Hiring Eastside Youth Opportunity Center Director in Baltimore

The Baltimore City Mayor's Office of Employment Development (MOED) is a municipal agency established in 1995 dedicated to reducing unemployment and expanding economic mobility for Baltimore residents through targeted workforce development, training, and support programs. With an annual budget of $45 million and a portfolio of more than 50 initiatives serving over 10,000 residents annually, MOED partners with local businesses, educational institutions, community organizations, and federal agencies to address systemic barriers to employment across the city. We are currently seeking an experienced and community-focused Director to lead the newly renovated Eastside Youth Opportunity (YO) Center, a flagship program supporting out-of-school, unemployed youth aged 18-24 living in Baltimore's Eastside neighborhoods, where youth unemployment rates exceed 28% and more than 40% of young residents lack a high school diploma or equivalent.

### Core Role Responsibilities
As Director of the Eastside YO Center, you will own end-to-end management of the program, with clear, measurable performance targets aligned with MOED's city-wide youth employment goals:
1. Oversee all daily operations of the center, managing services for 50-75 concurrent participants, including career counseling, skills training, and psychosocial support, with a target 75% placement rate into employment, apprenticeships, or vocational training within 12 months of enrollment.
2. Manage an annual operating budget of $1.2 million allocated to the center, ensuring full compliance with Baltimore municipal procurement rules, federal grant requirements, and MOED financial policies, while optimizing resource allocation to maximize program impact.
3. Lead and develop a multidisciplinary team of 12-15 staff including career counselors, skills trainers, social workers, and administrative coordinators, implementing quarterly performance reviews and annual professional development plans to maintain high service quality.
4. Build and sustain partnerships with a minimum of 30 local Eastside businesses across high-growth sectors including healthcare, green construction, technology, and hospitality, to secure 200 annual work-based learning placements, apprenticeships, and permanent roles, with a target 90% 6-month retention rate for placed participants.
5. Design and deliver 12 monthly skills workshops per quarter for participants, covering digital literacy, resume writing, interview preparation, and sector-specific technical skills, in partnership with local community colleges and vocational schools, targeting an 85% participant satisfaction rate via post-workshop surveys.
6. Implement a personalized case management system for all participants, with weekly check-ins, 6-month post-placement follow-ups to verify employment or training continuity, and monthly impact reports submitted to MOED leadership and city council stakeholders.
7. Coordinate cross-agency collaboration with Baltimore City Public Schools, the Department of Social Services, local community associations, and community policing teams to identify eligible youth and deliver wrap-around support addressing transportation, childcare, and housing barriers to employment.
8. Lead grant writing efforts to secure additional funding for innovative center programming, including digital skills bootcamps and transportation stipends, with a target of $200,000 in supplemental funding annually.

### Work Environment & Culture
You will be based in the newly renovated Eastside YO Center located in a vibrant, diverse residential neighborhood with strong community ties. The role requires regular travel to local partner sites within a 10-mile radius of the center, and you will report directly to MOED's Director of Youth Programs. The center operates with a flat, collaborative structure, and staff are encouraged to bring participant feedback to program design decisions to ensure services are responsive to community needs. MOED prioritizes equity in all its programs, and staff are expected to center the experiences of Black, Latinx, and low-income youth in all decision-making.

### Candidate Requirements
Required qualifications:
- Minimum 5 years of professional experience in youth program management, community development, or workforce development, with at least 2 years of experience leading a team of 5 or more staff
- Bachelor's degree in Social Work, Public Administration, Youth Development, Education, or a related field (Master's degree strongly preferred)
- Proven experience managing public sector budgets of $500,000 or more, with knowledge of municipal procurement and federal grant compliance rules
- Fluency in written and spoken English; fluency in Spanish is a strong asset given the demographic makeup of the Eastside community
- Demonstrated success building partnerships with private sector employers and community organizations
- Proficiency in Salesforce for participant tracking, Microsoft Office 365 (including advanced Excel for budget reporting), and project management tools such as Jira or Asana
Preferred qualifications:
- Experience working with out-of-school youth (18-24) in urban U.S. contexts
- Knowledge of federal youth employment programs including the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA)
- Experience writing grant proposals and managing grant-funded programs
- Certification in youth development or workforce development

### Technical Skills & Tools
You will use the following tools daily to manage center operations:
- Salesforce: For participant enrollment, case management, and outcome tracking
- Jira: For cross-team project management and task tracking
- Microsoft Office 365: For report writing, budget management, and internal communications
- QuickBooks: For expense tracking and budget reconciliation
- Zoom/Teams: For virtual meetings with partners and remote check-ins with participants

### Compensation, Benefits & Career Growth
The selected candidate will receive a competitive compensation package aligned with Baltimore City public sector pay scales:
- Annual base salary between $75,000 and $95,000, adjusted based on relevant experience and qualifications
- Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance with 80% of premium costs covered by the City of Baltimore for employees and their dependents
- 20 days of paid annual leave, 10 days of paid sick leave, and 12 paid public holidays per year
- Access to $3,000 in annual professional development funding for conferences, certifications, and training related to youth and workforce development
- Hybrid work arrangement: 3 days on-site at the Eastside YO Center, 2 days remote per week, effective after successful completion of the 3-month probation period
- Pension plan through the Baltimore City Employees' Retirement System
Career growth opportunities include progression to senior leadership roles within MOED such as Deputy Director of Youth Programs or Director of Workforce Development, participation in national workforce development networks including the National League of Cities and U.S. Department of Labor working groups, and the opportunity to design and scale innovative program models to other Baltimore neighborhoods, directly impacting thousands of additional young residents.

### Recruitment Process & Next Steps
To apply, submit your application package including your resume, a cover letter detailing your relevant experience managing youth or community development programs, and two professional references to [email protected] no later than August 15, 2024. Late submissions will not be accepted.
The selection process will proceed as follows:
1. Initial application review: August 16-19, 2024. Selected candidates will be notified via email by August 20, 2024.
2. Phone screening: 30-minute phone interview with MOED's HR team, scheduled for August 21-22, 2024.
3. Panel interview: 1-hour in-person interview with a selection panel including MOED leadership, youth program staff, and Eastside community representatives, scheduled for August 28-29, 2024. Candidates will be asked to present a 10-minute overview of their vision for the Eastside YO Center, followed by a Q&A session.
4. Final interview: 45-minute interview with the Director of MOED, scheduled for September 4-5, 2024.
5. Reference checks and offer: Selected candidates will undergo reference checks the week of September 9, 2024, with official offers extended by September 13, 2024.
The preferred start date for this role is October 1, 2024. For questions regarding the role or application process, contact the MOED Recruitment Team at 410-396-4000 or [email protected]. We strongly encourage applications from candidates with lived experience in Baltimore's Eastside community or with a track record of serving predominantly Black and Latinx youth populations to ensure the center's programming remains responsive to community needs.