Director Workforce Development Jobs in Portland, ME

ProSearch is partnering with Educate Maine to identify its next Executive Director in Portland, Maine, a high-impact nonprofit leadership opportunity. We are seeking an accomplished executive with experience in education, workforce development, public policy, advocacy, stakeholder engagement, fundraising, organizational leadership, strategic planning, and nonprofit management.

Educate Maine is a business-led education advocacy organization whose mission is to champion career readiness by increasing the educational attainment of Maine people, enabling all students to succeed in post-secondary education and in the workplace. As Executive Director, you will serve as the chief executive and strategic leader of the organization, advancing education advocacy, workforce development initiatives, public policy priorities, stakeholder engagement, fundraising, nonprofit operations, board relations, organizational leadership, and program management across the state.

This highly visible executive leadership role offers the opportunity to work at the intersection of education, workforce development, economic development, public policy, and community impact. You will collaborate with business, education, government, nonprofit, and philanthropic leaders throughout Maine to strengthen the education-to-workforce pipeline and help create greater opportunities for students, workers, and employers.

WHY THIS ROLE STANDS

This is an opportunity to lead meaningful change across Maine's education and workforce landscape. You'll have the opportunity to:

• Lead a respected statewide education advocacy and workforce development organization
• Advance initiatives that strengthen career readiness, workforce readiness, and educational attainment across Maine
• Influence education policy and workforce development strategies that impact students, educators, workers, and employers
• Build partnerships across education, business, government, nonprofit, and philanthropic sectors
• Help address Maine's workforce challenges through innovative collaboration and strategic leadership
• Guide a mission-driven organization with a strong reputation, engaged Board of Directors, and dedicated staff
• Shape long-term organizational strategy while remaining closely connected to programs and community impact

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Executive Leadership & Organizational Management

• Serve as the chief executive and strategic leader of Educate Maine
• Provide overall leadership and direction for organizational strategy, nonprofit management, operations, and growth
• Partner with the Board of Directors to establish priorities, strategic goals, and annual workplans
• Lead, mentor, and support a high-performing team while fostering a collaborative and inclusive culture
• Oversee organizational systems, policies, technology, human resources, compliance, and operational effectiveness
• Manage organizational budgeting, financial planning, reporting, and fiscal stewardship

Fundraising & Resource Development

• Lead fundraising efforts and revenue development strategies across corporate, educational, nonprofit, and philanthropic sectors
• Cultivate and maintain strong donor, sponsor, and funder relationships
• Identify and secure new funding opportunities that support organizational growth and impact
• Partner with staff and board members on fundraising strategy, grant development, donor stewardship, and resource development
• Ensure the long-term financial sustainability of the organization

Advocacy, Public Policy & External Relations

• Serve as a leading voice on education, workforce development, career readiness, and public policy issues affecting Maine
• Build relationships with elected officials, policymakers, business leaders, educators, funders, and community stakeholders
• Advance policy priorities aligned with Educate Maine's mission and strategic plan
• Represent the organization at statewide meetings, conferences, public events, and leadership forums
• Communicate effectively with diverse audiences through public speaking, presentations, written communications, and media engagement

Strategic Partnerships & Stakeholder Engagement

• Build and strengthen partnerships with employers, educational institutions, community organizations, government agencies, and coalitions
• Convene stakeholders to address education and workforce development challenges through collaboration and innovation
• Expand Educate Maine's visibility, influence, and statewide impact
• Advance initiatives that strengthen connections between education, postsecondary attainment, workforce development, and employment opportunities

Program Leadership & Organizational Impact

• Collaborate with staff to support successful program management, implementation, and execution
• Establish measurable goals, performance indicators, and organizational priorities
• Utilize data, research, and stakeholder feedback to inform decision-making and evaluate impact
• Ensure programs align with organizational goals and deliver meaningful outcomes for Maine students, educators, workers, and employers

Board Relations & Governance

• Support the Board of Directors and board committees in fulfilling governance responsibilities
• Partner with board leadership on strategic planning, board development, recruitment, engagement, and retention
• Maintain transparent communication and strong working relationships with board members
• Ensure effective governance practices that support organizational accountability and long-term success

WHO WE'RE LOOKING FOR

You are a collaborative and strategic leader who is equally comfortable engaging with educators, policymakers, nonprofit leaders, business executives, employers, funders, and community stakeholders. You bring:

• Significant leadership experience within a nonprofit, education, workforce development, advocacy, public policy, government, economic development, or related organization
• A passion for career readiness, workforce development, educational attainment, and economic opportunity
• Strong expertise in organizational leadership, strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, and partnership development
• Exceptional communication, relationship-building, and public speaking skills
• Experience leading organizational strategy and managing complex initiatives
• Financial management, budgeting, and operational leadership experience
• Fundraising, donor relations, grant development, sponsorship, or business development experience
• The ability to balance visionary leadership with hands-on execution
• A demonstrated commitment to expanding opportunity and improving outcomes for Maine people

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree required
• Advanced degree in Education, Public Policy, Nonprofit Management, Business Administration, Workforce Development, Communications, or a related field preferred
• Significant executive leadership, nonprofit leadership, organizational leadership, or management experience
• Experience managing teams, budgets, operations, and strategic initiatives.
• Proven success in fundraising, donor cultivation, grant development, resource development, or revenue generation
• Experience working with Boards of Directors and governance structures
• Strong stakeholder engagement and partnership-building experience
• Knowledge of Maine's education, workforce development, economic development, nonprofit, or public policy landscape preferred
• Demonstrated success balancing strategy, advocacy, relationship management, and operational leadership

THE KIND OF LEADER WHO THRIVES HERE

At Educate Maine, mission and leadership go hand in hand.

Successful candidates are:

• Mission-Driven – Passionate about improving educational attainment, career readiness, and workforce outcomes
• Collaborative – Skilled at bringing diverse stakeholders together around common goals.
• Strategic – Able to balance long-term vision with practical execution
• Relationship-Oriented – Builds trust across education, business, government, and nonprofit communities
• Adaptive – Comfortable navigating change, complexity, and evolving priorities
• Results-Focused – Motivated by measurable impact and continuous improvement

WHY APPLY

Join a respected statewide organization dedicated to strengthening education, workforce development, and economic opportunity throughout Maine.

This opportunity offers:

• The chance to lead one of Maine's most influential education and workforce development organizations
• Meaningful statewide impact on students, workers, educators, and employers
• Strong partnerships across education, business, government, nonprofit, and philanthropic sectors
• An engaged and supportive Board of Directors
• Opportunities to influence public policy, educational attainment, workforce development, and career readiness initiatives
• A collaborative and mission-driven team environment
• Competitive compensation and benefits, including health insurance, retirement benefits, paid time off, and professional development opportunities
• The opportunity to shape the future of education and workforce development in Maine

COMPENSATION

The salary range for this position is $140-145k.

The salary range for this role reflects the minimum and maximum compensation for the role. Offers are typically made between the range minimum and the range midpoint. Actual compensation will be determined based on job-related skills, experience, and expertise, as evaluated during the interview process. Compensation may also vary based on where a role is performed.

READY TO MAKE AN IMPACT?

If you're a mission-driven leader who is passionate about education, workforce development, career readiness, educational attainment, nonprofit leadership, public policy, stakeholder engagement, and creating opportunities for Maine people to succeed in postsecondary education and the workplace, we'd love to hear from you.