Project JumpStart, Inc. (PJSI) is a Baltimore-based nonprofit pre-apprenticeship and job-readiness workforce development organization preparing residents facing systemic barriers for entry-level careers in the construction trades. Our core program, Project JumpStart Training (a Baltimore staple for 20 years) is a 15-week, 87-hour training model deeply embedded in carpentry, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC environments.

Position Title: Manager, Employment Services

Organization: Project JumpStart, Inc. (PJSI)

Location: Baltimore, MD (Hybrid)

Employment Type: Full-Time, Exempt

Reports To: Director of Programs

Supervises / Partners With: Works in close partnership with the Career Readiness Coordinator; may supervise an Employment Specialist, interns, or volunteers as funding allows

Collaborates With: Career Readiness Coordinator, Student Services & Case Management, Operations, Communications, and employer and community partners

About Project JumpStart, Inc.

Project JumpStart, Inc. (PJSI) is a Baltimore-based nonprofit pre-apprenticeship and job-readiness workforce development organization preparing residents facing systemic barriers for entry-level careers in the construction trades. Our core program, Project JumpStart Training (a Baltimore staple for 20 years) is a 15-week, 87-hour training model deeply embedded in carpentry, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC environments.

Position Summary

The Manager, Employment Services is PJSI’s employer-facing lead, responsible for building and maintaining the employer relationships and talent-pipeline opportunities that connect our graduates to careers in construction and related industries. This role identifies and cultivates employers, sources hiring opportunities, coordinates placements, and manages employer relationships through onboarding and retention.

This role works in close partnership with the Career Readiness Coordinator, who leads the student- and graduate-facing preparation (coaching, readiness curriculum, mock interviews, and alumni support). In short: the Coordinator prepares the candidates; the Manager develops the employers and the opportunities; together they drive placement. Reporting to the Director of Programs, the Manager owns the day-to-day execution and results of employer engagement and serves as a thought partner to the Director of Programs on workforce trends and industry partnerships. Program-wide strategy is set by the Director of Programs; this role delivers employer outcomes and informs that strategy from the field.

Key Responsibilities

Employer Engagement & Partnership Development

• Cultivate and maintain relationships with construction contractors, trade associations, union representatives, and industry partners.

• Identify and develop new job, apprenticeship, and pipeline opportunities across the trades and related sectors (facilities, maintenance, warehouse, manufacturing).

• Invite and host employers at PJSI events (e.g., lunch-and-learns, class and graduation presentations, hiring events, site visits).

• Meet with employers who have self-identified opportunities to understand their hiring needs.

• Research and reach out to prospective employers to introduce PJSI and our talent pipeline.

• Serve as the primary liaison between PJSI and employers to address workplace issues and support participant success.

• Track employer satisfaction and use it to drive continuous quality improvement.

Placement & Employer-Side Retention

• Lead the employer side of job matching and placement (sourcing openings and aligning them to graduate skills and goals) in partnership with the Career Readiness Coordinator, who prepares and supports candidates.

• Stay connected to placed graduates and their employers through the first ~60 days of onboarding to support a smooth transition and early retention.

• Maintain accurate, timely placement and employer-pipeline data in the program’s tracking system (e.g., AGS Prime, Asana, Google, SharePoint).

• Provide input to the Career Readiness Coordinator on evolving employer expectations so that readiness coaching and curriculum stay current.

Reporting & Program Coordination

• Develop and present employer-partnership and placement-pipeline performance reports to the Director of Programs. (Participant readiness, survey, and graduate-outcome tracking are owned by the Career Readiness Coordinator; the two roles share data to produce a complete placement picture.)

• Partner with Communications/Marketing to highlight employer partnerships and workforce outcomes.

• If supervising an Employment Specialist or intern, provide direction, performance management, and development.

• Contribute field insight to the Director of Programs’ strategy on employer partnerships and equitable hiring practices.

• Represent PJSI at workforce coalitions, employer roundtables, job fairs, and industry forums (in an employer-development capacity).

Community & Employer Network Support

• Extend PJSI’s employer network into the broader community to create hiring and advancement opportunities.

• Surface employer-adjacent community resources to Student Services and support the setup of referral pathways, then hand off ongoing participant coordination to Student Services and Case Management, who own participant barrier-resolution.

Measures of Success

Success is defined by a growing, satisfied base of employer partners; a strong and reliable pipeline of hiring opportunities; improving placement and early-retention outcomes delivered jointly with the Career Readiness Coordinator; and accurate, timely employer and placement reporting.

Qualifications

• 3–5 years of experience in workforce development, employer/business development, job placement, recruitment, or a related field.

• Strong knowledge of Maryland’s construction sector or similar skilled-trades environments, including familiarity with apprenticeship structures and regional workforce systems.

• Proven ability to build and maintain professional relationships with employers and diverse stakeholders.

• Demonstrated ability to work with diverse populations and apply a culturally competent, trauma-informed approach.

• Experience with placement tracking, CRM/case-management databases, and performance reporting.

• Excellent communication, organization, and interpersonal skills.

• Commitment to economic justice and equitable career access for marginalized communities.

• Prior supervisory experience preferred.

Compensation and Benefits

•  Competitive salary commensurate with experience (Full-Time range: $50,000–$70,000).

• Health, dental, and vision insurance; 401(k) plan.

• Generous PTO and paid holidays.

• Professional development opportunities.

• Meaningful, mission-driven work with a high-impact community organization.

Other duties as assigned. Project JumpStart, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. We strongly encourage women, people of color, and individuals from communities underrepresented in construction to apply.