Position description

The POWER Project Director will lead the expansion of the Labor Center's workforce development portfolio, with a focus on advancing a high-road economy and expanding prosperity through research, education, evaluation, coalition building, and movement-building strategies. The POWER Project Director will strengthen connections between the Labor Center's work and statewide workforce development efforts. In collaboration with Labor Center staff and community partners, the POWER Project Director will help determine research priorities, expand organizational research and evaluation capacity through staff development
and fundraising, cultivate relationships with researchers and community-based partners, and guide strategic planning efforts that identify long-term priorities, projects, and fundraising opportunities aligned with the Labor Center's mission and strategic vision. As a leading expert on the California Workforce Development Board's High Road Training Partnership (HRTP) Initiative, the POWER Project Director will help shape and expand an innovative workforce development model centered on equity, job quality, worker power, and climate resilience. The POWER Project Director will contribute to the Labor Center's role as a statewide leader on HRTP implementation and expansion, including developing evaluation frameworks grounded in racial equity and elevating the role of community-based organizations as critical workforce development partners that create access points for historically marginalized communities into the public workforce system. The position will also oversee the management and administration of workforce development grants and contracts, ensuring compliance with university and agency policies and guidelines. In addition, the POWER Project Director will participate in the Labor Center's leadership team that includes oversight of budgets, personnel, external and internal relations, education and training, and research efforts. The incumbent prioritizes their own workflow. Incumbent assigns and reviews the work of supervisees, recommends hiring selections, and evaluates performance.

Research and Evaluation Design and Implementation
a. Serve as Principal Investigator (PI) on workforce development research and evaluation projects that advance equitable systems change, strengthen worker power, and expand access and opportunity for communities historically excluded from workforce development systems.
b. Design rigorous workforce development projects aligned with Labor Center priorities, ensuring appropriate methodological approaches, oversight, and research ethics compliance (including IRB).
c. Publish and produce accessible research outputs (briefs, reports, infographics,
podcasts, and testimony), and disseminate findings across academic, policy, labor, and community platforms.

External Relations & Community Engagement
a. Build and sustain relationships, engage with, and advise external partners, including worker organizations, governmental agencies, policymakers, and funders to advance worker-centered workforce development strategies and systems change initiatives.
b. Present workforce development research, evaluation findings, and policy
recommendations at conferences, public hearings, convenings, and educational events, serving as a subject-matter expert on workforce equity, job quality, and worker power.
c. Develop and oversee dissemination and communications strategies that translate
workforce development research into accessible products for diverse audiences,
including public testimony, policy briefs, reports, media engagement, and other public education materials.

Organizational Team Oversight
a. Coordinate and oversee workforce development research and evaluation projects to ensure high-quality implementation and methodological rigor.
b. Lead the identification and refinement of workforce development research and
programmatic priorities in close alignment with the Labor Center's mission, vision,
values, and strategic direction, ensuring that projects reflect opportunities for advancing equitable economic mobility.

Fundraising, Grants, & Contract Management
a. Develop fundraising efforts to sustain the Labor Center's workforce development
portfolio, including securing grants, contracts, and philanthropic support.
b. Develop and manage multi-year budgets, timelines, and deliverables for funded
research projects.
c. Prepare and submit grant proposals and reports, working closely with the development team and executive team.

Supervision
a. Work with supervisee in developing and implementing work plans, overseeing work assignments, and conducting performance evaluations
b. Make recommendations with regard to hiring, merit increases and promotions, and disciplinary actions including discharge
c. Participate in monthly steering committee meetings, set agenda in coordination with Labor Center director and senior staff
d. Develop team-building programming to strengthen positive coordination between Labor Center staff

Department: https://irle.ucla.edu/

Qualifications

Basic qualifications
As a normal requirement, the candidate should have the terminal or top degree in public policy, labor studies, labor relations, workforce development, or a related field, e.g., Ph.D., or the highest degree that is commonly expected for appointment in the activity and at least five years of experience in workforce development research, policy, program implementation, evaluation, or research administration. Strong knowledge of workforce development systems, workforce policy, labor market trends, and strategies that advance job quality, worker power, and equitable
economic opportunity is highly desirable. Candidates should demonstrate excellent research, analytical, project management, and writing skills.

Additional qualifications
Additional assets include bilingual abilities; familiarity with California workforce development programs, High Road Training Partnerships, and public workforce systems; and experience working with labor unions, worker centers, community-based organizations, workforce intermediaries, and social justice organizations serving historically marginalized communities.

Application Requirements

Document requirements

• Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.
• Cover Letter (Optional)
• Statement of Research (Optional)
• UCLA Mission Statement - As the nation's premier public research university, UC's mission is the creation, dissemination, preservation and application of knowledge for the betterment of our global society. We have a particular responsibility to the people of California which we express in the excellence of the education we provide, the impact of the research we do, the comprehensive, life-saving medical services we provide, and the public service mission we are devoted to. The University of California promotes the social mobility of its students, equips them with the tools and experience that furthers their ambitions, and regards their accomplishments across the life span as evidence of the profoundly positive impact of higher education.
  
  The UCLA campus has expressed these goals in its strategic plan as follows:
  
  Deepen our engagement with Los Angeles
  Expand our reach as a global university
  Enhance our research and creative activities
  Elevate how we teach
  Become a more effective institution
  
  Prompt for candidates for recruitment:
  
  Reflecting on your personal and professional experiences, highlight your past contributions and future commitments to advancing UCLA's mission as embodied in the 2023-28 strategic plan. These accomplishments and ambitions may be discussed in the context of describing your teaching, scholarship, and service
• Statement of Teaching (Optional)

Reference requirements

• 3-5 required (contact information only)

Applicants will enter the names and contact information of their references. The search committee will contact the finalist's referees.
Apply link: https://recruit.apo.ucla.edu/JPF11213

Help contact: [email protected]

Job location

Los Angeles