing and implementing workforce strategies that address barriers to employment (e.g., childcare, transportation, digital literacy, occupational licensing restrictions).

KSA’s and/or Competencies required to successfully perform the work:
• A strong understanding of federal and state workforce regulations, funding streams, and grants, ensuring compliance while identifying opportunities to improve program effectiveness within regulatory frameworks.
• Extensive knowledge of labor market trends, workforce development strategies, and industry needs, allowing for alignment between workforce programs and employer demands.
• Deep expertise in workforce development strategies, including career pathways, sectoral skills training, employer engagement, and wraparound supportive services that enable long-term employment success and economic mobility.
• Thorough understanding of reverse referrals, where employers and training providers actively bring participants into the system, rather than relying on local DSS case managers to recruit them one by one.
• A background in program evaluation and performance measurement, with the ability to assess workforce initiatives, identify service gaps, and refine strategies based on measurable outcomes.
• Knowledge of and experience designing and implementing career pathway models, including stackable credentials, apprenticeship structures, and employer-driven training initiatives that connect clients to sustainable, high-wage jobs.
• Communicate persuasively and effectively, advocating for VDSS workforce programs with employers, policymakers, and community partners to secure long-term workforce investments.

Additional Considerations

• Experience leading cross-sector collaborations between government agencies, higher education institutions, workforce development boards, and industry leaders.
• Experience in building workforce pipelines for high-demand industries through sector-specific training strategies, apprenticeship models, and competency-based hiring frameworks.

Special Instructions

You will be provided a confirmation of receipt when your application and/or résumé is submitted successfully. Please refer to “Your Application” in your account to check the status of your application for this position.

The selected candidate is required to file a Statement of Economic Interests form pursuant to the Code of Virginia § 2.2-3114, as a condition of employment. The filing must be completed on or before the first day of employment and annually thereafter on or before February 1. The selected candidate is required to complete the Statement of Economic Interest training within 2-months of becoming a state filer and at least once during each consecutive period of two calendar years commencing on the first odd-numbered year thereafter. For more information, please visit http://ethics.dls.virginia.gov/.

Selected candidate(s) must successfully pass a fingerprint-based criminal history background check. A record of criminal history does not automatically bar an applicant from consideration. Employment verification will be conducted to include current/previous supervisory employment reference checks.

VDSS will record information from each new employee’s Form I-9 (Employment Eligibility Verification) into the Federal E-Verify system to confirm identity and work authorization.

To be considered for this position, you must submit a Commonwealth of Virginia application or resume through the on-line “Virginia Jobs” (PageUp) employment site no later than 11:55 p.m. on the closing date listed. Each application is reviewed for documentation that shows the applicant meets the minimum and additional considerations as stated in the job announcement. The decision to interview an applicant is based on the information provided. Multiple positions may be filled from this recruitment within 90 days of the closing date.

In addition to a rewarding work experience, VDSS offers excellent health and life insurance benefits, pre-tax spending accounts, state funded Short and Long Term Disability, paid holidays, vacation, tuition assistance, free wellness programs, and a state retirement plan with options for tax-deferred retirement savings including employer matching – Employee Benefits.

The Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) is an Equal Opportunity Employer and encourages diversity within its workforce.

VDSS does not provide sponsorship.

This position may be eligible for telework opportunities; availability, hours, and duration will be in accordance with the Commonwealth’s Teleworking policy.

VDSS is an official certified state agency that values the service and experience of our Veterans. As such, Veterans are encouraged to apply and receive preference in the hiring process. AmeriCorps, Peace Corps and other national service alumni also are encouraged to apply. Reasonable accommodations are available to applicants, if requested, during the application and/or interview process.

If you have been affected by Policy 1.30 Layoff as a state employee and possess a valid Interagency Placement Screening Form (Yellow Form) or a Preferential Hiring Card (Blue Card), you must submit this document through the “Virginia Jobs” (PageUp) employment site when you apply.

Contact Information

Name: VDSS – Division of Human Resources

Phone: dssrecruitment@dss.virginia.gov

Email: dssrecruitment@dss.virginia.gov

In support of the Commonwealth’s commitment to inclusion, we are encouraging individuals with disabilities to apply through the Commonwealth Alternative Hiring Process. To be considered for this opportunity, applicants will need to provide their AHP Letter (formerly COD) provided by the Department for Aging & Rehabilitative Services (DARS), or the Department for the Blind & Vision Impaired (DBVI). Service-Connected Veterans are encouraged to answer Veteran status questions and submit their disability documentation, if applicable, to DARS/DBVI to get their AHP Letter. Requesting an AHP Letter can be found at AHP Letter or by calling DARS at 800-552-5019.

Note: Applicants who received a Certificate of Disability from DARS or DBVI dated between April 1, 2022- February 29, 2024, can still use that COD as applicable documentation for the Alternative Hiring Process.