Workforce Development Assistant Jobs in Massachusetts

Title/Position: 

Assistant Director of Employment and Economic Mobility 

Location: 

Roxbury, MA 

Reports to: 

Executive Director of Family Partnerships 

Supervises: 

Employment Coaching Specialists 

Status, FLSA: 

Full-Time, Exempt 

Position Grade: 

Assistant Director/Director 

Starting Salary: 

$86,000 - 92,000  

Date Written: 

April 2026 

Our Mission 

Horizons for Homeless Children is a Boston-based non-profit dedicated to improving the lives of families and young children experiencing homelessness and housing instability in Massachusetts. Through a two-generation model, we help families succeed by providing high-quality early education and opportunities for play to children and trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and strength-based services to families and caregivers. Our advocacy efforts extend our impact and advance our vision of ending homelessness among families with young children.  

Horizons’ Family Partnerships Program partners with other community-based organizations to provide a wide range of learning and support opportunities for families. As a leader in efforts to transform the lives of families experiencing homelessness, Horizons is committed to continuous data-informed learning that strengthens practice.     

Summary of Position 

The Assistant Director of Employment and Economic Mobility provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for workforce development initiatives within the Family Partnerships Program (FPP). This role is responsible for advancing employment and economic mobility outcomes for parents by overseeing employment coaching services, strengthening employer and training partnerships, and ensuring high-quality, data-driven programming.  

The Assistant Director supervises Employment Coaching staff, supports program development and implementation, and collaborates across teams to ensure families achieve sustainable employment and long-term economic stability. 

Responsibilities 

Program Leadership & Strategy 

• Provide leadership and oversight of employment, education and, training and economic mobility services within FPP  

• Design, implement, and continuously improve employment coaching models aligned with Horizons’ two-generation approach  

• Ensure programming is trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and grounded in strength-based practices  

• Monitor program performance and use data to inform strategy, planning, and continuous improvement  

• In partnership with the Executive Director, support budgeting, grant implementation, and reporting for employment and economic mobility initiatives  

• Partner with senior leadership and development staff on funding proposals and reports  

• Represent Horizons in workforce development and coalitions and stay informed on labor market trends and policy changes  

Coaching & Family Support 

• Oversee or conduct comprehensive skills, interest, and needs assessments  

• Support development of individualized employment and economic mobility plans  

• Provide advanced coaching and guidance to parents navigating career pathways  

• Assist families in overcoming barriers to employment and accessing sustainable opportunities  

• Ensure high-quality job navigation and career coaching services  

Employer & Community Partnerships 

• Build and maintain relationships with employers, training providers, and higher education institutions  

• Develop employment pipelines aligned with labor market demand and parent goals  

• Identify innovative opportunities for parent exposure to career pathways  

• Collaborate with internal teams and external partners to coordinate services and reduce duplication  

Staff Supervision & Capacity Building 

• Supervise Employment Coaching Specialists  

• Provide coaching, guidance, and professional development to staff  

• Conduct case consultations and support staff in addressing complex challenges  

• Foster a collaborative, accountable, and equity-centered team culture  

Workshops & Group Facilitation 

• Oversee development and delivery of workshops on job readiness, career exploration, and digital literacy  

• Ensure content is engaging, accessible, and responsive to family needs  

Data, Reporting & Compliance 

• Ensure accurate documentation of services and outcomes in database systems (e.g., Quickbase)  

• Analyze program data to track impact and inform decision-making  

• Maintain compliance with organizational and funder requirements  

• Support grant reporting and identify funding opportunities in collaboration with Development  

• Assist with budget oversight and financial planning 

Starting salary range, compensation, and benefits  

$86,000-$92,000 is the starting salary range for this Assistant Director role. Your starting salary will fall within that range depending on your competencies, experience, and skill set.  

Your total compensation package includes the following benefits:  

Health coverage options designed to be as comprehensive and affordable for you as possible, with Horizons covering between 70-75% of premiums (a value that ranges from an additional $10,000 –30,000 per year based on your enrollment choices). 

While you have a choice between an HMO and PPO plan for medical coverage, most employees pay $117.77 for individual, $235.54 for 2-person, or $370.44 for family coverage per biweekly paycheck and never pay more than $300 for individual or $600 for 2-person/family toward deductibles. 

Visit The Benefits of Working at Horizons for more details on the rest of our benefits package 

Workspace 

This is a 40-hour-a-week, full-time position. The work you will perform is somewhat active, taking place at a desk in a cubicle in an office setting working alongside others. 

You can expect to work onsite 4 days in the office and 1 day, work from home. There will be occasional evening or weekend events with advanced planning and notice. There is a large staff room with indoor and outdoor space for breaks as well as a designated quiet room. Our beautiful office space is located at the Edgerley Family Horizons Center at 1785 Columbus Ave, Roxbury, MA. 

This position requires the employee to comply with all applicable federal, state, local and company policy concerning immunizations, employment physical/screening, Background record check and health and safety training. 

Wellbeing and Belonging 

An equitable world has always been at the center of Horizons’ mission, but in the last several years we’ve recommitted to the role Horizons plays in rectifying some of the problems we see and wish to address. Visit our Commitment to Workforce DEI page to learn more about what that looks like at Horizons for Homeless Children. 

We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable law. 

For more information about Horizons, please visit horizonschildren.org. 

Qualifications 

Education & Experience 

• Bachelor's degree (Masters preferred) in counseling, workforce development, human resources, or related field  

• Established employer and job training connections preferred  

• 7+ years of experience of directly relevant experience, including establishing partnerships with employers, workforce development organizations, and education and training institutions   

• Demonstration of economic mobility coaching 

• Experience in nonprofit or community-based settings, and working with low-income families 

• Experience working with families experiencing homelessness strongly preferred  

• Familiarity with workforce assessment tools and employment resources  

• Bilingual (Spanish or Haitian Creole) preferred to effectively communicate with our multilingual community 

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities  

• Empathetic, motivating, and non-judgmental leadership style  

• Strong commitment to equity, cultural humility, and inclusion  

• Growth mindset with focus on continuous improvement  

• Ability to balance strategic leadership with hands-on program delivery 

• Strong communication, organization, and time management skills  

• Experience successfully coaching and supervising direct reports 

• Ability to build and sustain external partnerships  

• Skilled in facilitating trainings and group sessions  

• Experience with data tracking and program evaluation  

• Strong problem-solving and decision-making abilities  

• Familiarity with job readiness tools and digital job platforms  

• Priority will be given to individuals who have had previous experience working with homeless children and families, multi-ethnic urban families, or with families at risk. 

• Proficiency in using MS Office applications and other relevant software applications and databases, such as Quickbase. 

• Passionate about advancing Horizons' mission and embodying core values of Collaboration, Inclusivity, Innovation, and Passion. 

• Demonstrates core competencies that are critical to success across Horizons (Communication, Collaboration, Cultural Competency, Growth Mindset, and Mission-Driven Excellence). 

Workspace   

This is a 40-hour, full-time position. The work you will perform is somewhat active, taking place at a desk in a cubicle in an office setting working alongside others. You can expect to work onsite 4 days in the office and 1 day, work from home. There will be occasional evening or weekend events with advanced planning and notice. There is a large staff room with indoor and outdoor space for breaks as well as a designated quiet room. Our beautiful office space is located:  Edgerley Family Horizons Center at 1785 Columbus Ave, Roxbury, MA.  

This position requires the employee to comply with all applicable federal, state, local and company policy concerning immunizations, employment physical/screening, Background record check and health and safety training.   

Commitment to our Workforce 

Horizons is committed to fostering the well-being of our workforce who are tackling one of the nation’s toughest issues; family homelessness. We respect the unique perspectives and potential of each member of our team and believe that diversity of thought and perspective will not only sustain employee well-being but drive better outcomes for our families. Horizons’ leadership sets the tone and priority for this work.  Visit our commitments page to learn more about what that looks like at Horizons.  

As such, we are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable law.  

For more information about Horizons, please visit horizonschildren.org.