The posting
Company Description
We help job seekers and career changers prepare for and advance in careers with a focus on sustainable, high-growth, high-demand industries. Our committed and well-trained workforce professionals deliver comprehensive workforce solutions at integrated career centers, sector-focused centers and community, and partner sites.
Job Description
The Dallas Workforce System Officer (DWSO) provides executive-level local leadership, strategic direction, and overall accountability for Equus’ Workforce Solutions Greater Dallas operations. Reporting directly to the Vice President of Operations, the DWSO is the senior local system leader, the ultimate local owner for Dallas execution, and the primary local contact for the Workforce Solutions Greater Dallas President/CEO and other Board executives.
The DWSO leads overall system strategy and execution, including employer-facing and sector-based strategies; fiscal and workforce capacity; customer experience; performance; quality; continuous improvement; deployment of enterprise resources; and integration of employer demand with job seeker preparation and program delivery.
Direct reports to the DWSO include the Project Director, Manager of Customer Experience and Innovation, Finance Director, Continuous Improvement Manager, Employer Solutions Director, HR Manager, Performance Director, and Quality Assurance Manager. The Project Director has focused accountability for integrated program and service delivery across the nine workforce centers and contracted programs, including direct supervision of the Program Director – WIOA/RESEA, Program Director – CHOICES, and nine Center Managers.
The DWSO establishes clear decision rights, leads the weekly Dallas Operating Review, coordinates deployment of local functional and enterprise resources, and escalates material contractual, fiscal, staffing, performance, quality, customer, compliance, technology, and reputational risks to the Vice President of Operations and applicable enterprise leaders.
Key Areas of Responsibility
Board Engagement and Strategic Alignment
- Serve as the senior local system leader and primary local contact for the Workforce Solutions Greater Dallas President/CEO and other Board executives, maintaining direct access, responsive communication, and accountability for Dallas system commitments and results.
- Collaborate with Board leadership to identify emerging workforce challenges, service delivery opportunities, and strategies that strengthen regional workforce outcomes.
- Translate Board priorities and regional workforce strategies into actionable initiatives supported by project leadership and corporate resources.
- Participate in strategic planning discussions, workforce initiatives, and stakeholder engagement activities as appropriate and in coordination with Board leadership.
- Provide executive-level insight into operational trends, employer needs, customer outcomes, and opportunities for workforce system improvement.
Business, Industry, and Economic Development Engagement
- Build and maintain strategic relationships with business leaders, industry associations, chambers of commerce, and economic development organizations to strengthen workforce alignment with regional economic needs.
- Engage employers and industry partners to identify current and emerging skill demands, workforce shortages, and opportunities for talent pipeline development.
- Direct and collaborate with the Employer Solutions Director to advance the Dallas Sector Solutions Network, sector partnerships, employer account strategies, Candidate Success Profiles, work-based learning, employer-driven talent pipelines, and measurable employer outcomes.
- Support development of partnerships that connect job seekers with high-demand occupations, industry-recognized credentials, work-based learning, and career advancement opportunities.
- Identify opportunities to leverage corporate capabilities and regional partnerships to respond to major workforce initiatives, business expansion, and emerging industry needs.
Community Engagement and Workforce System Advancement
- Establish and strengthen relationships with educational institutions, community-based organizations, local government, and other stakeholders to expand access to workforce development opportunities.
- Collaborate with community leaders to identify employment barriers, underserved populations, and opportunities to improve economic mobility.
- Support strategic partnerships that expand access to education, occupational training, supportive services, and sustainable employment.
- Work with community and education partners to strengthen career pathways and align workforce services with local economic and community development priorities.
- Promote coordinated approaches that reduce service duplication, strengthen resource alignment, and maximize the impact of workforce investments.
- Represent Equus in appropriate regional workforce development discussions, community initiatives, and collaborative efforts that advance the Board’s strategic objectives.
Corporate Leadership and Strategic Resource Alignment
- Maintain direct and consistent engagement between Equus corporate leadership and the Dallas project to ensure timely access to organizational expertise, resources, and executive support.
- Identify opportunities to leverage corporate partnerships, national best practices, and innovative service delivery models to strengthen local workforce outcomes.
- Direct and support the Project Director in translating system strategy, Board priorities, employer demand, and performance expectations into integrated program and center delivery across the nine-center network.
- Establish performance expectations for the Project Director and direct-report functional leaders and maintain local system accountability for contractual performance, customer and employer outcomes, fiscal stewardship, compliance, and risk management.
- Facilitate executive-level problem-solving and coordinated responses to emerging workforce, employer, community, and operational challenges.
- Promote continuous improvement and long-term workforce system effectiveness through collaborative leadership and strategic investment of organizational resources.
Expanded Key Performance Expectations
The DWSO will be evaluated on the following areas:
- Contractual and Operational Performance: Achievement of established contractual expectations and sustained operational effectiveness.
- Corporate Engagement: Demonstrated responsiveness, executive involvement, and effective deployment of corporate resources to support project success.
- Board Alignment: Effective collaboration with Workforce Solutions Greater Dallas leadership and demonstrated advancement of Board priorities.
- Strategic Employer Partnerships: Development and strengthening of industry relationships that contribute to workforce solutions and talent pipeline opportunities.
- Community Impact: Advancement of partnerships and initiatives that expand workforce access, career pathways, and economic mobility.
- Leadership Accountability: Effective oversight, development, and coordination of the Project Director, Manager of Customer Experience and Innovation, Finance Director, Continuous Improvement Manager, Employer Solutions Director, HR Manager, Performance Director, and Quality Assurance Manager, with clear decision rights, timely escalation, and verified follow-through.
- Workforce System Innovation: Implementation of collaborative strategies that strengthen regional workforce responsiveness, integration, and measurable outcomes.
Position Impact
The DWSO serves as a strategic leader and executive connection between Equus Workforce Solutions, Workforce Solutions Greater Dallas, and the broader regional workforce development community.
By combining corporate accountability, strategic Board engagement, employer and community partnerships, and executive operational oversight, the DWSO ensures that the Dallas workforce system benefits from both strong local execution and the full resources and leadership commitment of Equus.
This position reinforces Equus’ role not simply as a workforce services contractor, but as a strategic partner committed to strengthening the regional workforce ecosystem, supporting business competitiveness, expanding economic opportunity, and delivering measurable results for Dallas County.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Business, Public Administration, Workforce Development, Human Services, or related field; master’s degree preferred.
- Ten or more years of senior leadership experience overseeing complex workforce, economic development, human-services, or public-sector operations.
- Experience in workforce development, government contracting, human services, or a related publicly funded environment strongly preferred.
- Demonstrated experience managing large-scale workforce systems, fiscal stewardship, strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, performance management, contract compliance, and organizational transformation.
- Proven ability to build strategic relationships with workforce boards, government partners, employers, economic development organizations, and community stakeholders.
- Strong executive leadership, financial acumen, strategic planning, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
- Knowledge of WIOA and federally funded workforce programs preferred.
Additional Information
All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.
Equus Workforce Solutions is a leading provider of workforce development services in North America. With a dedicated and passionate team, Equus puts the industry’s best practices to work by focusing on the development, design, and delivery of demand-driven workforce solutions.
When you join Equus, you can expect extensive learning opportunities and networking programs. But most of all you can expect to make a lasting impact on the lives of others.
APM, including Equus Workforce Solutions, Ross Innovative Employment Solutions, Dynamic Workforce Solutions, DESI, AGELIC, and Grant Associates, is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.
APM is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities throughout the application and hiring process. If you require a reasonable accommodation during the application, interview, or selection process, please contact [email protected].
