Community Economic Development Jobs in Georgia (NOW HIRING)

About the Role
The State of Georgia seeks a strategic leader to serve as Director of Workforce Strategy within the Governor's Office of Education and Workforce Strategy (GOEWS) - established by HB 1302 to advance a unified, statewide approach to education and workforce alignment. This role advances Governor Kemp's vision of making Georgia the Top State for Talent by ensuring education pathways meet the needs of the state's businesses and industries. The Director will lead GOEWS's cross-agency Strategy Team - comprised of the Department of Education, Georgia Student Finance Commission, Technical College System of Georgia, Department of Labor, and University System of Georgia - serving as the critical link between education systems and Georgia's economic development ecosystem. The Director ensures workforce pipelines are strategically aligned with industry needs, and regional economic growth.
Key Responsibilities
Statewide Plan Development and Coordination of the SWFB Serve as GOEWS's primary point of contact with the State Workforce Development Board in its operational duties and in developing Georgia's statewide education and workforce plan. The plan must reflect the Governor's workforce priorities and include:
• ROI analysis and periodic program reviews across partner agencies
• Alignment of identified programs with the State's High Demand Career List
• Coordination with the Combined WIOA/Perkins State Plan (next revision due Spring 2028) Strategic articulation agreement priorities aligned to high demand career programs
• This role shall also lead the staff support of the SWFB assigned to the Office of Education and Workforce Strategy for board operational purposes and coordination with the TCSG and Dept. of Education.
Cross-Agency Alignment Convene and lead the Education and Workforce Strategy Team to align programs, policies, and investments across K-12, technical college, university, and workforce systems. Responsibilities include:
• Facilitate joint planning efforts between TCSG and DOE in the preparation of the state's combined WIOA/Perkins State Plan, integrating coordinated data analyses, local needs assessments, and stakeholder engagement to align workforce and education priorities statewide
• Overseeing the annual update of the High Demand Career List with supporting data analysis
• Coordinating the Articulation Report and transfer pathway initiatives across systems
Industry and Economic Development Engagement Engage with economic development partners, industry associations, and employers to ensure workforce strategies reflect current and emerging talent needs, supporting Georgia's business recruitment and retention priorities.
Career Navigation and Credential Implementation Lead the development of a statewide education and career navigation platform integrating DOE, TCSG, USG, DOL, and GSFC, built upon a centralized credential identification system.
Additional Responsibilities Perform other duties as assigned by the GOEWS Director in accordance with HB 1302 and in support of the Governor's workforce priorities.
Qualifications
Required: Bachelor's degree in workforce development, economic development, education, or a related field; 7-10+ years of leadership experience in education, workforce, industry, or public sector strategy. Must have a working understanding of economic development principles, including talent pipelines, industry workforce needs intersect with education and training systems.
Preferred: Experience with WIOA and Perkins V, Combined State Plan development, CTAE alignment, performance accountability systems, and cross-agency coordination. Direct experience working with industry associations, employers, economic development organizations, or community boards on sector-based workforce strategies is strongly preferred.
Bachelor's degree in education, administration, public administration, or a related administrative field in the area of assignment from an accredited college or university, L-5 certification, and seven (7) years of program management experience in an educational setting.