Independent Contractor Remote Workforce Development Jobs in Illinois

Position Overview
The Strategy & Strategic Partnerships team for Autodesk Education Experiences leads the company-wide education strategy and manages our most important strategic partnerships. As a leading member of our Strategy Team, you will play a pivotal role in shaping Autodesk's workforce development strategy and go-to-market efforts across the global education and workforce ecosystem. Reporting to the Senior Director of Strategy and Strategic Partnerships for Education, you will drive initiatives that expand Autodesk's reach and impact among workforce agencies, training providers, industry coalitions, employers, and strategic partners, ensuring the next generation of Design & Make talent is prepared for the jobs of the future.
This role will focus onidentifyingand scaling workforce development opportunities that connect Autodesk technology, credentials, and learning pathways to labor market needs andemploymentoutcomes. You will help define Autodesk's role within the broader workforce development landscape, including public sector partnerships, grant-funded initiatives, industry alliances, and credentialing ecosystems. This role can be fully remote or hybrid.

Responsibilities

• Develop and drive Autodesk's global workforce development strategy, focused on career training, upskilling, reskilling, and pathways for adults and non-traditional learners into high-demand Design & Make careers

• Size and define strategic priorities across workforce segments, geographies, programs, and partnership models using data-driven insights

• Research and analyze workforce, labor market, policy,training,and credentialing trends toidentifygrowth opportunities and inform strategic direction

• Build and manage relationships with workforce agencies, training providers, employers, nonprofits, industry coalitions, and public sector stakeholders

• Identifyopportunities tied to workforce funding, grants, apprenticeship programs, and continuing education initiatives

• Partner with our learning offerings team to shapestrategiesleveragingsoftware access, training programs, andindustry-recognized credentials to drive employability and ecosystem adoption

• Partner cross-functionallywith marketing,customerlearning, public affairs,sales, and customer successteams to launch and scale workforce initiatives

• Influence senior internal and external stakeholders toalign aroundstrategic priorities and execution

• Establish metrics and feedback loops to measure program impact, adoption, and outcomes

• Represent Autodesk at workforce development forums, industry events, and coalition meetings

• Travel up to 25%

Minimum Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in workforce development, education strategy, public sector partnerships, economic development, or related strategic roles

• Deep knowledge of the workforce development ecosystem, including career training, workforce agencies, community colleges,CTE,apprenticeships, and continuing educationas well ascompetency-based learning and skills-based hiring trends

• Understanding ofworkforce funding models, including public grants, public-private partnerships, and employer-funded training

• Experiencebuilding partnerships andworking with government agencies, workforce boards, nonprofits, or policy stakeholders

• Background instrategic planning,e.g.management consulting, corporate strategy, or go-to-market strategy, with the ability to translate insights into actionable plans and measurable outcomes

• Excellent analytical, communication, and stakeholder management skills

• Proven ability to build partnerships and navigate complex, evolving ecosystems

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in workforce development strategy within technology, ed-tech, SaaS, or education organizationsata global scale

• Knowledge of industries relevant to Autodesk customers, including architecture, engineering, construction, manufacturing, media and entertainment, or sustainability

• Experience building pricing models and offerings

• MBA, MPA, or equivalent advanced degreea plus

• Lived experience navigating workforce development pathways, such as military transition, reskilling or upskilling programs, apprenticeship or union training, community college, or continuing education, and passion forthe intersection of technology andexpanding economicopportunity