Director of Staff Development & Training

Position Summary

At the forefront of building the nation’s labor movement, 32BJ SEIU is changing the narrative around important social and economic issues facing working families. Founded in 1934, 32BJ is the largest union of property service workers in the nation. We have a powerful and important mission: To build and grow a diverse, effective, politically independent and democratic organization of workers to change our lives for the better, improve our communities, and build a more just society for present and future generations.

With a commitment to building power for low-wage workers, 32BJ is engaged in winning strong contracts for members, organizing workers, supporting progressive candidates for elected office and moving a broad policy agenda, such as paid sick days, expanding access to health care and the Fight for $15.

The union has approximately 425 staff in sixteen offices from Boston to Miami. 32BJ SEIU represents over 175,000 property service workers including janitors, security officers, airport workers, and food service employees in 11 states and Washington, D.C. 32BJ is an affiliate of SEIU, the Service Employees International Union, which has 2 million members dedicated to raising industry standards and making life better for all working families and communities.

32BJ SEIU’s headquarters are in New York City, where this position is based.

32BJ SEIU seeks a strategic and thoughtful leader to effectively build internal capacity around training and staff development. The Director of Staff Development and Training will be responsible for identifying learning and development priorities, building strategies to meet those priorities and measuring progress along the way.

Reporting to the Chief of Operations, this is a new position that will lead the Union’s efforts to retain and develop a high-performing, diverse staff. This is an exceptional opportunity for a candidate who is excited about contributing to a learning culture, building alignment across organizational stakeholders, setting strategic goals and delivering resources and programs that meet organizational needs and advance 32BJ SEIU’s mission.

 

Key Responsibilities

  • Assess, understand, prioritize and address key training and development needs, and help build a holistic and effective organizational strategy for staff development and training; work with the union’s strategic planning work group on staff development to audit existing best practices.
  • Work closely with managers to integrate best practices of management, staff development, and training into our work so we collectively develop institutional capacity in these areas.
  • Design and deliver targeted training plans that are linked to organizational goals and objectives and enable staff to develop in their roles and advance in the union, beginning with a management training program in collaboration with outside consultants and utilizing internal and external resources.
  • Collaborate with Officers and the executive office on succession planning and leadership development, including the development of a mentorship and coaching program.
  • Staff the union’s Racial Justice Work Group and liaise closely with consultants who are helping develop the union’s anti-racist program. Integrate the Racial Justice Principles (as developed by the work group) into the union’s staff structures and processes.
  • Implement a system for tracking and documenting training needs, holding staff accountable and ensuring compliance, as well as creating and tracking individual development plans.
  • Collaborate with senior management to reimagine the performance evaluation system and procedures; establish data-driven, measurable, key metrics and qualitative measures to inform staff development.
  • Work with Officers and senior management to help strategically and successfully move the organization and its staff through growth and change.
  • Work in partnership with colleagues to strengthen a culture of learning, coaching, and inclusion; collaborate with other departments to coordinate staff development agendas and trainings.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will be a creative, collaborative, and action-oriented leader with a compelling presence and exceptional communication and relationship-building skills. The successful candidate will have a strong background in adult education and training focused especially on leadership development, professional development, and social justice

  • Demonstrated commitment to social and economic justice and the ability to work effectively across and in support of diverse cultural backgrounds
  • Proven track record of success in union or non-profit management and/or complex political and organizational situations
  • Experienced facilitator proficient in developing and delivering organization-wide development programs to a large staff and/or at an organization that has gone through rapid growth and change
  • Strong public presence with compelling written and oral presentation skills
  • Strong interpersonal and communication skills; ability to serve as a strategic advisor and sounding board to staff at all levels of the organization
  • Comfortable with ambiguity and working through solutions with creativity and innovation
  • Excellent project management and strategic planning and budgeting skills including the ability to develop, sequence and map long-term plans while delivering on short-term goals
  • Motivated self-starter who can work independently, as well as be an enthusiastic team player
  • Fluency in Microsoft Office Suite with ability to quickly learn internal systems, applications, and workflows
  • Ability to travel to regional offices as necessary (anticipated to be about 30 to 40% of time, especially in the first year)

How to Apply

Competitive salary commensurate with experience and generous benefits package that includes a fully employer-paid medical and dental plan (for full-time employees and their qualified dependents) and retirement benefits, including a pension and 401K.

Please send a resume and letter of interest to HR@seiu32bj.org. Please use “Director of Staff Development” in the subject line of your email.

Please note 32BJ has implemented a vaccine mandate. Bona fide religious and ADA exemptions are permitted with additional safety measures.

32BJ is an inclusive, diverse and anti-racist organization, committed to advocating for social, racial and economic justice. We promote diversity and strongly encourage applications from people who believe in our mission.


Apply Now


Apply Now

  • New York City
  • Full Benefits
  • Equal Opportunity

Please send a resume and letter of interest to HR@seiu32bj.org. Please use “Director of Staff Development” in the subject line of your email.

32BJ SEIU is an equal opportunity employer. People of color, persons with disabilities, women, and LGBTQ+ candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

Local 32BJ has implemented a vaccine mandate. Bona fide religious and ADA exemptions are permitted with additional safety measures.