People Engagement Manager

Company Overview  

Youth Villages has been a national leader in the implementation of research-based treatment philosophies in the field of children's mental and behavioral health. Our commitment to helping troubled children and their families find success spans 30+ years and includes a comprehensive array of programs and services. 

If you are looking for a positive career move where you are meeting the challenges of life and striving to make a positive difference, then Youth Villages is the place for you. We are looking for people with a strong sense of purpose and focus to continually build confidence in yourself and our organization.

Position Overview

The position will be accountable for assisting with designing and implementing workforce initiatives in the region to make Youth Villages the employer of choice for children and family services in New England.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following.  Other duties may be assigned:

Employee Development and Engagement

• Utilize local and national Youth Villages resources to consolidate training and professional development into a Youth Villages-branded two-year "early career" program.
• Work with program leaders to ensure effective onboarding, career development, and skill-building of early career program talent.
• Proactively identify opportunities to further employee development and customize programs and training to increase retention and succession planning.
• Lead development of the employee engagement strategy and assist the leadership team in execution to maximize productivity and minimize turnover.
• Responsible for understanding market conditions that inform employee engagement, retention, and attitudes on work and the organization.
• Communicate trends and insights about employee engagement to leadership.
• Execute and revise the recognition program with a high degree of customization, clear goals, and resources.
• Inform leadership on industry best practices regarding employee engagement, workforce development, and retention.
• Partner with recruitment to implement exit and stay interview processes; compile data and provide actionable insights to leadership.

Workforce Strategy and Collaboration

• Collaborate with the Training/Staff Development Manager on initiatives.
• Collaborate with Recruiting, Hiring Managers, and Program Leadership to ensure a strong staffing pipeline and follow-through on the talent acquisition strategy.
• Empower recruiting staff by collaborating on the broader workforce strategy, involving them in key result conversations, and sharing initiatives.
• Support and collaborate with internship program leaders on strategies for growing and managing the internship program.
• Ensure strong communication, teamwork, and execution between recruiting operations, state leaders, and hiring managers to meet growth goals.
• Consult with leadership on workforce barriers and challenges, and collaboratively problem-solve solutions.
• Support the Executive Director and Director of Development to leverage philanthropy aimed at workforce development in alignment with Youth Villages’ national parameters.

Onboarding and Training

• Oversee the new employee onboarding process and experience.
• Collaborate to develop, launch, and manage the Career Advancement program.
• Create and provide onboarding for new Supervisors and Regional Supervisors and build out training suites for each group.
• Supervise staff training and development and onboarding specialists to support workforce strategies, including orientation and on-the-job training.
• Collaborate with Leadership Development on pairing and scheduling training and coaching to support regional leadership priorities.
• Support execution of events such as leadership and staff rallies to support cultural messaging and employee development.
• Partner with Director of Strategy and Learning to develop, launch, and administer quarterly employee pulse surveys for ongoing assessment.

Position Specific Competencies

• Accountability  Accepting responsibility that results in anticipation/prevention of problem areas from actions, and problem solving inside and outside the department/organization.
• Attention to Detail Taking responsibility for a thorough and detailed method of working.
• Communication Communicates effectively and appropriately. Uses good judgment as to what to communicate to whom as well as the best way to get that accomplished. Speaks in a clear and credible manner, selecting the right tone for the situation and audience. Listens to others and allows them to make their point.
• Is able to write clearly and succinctly in a variety of communication settings and styles using proper grammar and structure; can get messages across that instigate appropriate actions.
• Conceptual Thinking Understanding a given situation or problem by combining information that is readily available; identifying patterns or connections between situations that are not obviously related; identifying key or underlying issues in complex situations.
• Initiative Spotting opportunities within a circle of influence; anticipating threats and acting on them; self­ starting rather than waiting passively until the situation demands action.
• Integrity Upholding generally accepted social and ethical standards in job-related activities and behaviors.
• Organizational Awareness  Having and using knowledge of systems, situations, procedures, and culture inside the organization to identify potential problems and opportunities; perceiving the impact and the implications of decisions on other components of the organization. Understands the internal climate of the organization,including the most productive channels of communication, and makes use of the appropriate communication channels to achieve goals and objectives. Has learned about both formal and informal communication channels and understands when to stick to the formal hierarchy of reporting relationships. Understands unwritten protocols and the political aspects of how communication takes place. Avoids errors in judgment when selecting strategies for accomplishing tasks.
• Relationship Building Builds rapport and develops alliances with a broad range of people. Adjusts communication style to meet the needs of individuals at various organizational levels and to meet the needs of clients. Forms alliances by demonstrating concern and respect for others, as well as by highlighting common interests and aspirations. Leave others feeling that he/she will be a trusted ally and is careful to act in ways  that reinforce that trust over time.  If conflicts arise takes actions that resolve conflicts in a manner that is best for both the organization and the individuals involved. Addresses complaints and problems quickly and effectively, keeps all parties informed of the status of any negotiations required, encourages employees to report problems or concerns and negotiates outcomes that are viewed as fair and even-handed.
• Stress Tolerance Performing well when faced with pressure due to time frame, workload, adversity, disappointment,or opposition.
• Teamwork Working as a productive member of a cohesive group toward a common goal,and contributing to team development and effective team dynamics.
• Technical Expertise and Usage Acquiring and applying technical and functional knowledge in one's own technological area of specialty.

Requirements

Education Requirements:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Human Resources, Organizational Development, Business Administration, or a related field is required.
• Master’s Degree in Human Resources, Organizational Leadership, Business Administration (MBA), or a related field is preferred.

Relevant Certifications (Optional but Beneficial):

• SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-CP) or Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP), Professional in Human Resources (PHR) or Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR), Certified Employee Engagement Specialist (CEES)

Experience:

• At least 3 years of experience in Human Resources, Workforce Development, Employee Engagement, or Organizational Development
• Experience with Employee Engagement, Onboarding, and Talent Development Programs
• Experience in the Human Services or Nonprofit Sector (Preferred)
• Applicants with lived experience or a personal connection to the foster care or other social service systems are strongly encouraged to apply

Skills and Competencies:

• The ability to articulate strategies, insights, and employee engagement initiatives clearly and effectively
• Ability to design and implement large-scale projects such as career advancement programs, employee pulse surveys, or onboarding processes, while managing timelines and resources effectively.
• A deep understanding of best practices related to talent acquisition, onboarding, employee engagement, retention, and workforce development
• The candidate must be able to analyze workforce challenges and create customized solutions to address employee retention, satisfaction, and career development.
• Experience with gathering and analyzing data related to employee engagement and workforce development (e.g., retention rates) and using this data to make informed decisions and recommendations.
• The ability to develop strong relationships across various levels of the organization, from program leaders to employees and external partners.
• The candidate should be self-motivated, capable of identifying opportunities and addressing challenges proactively.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and adjust strategies as needed to meet changing organizational priorities or employee needs.

Physical Demands

• Frequently remains in stationary position for periods of time.
• Regularly needs to move throughout office to access file cabinets and office machinery.
• Constantly operates a computer and other office machinery such as calculator, copy machines, and printer.
• Frequently moves,ascend/descend, and traverse .
• Constantly must be able to communicate, detect,converse with, discern, and exchange information Regularly need to drive throughout region.

Benefits

Medical, Dental, Prescription Drug Coverage and Vision
401(k)
2 weeks paid vacation
12 paid sick days per year
11 paid holidays

Paid Parental Leave
Mileage & Cell Phone Reimbursement (when applicable)

Tuition reimbursement and licensure supervision

Growth & development through continuous training

Clinical and administrative advancement opportunities

Youth Villages is an equal opportunity employer and provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

Youth Villages is committed to not only advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace but also in our work with children and young adults. We know that children, families and young people of color can face inequity in child welfare and justice systems, and we train our employees to build the skills they need to work with the communities that we serve, as well as, other employees from different cultures and backgrounds. Youth Villages is opposed to racism in any of its forms and is committed to inclusion, equity, and diversity. We believe that respect for each other is crucial in the work that we do each day.