Entry Level Economic Development Jobs in California

Background

Since 1976, St. Joseph Center has been meeting the needs of low-income and homeless individuals and families in Venice, Santa Monica, Mar Vista, and surrounding communities.  The Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community organization that assists people without regard for religious affiliation or lack thereof through comprehensive case management and integrated social service programs.  The Center enjoys broad-based community support as well as a sponsored relationship with its founders, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet.  St. Joseph Center serves approximately 6,000 individuals annually.

Brief Description of Principal Activities

Multifaceted intervention, prevention, and education services are carried out at four sites on the Westside of Los Angeles. St. Joseph Center’s integrated programs provide clients with concentrated and coordinated access to services according to the nature of their needs.

The Program Manager provides integrated leadership over St. Joseph Center’s Digital Technology Workforce Development Program — a unified, multi-population, AI-forward technology training initiative that simultaneously serves three distinct cohort tracks: low-income women (healing-centered, trauma-informed cohort), justice-experienced adults and individuals with histories of homelessness (co-ed cohort), and transitional age and young adults ages 18–30 (youth cohort). This role requires a level of complexity, coordination, and strategic capacity. The Program Manager leads a multi-disciplinary team, manages cross-agency collaboration with youth development specialists, mental health clinicians, gang intervention counselors, and re-entry case managers, drives employer partnership strategy and apprenticeship development, and is held accountable for achieving elevated employment outcome targets across multiple populations simultaneously.

The Program Manager's key areas of responsibility include: 

• Provide integrated strategic management and operational oversight for all cohort tracks of the Digital Technology Workforce Development Program, ensuring quality, consistency, and equity of programming across populations.
• Implement a unified program framework with population-specific cohort modules (women’s healing-centered track, co-ed justice-involved track, youth 18–30 track) and an advanced skills pathway for higher-aptitude participants.
• Develop and maintain cohort-specific intake, orientation, and support protocols that reflect the distinct needs, barriers, and strengths of each population served.
• Manage the implementation of a healing-centered engagement framework across all program tracks, ensuring that all staff apply healing-centered, trauma-informed, culturally responsive practices regardless of which population they serve.
• Champion program innovation, continuously evaluating outcomes by cohort and providing consistent and high-quality data reports on goals and targets.
• Facilitate regular cross-track integration meetings with the full program team to coordinate services, share learning, and identify systemic barriers.

Essential Duties:

• Manage formal collaborative relationships with SJC youth development specialists, mental health clinicians, licensed counselors, gang intervention and street outreach counselors, and re-entry case specialists to ensure holistic, integrated support for program participants.
• Convene and facilitate regular multi-disciplinary case conferences involving program staff, the Workforce Development Case Manager, the Career Coach, mental health and counseling staff, and relevant external specialists.
• Coordinate with SJC’s TAY (Transitional Age Youth) services team, housing programs, and benefits navigators to ensure the youth cohort receives coordinated wraparound support.
• Maintain MOUs, referral agreements, and service coordination protocols with community-based re-entry organizations, domestic violence service providers, youth-serving agencies, and other partner organizations.
• Liaise with external agencies, probation departments, courts, and system partners to support participant engagement and address systemic barriers to program access.

• Employer Development, Apprenticeships & Economic Mobility

• Drive a proactive, relationship-based employer engagement strategy focused on developing entry-level employment, internship, apprenticeship, and earn-while-you-learn opportunities for program graduates across all three tracks.
• Work directly with SJC leadership and the Senior Director of Social Innovation to support development of new employer partnerships, apprenticeship pipelines, and corporate social responsibility engagements with tech sector employers.
• Manage formal employer partnership agreements including customized training pipelines, on-the-job training programs, and sector-based hiring partnerships.
• Represent St. Joseph Center’s workforce development portfolio at employer convenings, industry events, workforce board meetings, and public sector partnerships.
• Identify and pursue emerging opportunities in AI, data, digital infrastructure, and adjacent tech sectors to expand career pathways for graduates, collaboratively with leadership and the program team.

• Multi-Population Recruitment & Community Outreach

• Implement a multi-channel, population-specific outreach and recruitment strategy that actively engages referral partners, community organizations, and agencies serving women, justice-involved adults, and transitional age youth.
• Manage ongoing referral relationships with re-entry programs, probation departments, domestic violence shelters, transitional housing providers, youth development agencies, community colleges, gang intervention programs, and other relevant organizations.
• Help develop population-specific program marketing materials, outreach presentations, and digital assets for each cohort track.
• Conduct community presentations, partner meetings, and outreach events to generate qualified referrals and maintain program enrollment across all three cohort cycles.
• Coordinate and lead participant interviews and selection processes, applying cohort-specific eligibility criteria and ensuring equitable access.

• Staff Supervision & Team Development

• Directly supervise and provide regular one-on-one coaching and performance management for the Lead Technology Instructor, Technology Instructor, Workforce Development Case Manager, and Career Coach.
• Facilitate weekly team meetings integrating instructional, case management, and career coaching perspectives to ensure coordinated, student-centered service delivery.
• Provide instructional support and step-in coverage in the classroom when needed, supporting the Lead Instructor during class and lab time.
• Manage staff recruitment, onboarding, professional development planning, and performance evaluations.
• Manage and track team performance goals and individual development plans aligned with program outcomes.

• Funder Management, Budget & Reporting

• Manage program budget across multiple funding streams; oversee expenditures, procurement, and financial reconciliation in coordination with the Senior Director and Finance team.
• Develop and maintain grant compliance systems ensuring all funder deliverables and reporting requirements are met on time and to a professional standard across all cohort tracks.
• Prepare comprehensive program reports, outcome summaries, and impact narratives for funders e.g. Snap Inc. and the Stone Foundation.
• Contribute to new grant proposals and support funding initiatives in collaboration with the Senior Director and development team.
• Maintain rigorous program data systems, tracking enrollment, attendance, graduation rates, employment outcomes, and wages by cohort track.
• Conduct and administer student and graduate surveys, tracking 30-, 90-, 180-, and 365-day employment outcomes.

*Other duties and responsibilities may be assigned. The duties and responsibilities listed are designed to provide typical examples of the work performed; not all duties and responsibilities assigned are included here, nor is it expected that all similar positions will be assigned every duty and responsibility.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Deep commitment to economic mobility, racial equity, and the belief that access to technology careers can fundamentally transform lives.
• Advanced program management skills include multi-team supervision, multi-funder compliance, budget management, and cross-agency coordination.
• Demonstrated knowledge of healing-centered engagement principles and the ability to lead a team in applying these practices across populations with significantly different trauma histories and life circumstances.
• Understanding of the needs, barriers, and strengths of at least two of the three populations served: low-income women (including those with histories of DV or homelessness), justice-involved adults, and transitional age youth.
• Working knowledge of AI tools and the current technology employment landscape; sufficient technical literacy to supervise instructors and engage credibly with employer partners.
• Strong relationship-building skills across diverse stakeholders: participants, staff, community partners, funders, and employers.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication; documentation, reporting, and presentations must meet a high professional standard.
• Problem-solving, resourceful mentality; able to work independently and with a high degree of self-direction. Agile mindset, ability to pivot when circumstances arise and manage adequately through change.
• Position requires flexibility including occasional evening or weekend events for employer engagement, community outreach, and graduation ceremonies.

Experience:

• 3-5 years of program management experience in workforce development, technology training, or a closely related field.
• Demonstrated experience managing employer partnerships, apprenticeship programs, or sector-based workforce initiatives.
• Experience managing programs or services for at least two of the following populations: justice-involved individuals, women experiencing homelessness or DV, transitional age youth (18–30).
• Experience managing multi-funder grants and producing professional funder reports. 
• Private sector experience is a plus. 
• Experience with apprenticeship programs and registration (DOL Registered Apprenticeship or California-based programs) preferred.
• Existing relationships with LA tech sector employers, workforce investment boards, or re-entry system partners preferred. 
• Bilingual English/Spanish.

Computer Skills:

• High level proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)
• High level of proficiency with Google Suite — Gmail, Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Meet
• Mac OS and Windows proficiency
• Ability to use electronic health records, databases, data management and program management software
• Ability to adapt to technological advancements and fully understand and respond to emerging trends.

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited college or university in Social Work, Human Services, or a related field. A combination of education and experience may be considered.

Direct Reports:

• Lead Technology Instructor, Technology Instructor,
  Workforce Development Case Manager, Career Coach

Travel Requirements:

• Access to reliable transportation.
• Occasional regional travel may be required.
• Travel between SJC office locations as needed. 

Work Environment:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand, sit, walk, stoop, talk, hear, reach above and below shoulders; use hand and finger dexterity, keyboarding and making and receiving telephone calls. The employee may be required on occasion to lift and or carry up to 20 lbs.

Benefits: Excellent benefits package available.

Status: Full time/Exempt

Employment with St. Joseph Center is contingent on completion of satisfactory background check.

For consideration, please submit cover letter and resume. St. Joseph Center is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran. All applicants for employment are invited to voluntarily self-identify their gender, race, ethnicity, and veteran status, by completing the EEO Information. Providing your EEO Information is voluntary and refusal to self-identify will not subject applicants to any adverse treatment. Similarly, applicants who do self-identify will not be subject to any adverse treatment based on the information they provide.

St. Joseph center invites you to review the current "EEO is The Law" poster as part of the application process. A link to the current poster is located here.

 https://www.dol.gov/ofccp/regs/compliance/posters/pdf/eeopost.pdf