5+ years in account management, business development, or economic development with strong growth outcomes
Experience managing a portfolio of accounts or community/government partnerships
Proven track record selling or positioning workforce, education, or credentialing solutions
Strong CRM proficiency and pipeline management habits
Excellent presentation and communication skills across all organizational levels
Willingness to travel 30-50% within assigned region, preferably located in New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, or Michigan
Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Economic Development, Workforce Development or related field, or equivalent experience
Responsibilities
Build and manage an active pipeline of employer relationships in assigned communities
Establish connections with chambers of commerce and economic development organizations
Own a portfolio of WRC communities, tracking progress and identifying advancement opportunities
Drive expansion of WorkKeys curriculum, assessments, and credentials
Connect communities to federal and state workforce funding streams
Facilitate introductions and partnerships across key stakeholders in workforce development
Maintain CRM records and provide regular reporting on employer acquisition and community progression
Benefits
Remote work opportunity, allowing for flexible work-life balance
Incentive-eligible position for performance rewards
Engagement with a nationally recognized workforce development program
Opportunity to drive economic impact and community advancement
Professional development through structured onboarding and role progression
Full Job Description
We are seeking a Senior Work Ready Community Development Manager, with at least 5 years of experience to help us fulfill that mission.
The finalist will be hired at the salary and level commensurate with their qualifications. For this position, we anticipate offering an annual salary in the range of $100,000 to $120,000. ACT manages salaries within the range based on relevant factors including, skills, experience, and internal equity. This position is incentive eligible.
Location: This is a remote position, based in the United States.
Visa: Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S. without the need for visa sponsorship.
What you will be working on:
ACT's Work Ready Communities program helps states, regions, and communities build a certified, competitive workforce by connecting employers, educators, economic developers, and policymakers around shared workforce readiness standards. With more than 580 participating communities and nearly 30,000 supporting employers nationwide, WRC is one of the most impactful workforce development programs in the country.
The WRC Development Manager is a growth role. You will build employer relationships, partner with chambers of commerce and economic development organizations, help communities advance through the WRC certification framework, and drive adoption of ACT WorkKeys products and credentials. You will also connect communities to funding resources and broker partnerships across the ecosystem.
This role is for someone who is energized by building relationships, comfortable at the executive level, and motivated by seeing real economic impact from their work.
Duties and Responsibilities:
Build and manage an active pipeline of employer relationships within assigned communities, driving recognition of the ACT WorkKeys NCRC and adoption of WorkKeys workforce tools
Establish working relationships with chambers of commerce and economic development organizations to position WRC certification as a workforce and talent attraction asset
Own a portfolio of WRC communities, tracking progress, identifying advancement opportunities, and driving the actions needed to move communities forward in the program
Drive expansion of WorkKeys curriculum licenses, assessments, and credentials within your portfolio and coordinate with ACT Sales on contract execution
Connect communities to federal and state workforce funding streams to sustain their investment in workforce development
Facilitate introductions and partnerships across employers, training providers, workforce boards, and education partners
Maintain CRM pipeline records and provide regular reporting on employer acquisition, community progression, and product expansion
Role Progression:
Within 3 Months: Complete structured onboarding of the WRC six-level framework and WorkKeys product suite. Gain fluency in your assigned economic zone portfolio, establish initial relationships with key community contacts and chamber partners, and begin building your employer outreach pipeline in CRM.
Within 6 Months: Actively managing your full portfolio with a clear view of each community's certification level and progression trajectory. Driving new employer recognitions, generating first WorkKeys curriculum license conversations, and identifying near-term level advancement opportunities. Established relationships with chamber and EDOs partners in each economic zone.
Within 9 Months: Demonstrating measurable commercial outcomes with employer recognitions added, communities advanced to the next certification level, and product revenue generated or expanded. Operating with autonomy across your portfolio, leveraging funding navigation to sustain community investment, and actively contributing to the broader WRC team's strategic goals.
This could be the job for you if you have these minimum requirements:
5+ years in account management, business development, or economic development with demonstrated growth outcomes
Experience managing a portfolio of accounts or community/government partnerships
Track record selling or positioning workforce, education, or credentialing solutions to employers or workforce organizations
CRM proficiency and strong pipeline management habits
Excellent presentation and communication skills across internal and external audiences at all organizational levels
Willingness to travel 30-50% within assigned region, Candidates located in New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio or Michigan preferred.
Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Economic Development, Workforce Development or a related field of study, or an equivalent combination of education and experience from which comparable knowledge and abilities can be acquired.
It's a plus if you have (preferred):
Master's degree in business, economic development, workforce development, or related field
Familiarity with federal workforce funding programs such as WIOA or Perkins
Experience working with chambers of commerce, economic development corporations, or workforce investment boards
Background in consultative or solution selling in a B2B or government-adjacent context
Familiarity with ACT WorkKeys products and the NCRC credentialing ecosystem
