Manager, Workforce Development

Manager, Workforce Development 

Organization: John Howard Society of Victoria

Location: In Person, Victoria, BC

Job Type: Full-time, Permanent

Work hours: 40 hours a week, Mon - Fri, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm

Lead Workforce Development. Drive Results. Create Community Impact

John Howard Society of Victoria is seeking a passionate, innovative, and results-driven Manager, Workforce Development to lead our employment and workforce development services.

This is an exciting opportunity for a proven leader who thrives in a fast-paced environment and is motivated by creating measurable employment outcomes for individuals facing barriers to employment. Reporting to senior leadership, you will provide operational oversight, lead a high-performing team, strengthen employer and community partnerships, and ensure programs consistently achieve contractual deliverables and participant success outcomes.

If you are a strategic thinker with strong operational leadership skills and a passion for helping people achieve sustainable employment, we want to hear from you.

About John Howard Society of Victoria

John Howard Society of Victoria is a fast paced growing, dynamic and innovative social service organization that strives to create safe, healthy, and inclusive communities for all. Our goal is to help individuals achieve greater independence by providing support with housing, life-skills, education, employment, and community-based services.

At John Howard Society of Victoria we come from various backgrounds and share a common goal of wanting to make things better in our community, for our community. We believe in creating a dynamic work environment that adapts to your needs.

What We Offer

Annual Salary of $70,000 determined based on a variety of factors, including pay equity, market conditions, candidate experience, internal equity, and organizational priorities. In addition to a competitive wage based on experience and qualifications, JHSV offers:

• Municipal Pension Plan
• Extended Health and Dental Coverage
• Disability and Life Insurance
• Employee and Family Assistance Program
• Paid Vacation and Time Off
• Employee Engagement Activities
• Professional Development Opportunities
• A Supportive and Collaborative Work Environment

About the Job

We is seeking a passionate, results-driven, and innovative Manager, Workforce Development to provide operational leadership and performance oversight for JHS employment and workforce development programs in a fast paced and dynamic environment. This is a highly accountable, results-focused leadership role responsible for translating departmental priorities into effective day-to-day operations, ensuring contractual targets and performance indicators are achieved, and maintaining high standards of service delivery.

The Manager monitors program performance and data, identifies risks and areas requiring improvement, and implements timely operational strategies and corrective actions to strengthen participant outcomes. The Manager leads and develops a high-performing employment team, strengthens employer and community partnerships, drives innovation and continuous quality improvement, and ensures programs consistently meet or exceed contractual deliverables and performance indicators. Success in this role is demonstrated through consistently achieving contractual targets and strengthening employment placement and retention outcomes. The Manager builds productive employer partnerships, develops a high-performing and accountable team, and maintains high standards of program quality and compliance. They continuously identify and implement measurable improvements that strengthen program performance and sustainability. The position is in-person with no opportunities to work remotely.

What We’re Looking For

Must have Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Human Services, Social Sciences, Business Administration, Human Resources, Workforce Development, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• Minimum of 5 years of progressive experience in employment services, workforce development, program management, or a related field, including demonstrated leadership and people management experience.
• Demonstrated experience managing outcome-based programs with responsibility for contractual targets, key performance indicators, and measurable participant outcomes.
• Experience developing employer, industry, community, and/or government partnerships that support employment and workforce outcomes.
• Experience delivering or overseeing employment services for individuals facing barriers to employment.
• Experience with program budgets, financial monitoring, funding agreements, and grant or proposal development.
• Proficient in verbal and written English at a professional level, with excellent communication and interpersonal abilities.
• High proficiency in MS Office Suite (Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Outlook, SharePoint).
• Valid BC Class 5 Driver’s License and access to a reliable vehicle.
• Ability to successfully complete a Criminal Record Check

Skills and Competencies

• Results-oriented leadership with a demonstrated ability to drive measurable program, participant, and employment outcomes.
• Demonstrated people leadership and performance management skills, with the ability to establish clear expectations, coach and develop employees, address performance gaps, and foster an accountable, high-performing team culture.
• Operational management expertise, with the ability to translate priorities into clear plans, workflows, deliverables, and staff accountabilities.
• Strong understanding of quality assurance, continuous quality improvement, contractual compliance, and risk management.
• High degree of professionalism, integrity, discretion, and accountability when managing confidential or sensitive information.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build collaborative relationships with staff, participants, employers, funders, government representatives, and community partners.
• Adaptable and resilient, with the ability to lead effectively and maintain accountability in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Demonstrated sound judgment and problem-solving abilities, with the capacity to make timely decisions, manage competing priorities, and escalate significant risks appropriately.
• Understanding of person-centred and trauma-informed practices, with the ability to support inclusive service delivery that recognizes individual strengths, needs, barriers, and goals.

Who You Are

Are you a dynamic operations leader ready to make an impact? Do you thrive in a fast-paced environment and is passionate about operational excellence!

Here’s what describes you best:

• You are proactive. You take initiative and anticipate operational challenges before they arise.
• You are detail-oriented. You pay close attention to details to ensure compliance and accuracy in all aspects of operations.
• You are a strong communicator. You convey complex information clearly and effectively to diverse audiences.
• You are an analytical thinker. You possess strong problem-solving skills and can analyze data to drive informed decision-making.
• You are a collaborative team player. You work well with cross-functional teams, fostering cooperation and unity to achieve common goals.
• You are innovative. You are open to new ideas and approaches that enhance operational efficiency and effectiveness.
• You are mentorship-oriented. You enjoy coaching and developing team members to reach their full potential.
• You demonstrate integrity and accountability. You uphold high ethical standards and take responsibility for your actions and decisions.
• You are resilient. You maintain composure under pressure and remain focused on achieving objectives even in challenging circumstances.
• You are goal-oriented. You are driven by achieving operational excellence and alignment with organizational goals.
• You are systems savvy. You are comfortable with technology and databases, with a willingness to learn new systems and processes.

Creating Safe, Healthy and Inclusive Communities at JHS Victoria:

At John Howard Society of Victoria, we proudly embrace the rich diversity of the communities we serve, and we’re excited to invite applicants from all backgrounds to join our team! We understand that everyone’s journey is different, and we are committed to providing the support needed to ensure equal opportunities for success throughout the hiring process. John Howard Society of Victoria will provide reasonable accommodation upon request. Please email View email address on ca.workus.org if you have a need for any accommodation. We’re here to help!

Ready to Make a Positive Impact?

If you’re passionate about making a positive impact in people’s lives and meet the qualifications for this role, we’d love to hear from you!

Please submit your application through our portal. Submission deadline is August 22, 2026 and we’ll be reviewing applications on an ongoing basis until the position is filled. So don’t wait—apply today and take the next step in your journey with us!