ceo spokane, wa

ceo

Compensation & Benefits
Salary – $150,000 – $178,000 DOE/Neg.
Medical, dental, and life insurance, and long-term disability per the plans offered through the Washington State Health Care Authority
Retirement: Enrollment in the WA State PERS Employee Retirement System (PERS2 or 3)
PTO: 15 paid days off, accrued at 10 hours per month
Sick Days: 12 paid sick days in year one (8 hours accrued each month starting month 13)
Holidays: 10 paid holidays, 4 floating holidays, and 1 community service day each calendar year
Monthly cell phone stipend
LOCATION
This is a hybrid role with an office located at Spokane, WA 99202. SWC staff currently have the option on Fridays to work from home when circumstances do not necessitate presence in the office.

POSITION SUMMARY
The CEO is a highly influential, public-facing leader who serves as the strategic visionary for the Spokane workforce development system. Representing Spokane and SWC on local, state, and national levels, the CEO acts as the region’s primary convener, building high-level alliances with business leaders, educational institutions, and government officials to cultivate a competitive workforce advantage.

Reporting to the Board of Directors, the CEO is responsible for the integrity and success of the entire workforce system, ensuring strict compliance with the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) while aggressively driving the diversification of funding through philanthropic partnerships, competitive grants, and revenue-generating initiatives. They provide total oversight of the annual operating budget, currently at $6.7M, and a dedicated workforce of 10 team members. The CEO oversees operations at the centers, including oversight of 55 staff with different agencies across four specialized sites, including the WorkSource Spokane One-Stop Campus. This role directly supervises a highly skilled senior leadership team of three: Division Executive of Programs & Development/Equal Opportunity Officer, Division Executive of System Advancement/Next Generation Zone Director, and the Division Executive of Finance.

Year one priorities include:

Funding Diversification: Expanding and diversifying the organization’s financial base through private-sector partnerships, philanthropic investments, grants, and innovative funding models.
Strategic Convening: Bringing together key business, industry, labor, and educational partners to actively align workforce strategies with real-time labor market demands.
Legislative Advocacy: Serving as a visible advocate for the public workforce system at local, state, and federal levels to strengthen workforce funding, flexibility, and outcomes.
Innovation in Service Delivery: Driving the adoption of new technologies and service models to enhance the customer experience for job seekers, businesses, and community partners.
Stakeholder Alignment: Strengthening relationships with K–12 systems, higher education, and training providers to build coordinated career pathways and talent pipelines.
Operational Sustainability: Proactively aligning organizational strategy with shifting legislative landscapes while optimizing the budget to maintain high staff and service levels. Planning for SWC’s future real estate needs after the current lease expires.
DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
Strategic Board Governance: Manage and foster the development of the Board of Directors, providing the research and guidance necessary for effective planning and committee success.
External Advocacy and Thought Leadership: Serve as a visible spokesperson and advocate at local, state, and national levels, to stakeholders and funders to advance workforce policy.
Organizational and Talent Excellence: Develop the organizational structure and professional talent required to support the mission, overseeing human resources and cultivating a high-performance culture.
Ecosystem Partnerships and Integration: Convene business leaders, educators, and government officials to align service delivery with real-time economic needs.
Fiscal & Operational Stewardship: Oversee the current annual operating budget of $6.7M and procurement systems to ensure all operations and funded providers remain in full compliance with WIOA and other regulations.
Revenue Diversification: Proactively establish relationships with diverse funders to expand the revenue base through private-sector partnerships and philanthropic investments.
BACKGROUND PROFILE
A strong track record of building and sustaining cross-sector partnerships, effectively convening business leaders, educators, and government officials toward shared regional goals.
Advanced business acumen and experience managing multi-million-dollar budgets, contract administration, and organizational effectiveness to ensure high-level fiscal accountability.
Experience collaborating with Boards of Directors and diverse committees to facilitate effective planning and transparent policy making.
Familiarity with the laws and policies governing workforce, education, and economic development, with a proven ability to navigate public-sector and nonprofit landscapes.
Exceptional communication skills with the ability to inspire partners and serve as a visible advocate for the workforce system at the local, state, and national levels; a skilled public speaker.