Workforce Policy Lab Director Ops & Org Development (39138)

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Classification

Classification Director

Position Number

Position Number

Open Date

Open Date 09/08/2026

Close Date

Priority Review Date

Priority Review Date 09/23/2026

Employee Class

Employee Class Staff

Full-Time/Part Time

Full-Time/Part Time Full-Time

FTE

FTE 1.00

Position Status

Position Status Temporary

FLSA

FLSA Exempt

Job code

Job code 1330SPS03

Union Representation

Union Representation Non-Union

Union Code

Union Code N/A

Unit/Department

College/Unit

College/Unit Public Policy Govt Workforce

Division

Location

Location LH 305

Link to Department Website or Custom Search Page

Position Summary, Requirements, and Qualifications

Position Summary, Requirements, and Qualifications

Overview

ABOUT THE WORKFORCE POLICY LAB

The Workforce Policy Lab ( WPL ) at Northern Illinois University is a policy research and technical assistance organization working at the intersection of workforce development, labor economics, and state policy. WPL holds a significant contract with the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity ( DCEO ) and smaller contracts with other states, conducting program strategy, policy development, fund distribution, capacity building, technical assistance, and research and evaluation.

WPL operates in a fast-paced, high-stakes environment where excellent work directly shapes workforce systems and economic opportunity across Illinois and beyond.

Position Summary

The Director of Operations and Organizational Development is a senior leadership role at the Workforce Policy Lab, carrying significant organizational authority and responsibility for the internal health, operational excellence, and people development of the Lab. This is not a support role — it is a co-leadership role for someone ready to share genuine ownership of a growing, mission-driven organization.

The Director of Operations and Organizational Development partners with the Executive Director to ensure WPL runs with clarity, accountability, and intentionality — that staff are developed and supported, systems are built and maintained, and the organization operates with integrity across all of its work. The ideal candidate is a confident, relational leader who thrives in complex environments, genuinely enjoys developing people, brings both systems thinking and interpersonal intelligence to their work, and is energized by building organizational capacity from the inside out.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Directly supervise program staff, providing clear expectations, regular feedback, and meaningful professional development support.
• Demonstrated ability to build trust and cohesion in complex team environments, including during periods of organizational change and transition.
• Brings both relational intelligence and operational discipline to people leadership — understanding that systems serve people, not the other way around.
• Creates conditions where every team member has clarity about their role, what success looks like, and how their work connects to the organization’s mission.
• Leads with curiosity before judgment, particularly when navigating team dynamics across difference in race, identity, background, and lived experience.
• Develops people intentionally — giving team members stretch opportunities with genuine support, not just task assignment.
• Holds self and others accountable with directness and care, modeling that clear is kind.

Operations & Organizational Management

• Under the guidance and goals set by WPL’s Executive Director, lead the design and implementation of WPL’s internal operational infrastructure — including workflow management, internal systems, policies and procedures, and cross-team coordination. This is a building role, not a maintenance role.
• Establish and maintain a project tracking system that provides real-time visibility into deliverable status across all contracts, with early identification of risk and clear accountability for resolution.
• Serve as a key liaison to NIU administrative and compliance functions, ensuring WPL remains in good standing with university policies and contract requirements.
• Manage budget monitoring in coordination with administrative support staff and the Executive Director; ensure expenditures align with contract budgets and timelines.
• Build and lead internal communications practices that create consistent clarity across a geographically distributed team — ensuring that information flows reliably and that no team member is operating without the context they need.
• Lead the planning and execution of team meetings, retreats, and other internal convenings that strengthen team cohesion and organizational alignment.

Program & Contract Work

• Develop substantive familiarity with WPL’s contract portfolio sufficient to provide meaningful oversight, quality control, and accountability for program deliverables — without assuming primary responsibility for their execution.
• Ensure that project leads have the clarity, resources, and organizational support they need to deliver excellent work, intervening early when deliverables are at risk.
• Represent WPL credibly in meetings with partners and clients when appropriate, and carry select external relationships with confidence and independence.
• Support the development of proposals, scopes of work, and contract renewals in partnership with the Executive Director.

Minimum Required Qualifications (Civil Service)

N/A

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) (Civil Service)

N/A

Specialty Factors (Civil Service)

N/A

Preferred Qualifications (Civil Service)

N/A

Minimum Required Qualifications (SPS)

• Master’s degree or higher in public policy, public administration, business, organizational leadership, social sciences, or a related field; candidates with a Bachelor’s degree and demonstrated equivalent leadership experience will be considered.
• Minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in organizational management, operations, or people leadership.
• Demonstrated experience managing and developing people from diverse racial, cultural, and experiential backgrounds, with the awareness to recognize when workplace dynamics feel exclusionary to those whose identities differ from the majority.

Additional Requirements (SPS)

• Proven ability to build trust and organizational cohesion in complex, changing environments.
• Strong organizational management skills with demonstrated ability to build systems, policies, and operational infrastructure — not just maintain them.
• High comfort with ambiguity and a default orientation toward creating clarity for others.

Preferred Qualifications (SPS)

• Ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience in organizational management, operations, or people leadership, preferably in a policy, government, nonprofit, higher education, or research setting.
• Proficiency with project management platforms; experience with Asana or similar tools preferred.
• Experience leading organizational change or building operational infrastructure in a growing organization.
• Familiarity with the public workforce development system or adjacent policy areas.
• Experience working with state government agencies or managing contract-funded work.
• Familiarity with university administrative environments.
• Bilingual is preferred.
• General office requirements.
• Long periods of time seated/stationary.
• Travel may be required based on program and grantee needs.

Appointment and Compensation Details

Appointment and Compensation Details

Anticipated Appointment Start Date

Anticipated Appointment Start Date 10/16/2026

Anticipated Appointment End Date

Anticipated Appointment End Date 06/30/2027

Percent of Staff Year

Percent of Staff Year 1.00

Standard Hours Per Week 37.50

Working Hours

Working Hours 8am-4:30pm, evenings and weekends as needed.

In accordance with applicable statutes and regulations, NIU is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, religion, age, disability (physical and mental), marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender (identity and expression), political affiliation, or any other factor unrelated to professional qualifications, and will comply with all applicable federal and state statutes, regulations and orders pertaining to nondiscrimination, equal opportunity and affirmative action.

The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies:

Director of Civil Rights Office, Title IX Coordinator

Health Services 2nd floor

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification document form upon hire.

ADA Accommodation

NIU remains committed to ensuring that its recruitment and application procedures include full opportunities for applicants with disabilities. Employment opportunities will not be denied to anyone because of the need to make accommodations for a person’s disability during either the application or interview process. An applicant who believes they require an accommodation to participate in the employment process due to a disability may request that accommodation through the Accommodation Request Form . For further assistance, please contact the office of  Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity ( AAEO ) at .

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).