Training and Curriculum Manager

Position Overview

Rising Sun is hiring a Training and Curriculum Manager to collaboratively shape and deliver the training and curriculum and learning strategy for our Opportunity Build and Climate Careers workforce development programs. This newly-created position that collaborates closely with program staff and industry experts to ensure that Rising Sun’s program graduates are equipped to succeed during their time at Rising Sun and in

high-road careers in climate and in the building and construction trades. This position helps create curriculum based on program needs and outcomes, develops age-appropriate learning tools and methodologies, trains staff to deliver training, keeps curricula up-to-date, and recommends improvements and innovations to keep the work mission- and employer-aligned.

The Training and Curriculum Manager reports directly to the Chief Strategy and Program Officer, with a dotted line to the Director of Opportunity Build, and the Directors of Climate Careers (Bay Area and Central Valley).

For more information about Rising Sun, please visit www.risingsunopp.org.

A successful Training and Curriculum Manager…

• Loves learning and teaching
• Communicates effectively in writing and verbally
• Has familiarity with both teaching inside *and* outside of traditional educational institutions, possibly in a workforce development context
• Has experience developing training and/or teaching workers or jobseekers
• Equally comfortable developing workshops and lessons for “hard” skills and “soft” skills
• Understands how to translate complex information into teachable lessons; can align training to meet specific competencies
• Has experience developing curricula for multiple age groups, including high school-age students and adult learners; has implemented different training methodologies for different groups and learning needs
• Knows that not everyone learns the same way and has strategies to support all learning types; interactively engages all learners equitably and enthusiastically
• Has the ability to develop curricula and training on topics they may not be an expert in, by collaborating with those who are; can observe what’s being taught or listen to specific learning outcomes and translate them into a documented curriculum
• Has experience “training the trainer”
• Is excited about working with varied subject matter, from climate to construction to interview skills to customer service
• Is self-organized and self-directs effectively, managing across and up, proactively anticipating needs; organized, detail-oriented, and efficient
• Effectively communicates training concepts, goals, and values across diverse internal and external audiences
• Proactively identifies challenges and implements creative, practical solutions to meet evolving training needs; adapts and improves
• Builds strong, collaborative relationships with partners, staff, and stakeholders to support training success
• Demonstrates self-awareness in terms of understanding their own culture, identity, biases, prejudices, power, privilege, and stereotypes
• Demonstrates willingness to challenge and change institutional practices that present barriers to different groups

The Training & Curriculum Manager is responsible for…

Curriculum and Training: Opportunity Build

Since 2014, has Opportunity Build prepared individuals 18+ who are experiencing barriers to employment for careers in the building and construction trades. Rising Sun uses the Multi-Craft Core Curriculum (MC3) from Tradesfutures as a foundation and includes additional hands-on training, green construction and decarbonization, and soft skills training; participants graduate with an MC3 certificate, OSHA 10, and First Aid certification. Rising Sun employs a Construction Instructor and contracts with several other individuals or organizations to deliver specific aspects of the training; guest speakers are also often featured. This curriculum needs to be documented and kept up-to-date based on industry trends and employer needs, and aligned with the needs of adult learners in a workforce development setting. Opportunities exist to develop add-on or ad-hoc trainings to best support Rising Sun’s program participants and graduates, including developing new program curriculum and developing training for applicants to prepare for Opportunity Build. Training non-educator staff to deliver training, and sometimes delivering training directly, may also be a need. Rising Sun offers four Opportunity Build cohorts per year.

Curriculum and Training: Climate Careers

Climate Careers employs local young adults ages 15-24 to provide free energy efficiency and water conservation services across the Bay Area and rural Central California, primarily during the summer. Climate Careers has extensive training materials that are used to prepare youth and their seasonal managers to operate and work from a site office, deliver a Green House Call, work well with teammates and residents, manage inventory, work safely, and more. Training also includes basics of climate change, building performance, and environmental justice, as well as a series of professional development workshops and preparation for post-summer externships at other climate-related organizations. The curriculum needs annual updating to align with updates to the Green House Call service and to remain relevant. Opportunities exist to develop different training for different roles and for different age groups, to build out customized lessons that reflect local climate realities, to develop curriculum for new programming - including for program graduates and seasonal managers, and to explore accreditation and certification for Climate Careers participants. Training non-educator staff to deliver training, and sometimes delivering training directly, may also be a need.

General Responsibilities

• Design, maintain, and update curriculum, training, training materials, and methodologies for participants in all Rising Sun programs
• Integrate high road, equitable, and participant-centered methods aligned with Rising Sun’s organizational values
• Embed foundational knowledge in building electrification, decarbonization, heat pump technologies, and renewable energy
• Ensure accessibility through inclusive, interactive, and culturally responsive teaching strategies tailored to diverse learning styles
• Recruit, train, and evaluate instructors; implement a train-the-trainer model for staff and instructors to ensure instructional consistency and quality
• Provide mentoring, coaching, and support to content facilitators and other instructors
• Regularly assess and update curriculum based on employer feedback, participant outcomes and feedback, and industry needs
• Manage training resources and environments; develop virtual/hybrid modules to expand access as needed
• Establish metrics and competencies to assess career readiness, participant satisfaction, learning progress, and training effectiveness; create and administer assessments to inform program improvements.
• Monitor industry developments (energy efficiency, building decarbonization, climate change, environmental justice, electrification, construction trades, career readiness, professional development) to keep training content current and relevant.
• Collaborate with program staff to align training with high-road career pathways
• Propose and design additional trainings that support graduates in their career journey and keep them connected to Rising Sun
• Work with employers, unions, and industry groups to align training with employer needs; integrate employer feedback into curriculum and training design
• Engage community partners—such as schools, juvenile justice centers, and residential programs—to pilot innovative training models
• Develop and update curricula for new programs or new program elements as needed, including for community-focused education and training aligned with Rising Sun’s mission
• Create and maintain an accessible online repository for all training materials and resources
• Deliver training and workshops directly as needed or appropriate

Additional Responsibilities

• Develop fluency in all elements of Rising Sun’s programs
• Participate in team meetings
• Contribute to grant proposals and reports; prepare and deliver information for internal and external stakeholders, including funders and Board members
• Other duties as assigned

To be considered for this position, you must have:

• Documented work experience in learning and curriculum development, education, and/or training, including instructional design and adult learning theory
• Subject matter expertise in one or more areas related to Rising Sun’s programs: climate, sustainability, energy efficiency, decarbonization and electrification, construction, workforce development, youth development, career services
• Experience teaching in a workforce development, technical training, or career readiness environment
• Experience delivering training and training others to deliver training
• Excellent presentation, communication (written and verbal), and presentation skills
• Excellent organizational skills, project management ability, and attention to detail
• Experience with and enthusiasm for working with diverse groups of learners, different age groups (adults and young adults), and different learning styles; an understanding of how to leverage different teaching styles and methodologies to engage different learners
• Experience evaluating the effectiveness of training and curriculum
• A car, valid driver’s license, and insurance (may need to travel to temporary site offices across Rising Sun’s territory)
• Residency in California (preferably in the Bay Area or San Joaquin County) or the ability to move; be able to travel to our office in Oakland and/or Stockton as required or requested
• In order to align with our commitment to public health for our employees, participants, and community, we require proof of completion of the primary series of an approved COVID-19 vaccination by your start date. For more information, including on exemptions, please see Rising Sun’s Mandatory Vaccination Policy.

It’s a big plus if you have…

• Career Technical Education (CTE) certification
• Experience with learning management systems (LMS) and e-learning platforms
• 5 or more years of experience in curriculum development, instructional design, or training management, with a focus on workforce development or related fields
• Familiarity with emerging trends in building electrification, decarbonization, and clean energy technologies
• Existing relationships with employers and training/educational institutions
• Experience applying diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ) principles in workforce training

About Rising Sun...

We’re deeply rooted at the intersection of equity, climate, and good, sustainable careers.

In 1994, Rising Sun Center for Opportunity began as Rising Sun Energy Center in Santa Cruz, California. Much has changed as we’ve adapted and innovated to respond to the needs of our participants and communities, but today, we remain rooted in our origins, preparing people throughout the Bay Area and Central California who have been locked out of prosperity for good jobs and green pathways that offer economic equity and mobility while building a climate-resilient future for all. Learn more about who we are.

About our culture…

We are mission-driven and work hard because we care about what we do. We are deeply committed to equity, inclusion, and antiracism, and are actively advancing on that journey, though we know the work is never done. We like working with each other and we like to make work fun. We’re into continuous improvement, learning, transparency, and tough conversations. We practice appreciation and start each meeting with a team builder, and it’s not uncommon for staff to bring snacks to share that tell a story about who they are and where they come from. When we’re at the office, there’s usually at least one dog hanging around. We put people first, especially our program participants. We like to promote from within and build each other up, but we also like to bring in new ideas and different perspectives. We’re looking forward to meeting you and hearing about how you can contribute to making Rising Sun a great place to have an impact.

You might also be wondering about pay and benefits...

This is a permanent, full-time, exempt, salaried, and benefited position with an annual starting salary range in line with the following compensation structure:

Career Level

Bay Area Resident

Central Valley Resident

Manager

$80,594-$84,624

$77,564-$81,4442

Rising Sun offers a competitive benefits package that includes:

• 100% coverage of Medical, Vision, Dental insurance for employees, 50% coverage for dependents
• 403b contribution option and 3% matching employer contribution after first year
• $100,000 Life Insurance Policy
• 17 PTO days/year (increases each year until year 10)
• 18 Holidays/year (includes 2 floating holidays and a week of closure during winter)
• 4 Restorative days/year
• Birthday off
• Hybrid Remote work options - dependent on position
• Monthly internet and phone reimbursement, totaling $100
• 40% pay from Rising Sun for 12 weeks of parental leave to supplement California's state disability leave and paid family leave payments
• 2 months of paid sabbatical after year 7
• Annual professional development budget
• Financial advising through Stonebridge Financial Group
• Access to mental health services and resources through SpringHealth

RISING SUN IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Rising Sun is committed to diversity and considers all applicants for all positions without regard to color, ethnic background, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, and disability status. Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action; Women and individuals who are Black, Indigenous, and/or people of color are encouraged to apply.