Employer Partnerships Specialist

 
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Why SKILLED US - Skilled US

 The Opportunity:

About Skilled US

Skilled US is on a mission to eliminate poverty by using education as the catalyst. We operate a full-service adult education and workforce development campus, combining industry-recognized credentials with wraparound services and direct employer partnerships to ensure our students gain not only skills—but also access to meaningful, high-quality employment.

Position Summary

The Employer Partnerships Specialist serves as the connector between Skilled US’s training programs and the labor market. This role is focused exclusively on employer and partner engagement, ensuring that every training pathway is aligned with current workforce needs and leads to job opportunities.

You will lead the development and maintenance of strategic employer partnerships, serve as the primary liaison for workforce collaborations, and coordinate activities that connect industry partners directly to our training efforts.

Key Responsibilities

Employer Engagement & Job Development

• Build, maintain, and grow strong partnerships with employers across Skilled US training sectors, including Advanced Manufacturing, Construction, CDL, HVAC, IT, Healthcare, and Logistics.
• Conduct weekly outreach to new and existing employers to understand workforce needs and create hiring pipelines.
• Develop and maintain a CRM database of employer contacts, job opportunities, and partnership details.
• Coordinate employer participation in training-aligned events such as job fairs, site visits, industry panels, and mock interview days.
• Serve as the primary point of contact between Skilled US and its employer partners, managing all communication, feedback, and partnership development.
• Collaborate with the Adult Education Manager to review upcoming graduate cohorts and proactively align students with relevant employer opportunities based on training pathways and hiring needs.
   

Training Program Alignment

• Collaborate with program managers and instructors to ensure all training is informed by employer feedback and labor market demand.
   
• Share real-time hiring trends and credential needs with instructional and program teams.
   
• Support curriculum alignment efforts by providing insight into in-demand job roles, workplace expectations, and hiring standards.
   

Partnership Expansion & Community Engagement

• Represent Skilled US at business forums, industry events, workforce boards, and community meetings.
• Identify new partnership opportunities with employers, training providers, economic development groups, and workforce coalitions.
• Maintain ongoing relationships with industry associations and chambers of commerce to increase Skilled US’s visibility and employer base.
   

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Workforce Development, Human Resources, or related field.
• 3+ years of experience in employer partnerships, business development, recruiting/staffing, or workforce engagement.
• Demonstrated success in building hiring partnerships or talent pipelines with measurable outcomes.
• Strong organizational, project management, and CRM/database management skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, event management, public speaking, and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Familiarity with reginal labor market trends and industry-specific workforce needs.

• Full-time, in-person role based in Indianapolis.
• Occasional evening or weekend events as required for employer engagement.
• Local travel for employer meetings and workforce events is expected.

Our Core Values:

• Student First - work to ensure that all interactions and decisions put our scholar first
• Respect - Treat others as you would like to be treated
• Determination - With hard work and superior effort, we can achieve all things
• Continuous Improvement - try to get better and better every day
• Gratitude - Demonstrate gratefulness for all that we have done and the opportunity to serve our scholars and communities

Ready to make a lasting impact?
Join us in breaking cycles, building futures, and proving that it’s never too late to succeed.

Organization Overview:
Skilled US is a free workforce development program that supports adults striving to learn and earn more. We believe that every student is unique, and our approach begins with understanding each student’s motivations. Join us at Skilled US and become part of a community that celebrates your success every step of the way. We are more than a training provider; we are a family committed to your growth and success.

Compensation and benefits:

• A base salary that is competitively aligned with the market.
• Monthly professional development opportunities
• Incentive and bonus opportunities

Please read carefully.

Phalen Leadership Academies (PLA) is an equal opportunity employer. PLA does not discriminate in employment on account of race, color, religion, national origin, citizenship status, ancestry, age, sex (including sexual harassment), sexual orientation, marital status, physical or mental disability, military status or unfavorable discharge from military service.

By completing this application you understand that neither the completion of this application nor any other part of my consideration for employment establishes any obligation for PLA to hire me. If hired, I understand that either PLA or I can terminate my employment at any time and for any reason, with or without cause and without prior notice. I understand that no representative of PLA has the authority to make any assurance to the contrary.

You attest by applying to this position that you have given PLA true and complete information on this application. No requested information has been concealed. I authorize PLA to contact references provided for employment reference checks. If any information I have provided is untrue, or if I have concealed material information, I understand that this will constitute cause for the denial of employment or immediate dismissal.