Senior Program Specialist -Information Communication Tech & Manu at SAN DIEGO WORKFORCE PARTNERSHIP INC – San Diego, California

The San Diego Workforce Partnership is the leader for innovative workforce solutions in San Diego County. We fund and deliver job training programs that enable all job seekers to develop the skills and knowledge needed for in-demand careers. Our vision is that every business in our region has access to a skilled workforce, and every job seeker has access to meaningful employment. We seek to earn trust and inspire growth in every action we take.

Position Summary

Under the general supervision of the Program Manager, the Senior Program Specialist will be a key contributor to the design, implementation, and management of workforce development programs and initiatives. The Senior Program Specialist will collaborate with organizational and departmental leadership to ensure effective delivery and continuous improvement of workforce development programming for participants facing systemic barriers to employment. The Senior Program Specialist collaborates across departments and with external partners to ensure programs meet funder requirements and community needs; bridging direct service delivery and strategic program management, providing advanced support in grant compliance, stakeholder engagement, and performance monitoring.

Essential Functions    

1. Support the implementation and delivery of workforce development programs and special initiatives in collaboration with the Program Manager and Lead Program Specialist.
2. Ensure alignment with organizational goals, KPIs, and funder requirements, contributing to the development and refinement of program-specific operations and communication.
3. Assist in managing grant deliverables, timelines, and reporting requirements, ensuring programs meet contractual and performance expectations.
4. Contribute to strategic planning, operational continuity, and continuous improvement across programs.
5. Provide daily support to workforce development team members through hands‑on mentoring, feedback, and training—both in person and remotely—to ensure cohesive and high‑quality program delivery.
6. Coordinate and facilitate internal training sessions, technical assistance, and partnership meetings.
7. Deliver training for staff and partners on program operations, compliance, enrollment, documentation, and placement activities.
8. Conduct periodic file reviews and audits to ensure program compliance and readiness for federal, state, and local grant audits.
9. Meet weekly with the Program Manager to report on team progress toward goals, including referrals, enrollments, subsidized wage placements, data accuracy, customer satisfaction, and other KPIs.
10. Monitor subrecipient performance, providing technical assistance to ensure compliance, quality service delivery, and adherence to contractual requirements.
11. Analyze program data to identify trends, gaps, and opportunities for improvement, supporting data-driven decision-making.
12. Prepare performance reports and dashboards using systems such as CalJOBS, Salesforce, Cal e-Grants, and county-specific platforms
13. Build and maintain strong relationships with community-based organizations, training providers, employers, and governmental partners to support program goals and participant success.
14. Represent SDWP in meetings, collaborations, and community initiatives, ensuring adherence to policies, procedures, and ethical standards.
15. Support outreach, recruitment, and partnership development efforts that expand opportunities for jobseekers.
16. Apply trauma-informed and client-centered approaches to service delivery, ensuring participants receive individualized and supportive guidance.
17. Assist in designing and enhancing program and training services that reflect participant needs and promote equitable access to opportunities.
18. Support employer engagement, workshop facilitation, and individualized services that contribute to participant placement and career advancement.
19. Ensure timely and accurate enrollment, documentation, and placement activities across programs.
20. Assist in preparing for federal, state, and local grant audits by maintaining high standards of documentation and compliance.
21. Contribute to the development and review of service agreements and contracts to ensure clarity, compliance, and alignment with program goals.
22. Perform other related duties as assigned.

Fundamental Job Requirements  

• Bachelor’s degree in public administrations, social services, human services or related field.
• Two to four (2-4) years supporting public assistance, case management and program implementation experience.
• Minimum 3 years’ experience in workforce development, program coordination, case management or related social service programs.
• Minimum 1 year team leader experience.
• Displayed experience working with populations facing systemic barriers to employment.
• Experience developing and delivering employment or training programs.
• Ability to work at a high level of autonomy, initiative, and technical expertise.

• Ability to mentor Program Specialists.

• Ability to build effective relationships with teammates and partner organizations.

• Computer proficiency, particularly with the Microsoft Office suite, including Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

Desired Requirements

• Master’s degree in public administration, social work or human services.
• Grant or contract management experience, including compliance and reporting.
• Experience with trauma-informed service delivery and client-centered program design.

Our Values 

Collaboration:  

Engaging in inclusive, respectful relationships among colleagues, customers and community that foster the achievement of shared goals. 

Excellence:  

Driving quality, innovation and measurable outcomes through a customer-centered focus and a high-performance culture. 

Stewardship:  

Strategic, efficient, effective use of resources to meet the evolving needs of our customers and community with the highest levels of integrity. 

Inclusion:  

Taking responsibility for creating a culture where everyone is welcomed, heard, valued and empowered to fully participate and reach their full potential.  

Equity:  

Prioritizing those who have been systemically denied opportunity through policies, priorities, practices, and behaviors that result in access to opportunity for ALL colleagues, customers, and communities. 

We Love to Take Care of Our Workforce Associates–

We offer a great work environment, a culture that values individuality and inclusion, collaborative and innovative teams, and a competitive pay and benefits package. Our benefits include: PTO, PTO sell-back program, generous employer-paid benefits (platinum plans), company-paid learning and professional development program, pension plan and 457 retirement plan additional employee wellness. Compensation for this position ranges from $31.36 - $43.98.

In the spirit of pay transparency, we are excited to share the base salary range for this position. If you are hired at San Diego Workforce Partnership, your final base salary (within the pay range), will be determined based on factors such as education, knowledge, skills, and experience. In addition to those factors, we believe in the importance of pay equity and consider the internal equity of our current team members when determining any final offer. Please keep in mind that the range mentioned above is the full base salary range for the role. Hiring at the maximum of the range would not be typical in order to allow for future and continued salary growth. We also offer generous benefits and retirement plans.

At the Workforce Partnership, we don’t just accept difference — we celebrate it, we support it, and we thrive on it for the benefit of our employees, and the work that we do in the communities we serve. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace for all. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities.

San Diego Workforce Partnership is committed to a policy of Equal Employment Opportunity and will not discriminate against an applicant or employee on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender, age, physical or mental disability, veteran or military status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.