Manager of Business Solutions & Employer Partnerships

North Lawndale Employment Network is a comprehensive workforce development agency on Chicago’s West Side dedicated to advancing the economic outcomes of the community’s residents through innovative employment initiatives, including our social enterprises. In August 2021, North Lawndale Employment Network transitioned to a new campus which features a premier community café for residents and stakeholders.

North Lawndale Employment Network is seeking a Manager of Business Solutions & Employer Partnerships, a key leader on NLEN’s Impact & Innovation Leadership Team. This role is responsible for designing and executing NLEN’s employer engagement and job placement strategy. This role leads corporate partnerships and ensures that our job development and post-placement efforts are responsive to employer needs and aligned with client success. This person will supervise the Job Developer and Retention Specialist, coordinating efforts across the hiring journey—from employer engagement to client placement to long-term job retention. We are seeking a seasoned, strategic relationship-builder with a deep employer network, excellent communication skills, and a passion for inclusive workforce development.

Responsibilities include:

Employer Partnerships & Business Solutions

• Lead outreach and engagement with employers across priority industries to identify hiring needs and develop placement pipelines.
• Position NLEN’s job seekers as solutions to workforce challenges—helping employers meet hiring, retention, and DEI goals.
• Leverage an existing employer network while cultivating new partnerships through site visits, job fairs, networking events, and hiring round tables.
• Act as the primary relationship manager for a portfolio of employer partners, ensuring quality and consistency.
• Evening and weekend availability is required to support employer schedules, job fairs, or community events.

Placement Strategy & Talent Alignment

• Collaborate with coaching and training teams to ensure job readiness aligns with employer needs and labor market trends.
• Develop and manage referral and placement processes that connect qualified candidates to unsubsidized job opportunities.
• Provide feedback to internal teams based on employer insights to strengthen programs and training design.
• Ensure NLEN meets its annual job placement goal of 328+ unsubsidized placements.

Team Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Supervise and support the Job Developer and Retention Specialist, ensuring strong coordination across pre- and post-placement services.
• Set clear expectations and foster a performance-driven, client-centered team culture.
• Participate in internal leadership meetings and contribute to cross-departmental initiatives that advance workforce strategy.
• Represent NLEN at employer convenings, workforce collaboratives, and business-focused events.

Data Management & Performance Reporting

• Track employer engagement, placements, and retention outcomes using Salesforce and other data tools.
• Monitor performance metrics tied to internal goals and funder deliverables.
• Prepare monthly reports and outcome summaries for senior leadership, partners, and grant reporting.

What Success Looks Like in the First 90 Days

• Re-engage or activate 5–7 employer partnerships with open job leads
• Place at least 10 jobseekers into unsubsidized roles
• Host at least one employer-facing event (e.g., job fair, hiring roundtable, or site visit)
• Present a 90-day strategy outlining job development, retention, and partnership goals

Note: Final candidates may be invited to participate in a paid 30–60 day contract engagement as a mutual fit assessment.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree required (Business, Human Resources, Public Administration, or related field preferred)
• 5–7 years of experience in employer engagement, workforce development, business development, or talent acquisition
• Strong and growing network of employer contacts in the Chicago area or relevant industries
• Demonstrated success generating job leads and meeting placement goals in a mission-driven or service-based context
• Prior experience supervising staff or managing cross-functional teams
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; ability to influence and collaborate with diverse stakeholders
• Experience with Salesforce or similar CRM/data platforms
• Commitment to racial equity, second-chance hiring, and community-rooted workforce strategies