Director of Workforce Development at Immigrant Family Services Institute

Director of Workforce Development

Are you a strategic and adaptable leader with a passion for building workforce programs that transform the lives of immigrants? Do you want to help newly arrived immigrants gain the education and career pathways needed to thrive?

Join Immigrant Family Services Institute (IFSI) as the next Director of Workforce Development

Riverwalker Talent has been retained to assist with this search.

Location: Mattapan, MA – Hybrid, with travel across Greater Boston sites
Salary: $70K-$80K + generous benefits package
Reports to: Chief of Staff, Jennifer Pamphile
Supervises: 3 core staff across sites; supports 12–14 instructors
Role Type: Full-time, exempt, benefitted

About Immigrant Family Services Institute (IFSI)

IFSI provides holistic education and workforce solutions, empowering immigrants to succeed in today’s job market with support and training. Services range from ESOL classes and job readiness training to licensed nurse aide training programs. We emphasize integration, education, and advocacy to create meaningful opportunities for the immigrants that we serve, with a focus on recently arrived immigrants. IFSI addresses the needs and aspirations of recently arrived immigrants through direct service programming, thought leadership, coalition building, and advocacy.

About the Role

The Director of Workforce Development will lead IFSI’s growing adult education and workforce programs, at a critical time for strategic program design and implementation. This leader will oversee ESOL programming, launch new intensive ESOL courses, and expand career pathways in healthcare and early childhood education, with the goal of broadening pathways to culinary arts, and biotechnology as well.

The ideal candidate is a strategic thinker and hands-on leader: someone who can quickly stabilize current programming, strengthen systems for instructors and staff, and make smart programmatic pivots to meet the needs of students. This is both a management role and a vision-setting role, balancing immediate oversight with long-term program growth.

Success in the First 90 Days

• Gain a deep understanding of all workforce programs across IFSI’s four sites.

• Stabilize ongoing ESOL and career pathway programs

• Provide onboarding, professional development, and support to instructors.

• Assess program design (class sizes, schedules, formats) and recommend improvements.

• Build relationships with staff, instructors, and leadership to establish trust and alignment.

Key Responsibilities

Program Strategy & Leadership

• Guide the vision and strategy for IFSI’s workforce development programs.

• Oversee the launch of intensive ESOL classes and refinement of career pathway programs in Healthcare (nurse aide and home health aide) and early childhood education.

• Monitor enrollment patterns and program outcomes, adjusting formats and delivery models as needed (e.g., consolidation, online pivots, hybrid approaches).

• Contribute to senior leadership discussions to ensure workforce development aligns with IFSI’s broader mission and work.

Staff & Instructor Management

• Supervise 3 core staff across multiple sites, providing coaching and accountability.

• Mentor and provide support to 12–14 instructors through onboarding, training, and ongoing professional development.

• Build systems for instructor support and evaluation, raising instructional quality and consistency.

• Explore staffing models and bring strategic ideas for the department to senior leadership

Administration & Partnerships

• Strengthen program administration, data tracking, and reporting for funders.

• Collaborate with internal teams to reduce silos and improve coordination between workforce development and adult education.

• Build and maintain external partnerships to enhance training pipelines and job placement opportunities.

• Develop systems and resources that support both staff efficiency and student success.

What You Bring

We are open to candidates from all backgrounds. We imagine the right candidate for the role will have these attributes - or clearly articulated transferable skills.

• 5+ years of experience in workforce development, adult education, or related fields.

• 3+ years of experience supervising staff members and teams; skilled at leading teams remotely and in-person.

• Collaborative, supportive leadership style with the ability to pivot and problem-solve in fast-changing environments.

• Proven success in strategic program design particularly during transitions and change; adaptable and committed to necessary pivots as needed.

• Strong program evaluation and strategic planning skills.

• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills.

• Ability to design and implement onboarding and professional development systems for instructors.

• Comfort traveling between multiple sites across Greater Boston.

• Strong mission alignment with IFSI’s work supporting immigrants and multicultural communities.

• Nonprofit leadership experience is a major plus.

• Multilingual candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

What We Offer

• Compensation: $70K-$80K

• Benefits: Comprehensive package including health & dental insurance, paid holidays, PTO, and professional development opportunities.

• Hybrid schedule with in-person work at Mattapan HQ and travel to Brockton, Malden, and Bethel sites.

• Opportunity to reimagine and grow a department that directly shapes immigrant success.

• A warm, community-rooted workplace where your leadership will have visible impact.

Application Timeline & What to Expect

• Application Window: Open now – closes October 13

• First Round Interviews (Zoom): Rolling, October 1–21

• Secondary Interviews with IFSI staff: October 15–Oct 28

• Anticipated Start Date: End of October/Early November

How to Apply

We look forward to learning more about you! As mentioned, Riverwalker Talent has been retained to conduct this search.

Please apply by submitting your resume and answering a few short questions via [application link]. Applications without completed questions will not be considered.

Application Questions:

1. What draws you to this opportunity at IFSI at this moment in your career? How does your experience, perspective, and leadership style align with the organization’s mission and the current needs of the Workforce Development department?

2. Describe a time when an external change (policy, funding, political climate, etc.) required you to rethink your program or strategy. How did you adapt? What was the result?

3. How do you foster a culture of learning, feedback, and growth among the people you lead?

4. Is there anything else you would like us to know about you, your experiences, or interest in this role?

Questions or accessibility needs? Contact: Jessye Kass Karlin at [email protected]