Senior Business Development Specialist - Career Pathways

SENIOR BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST - CAREER PATHWAYS About Cara Collective Cara Collective seeks to fuel a courageous national movement to eradicate relational and financial poverty. Through our three entities - Cara, Cleanslate, and Cara Plus - we engage job seekers, employers, and other organizations across the country to break the cycle of poverty through the power and purpose of employment. At present, we produce 1,000 jobs each year; however, our results don't just end with employment. Today, we take the insights gained over the past 30 years to equip other organizations and employers with practices to help build a more inclusive economy. Learn more at www.caracollective.org. About the Cara Collectives External Affairs Team The External Affairs Team advances Cara Collective's mission by amplifying our brand, cultivating strategic partnerships, and securing the resources needed to sustainably achieve enterprise-wide goals. We drive systems-change engagement locally and nationally, support partners in deepening and diversifying their investment in our work, and strengthen Cara Collective's reputation as a sector leader in workforce development and poverty alleviation. About the Role The Senior Business Development Specialist - Career Pathways is a mission-driven individual contributor role dedicated to advancing key workforce pathways in growing and emerging industries. This position plays a critical role in expanding access to high-quality employment opportunities by strengthening existing employer relationships and cultivating new partnerships that support apprenticeships, on-the-job training, and career-aligned skill development. The Specialist serves as a connector between employers, program participants, and internal teams, ensuring that opportunities are aligned with industry needs and participant goals. This role is ideal for a proactive and strategic thinker who excels in a fast-paced, cross-functional environment. The successful candidate will be skilled at analyzing labor market trends, identifying opportunity gaps, and designing innovative solutions that enhance employment pipelines. Candidates with experience supporting justice-involved, barrier-facing, or opportunity youth populations, as well as those with backgrounds in program design or community engagement, will be especially well-suited for this work. Qualifications The ideal candidate excels at building strong employer partnerships and creating opportunities that expand access to meaningful employment for individuals seeking economic mobility. They bring a strategic, collaborative mindset- balancing relationship management with data-informed decisions. They represent Cara Collective confidently, cultivate new partnerships, and translate employer needs into participant opportunities, while working across teams to align employer demand with participant success. Requirements A minimum of 2-4 years of professional experience in in workforce development, account management, employer partnerships, or case management, or a related field. Strong relationship-building skills with diverse stakeholders including job seekers, colleagues, and employers. Ability to manage multiple priorities and work both independently and collaboratively. Experience working in CRM systems; Salesforce proficiency preferred. Experience working with justice-involved, barrier-facing, or opportunity for youth populations. Background in program design, innovation, or community engagement. Demonstrated ability to analyze data to inform decision-making. Key Responsibilities The purpose of this section is to outline the primary responsibilities of the position, providing a clear and structured overview of the role's expectations and duties within our organization. Opportunity Identification and Strategy (40%): Support in the strategic identification of new corporate partners that could engage with Cara Collective in a variety of ways, including philanthropic, employment, plus, and leadership. Explore New Employment Opportunities: Identify and pursue new employment and training opportunities for program participants by researching and engaging with potential employers and industry leaders. Implement strategic plans to expand the organization's network of employment partners, with a focus on companies that are background-friendly, on-the-job-training, and apprenticeship programs. Market Analysis: Conduct market research to understand industry trends and employment needs, ensuring that the organization's programs and partnerships are aligned with current and future demands. Employer Partnership Management (20%) Grow a portfolio of new employer accounts, including apprenticeship and on-the-job training pathways. Lead employer engagement activities, including job order development, partner check-ins, and virtual/in-person site visits. Maintain and Strengthen New Partnerships: Cultivate and manage relationships with recently obtained partnerships. Provide timely, professional communication to ensure strong and sustainable partnerships. Reporting and Evaluation (20%): Track Partnership Impact: Monitor and report on the success and impact of partnerships and employment opportunities, using data to drive decisions and improvements. Provide Partner Feedback: Collect and analyze feedback from partners to inform program improvements and ensure they meet the needs of both employers and job seekers. Evaluate Opportunities: Assess the effectiveness of new employment opportunities and partnerships, ensuring they contribute to the organization's goals. All other responsibilities, as assigned Reports To Director of Business Development & Engagement Report (s) N/A Workplace Type & Team Culture Cara Collective has a strong team culture that values collaboration, communication, and camaraderie. We believe in the power of working together in person, which is why we expect our employees to be onsite at one of our Chicago-based locations multiple days each week. The exact number of onsite days per week may vary by role, employee tenure, and other factors. This commitment to in-person collaboration fosters a sense of belonging and teamwork among our employees, creating a supportive and dynamic work environment. We consistently measure staff satisfaction through employee surveys and have found that year over year, the vast majority of staff agree that Cara Collective is a great place to work and grow. This high level of employee satisfaction reflects our dedication to creating a positive and fulfilling workplace for all members of our team. Starting Pay Range We take budget and starting salary very seriously. We market our roles and are using a salary analysis tool called Payscale and offer competitive, market-based compensation to all employees. This position's expected starting pay range is $55,000-60,000. Benefits Cara Collective recently benchmarked benefits offerings and found that we exceed industry standards in terms of employee-friendliness and benefit offerings. Our comprehensive benefit package include: Medical, Dental, Vision Plans Basic Life Insurance Long Term Disability Personal Technology Reimbursement 4 Weeks Paid Parental Leave Starting with 17 Vacation Days, 8 Sick Days, 14 Paid Holidays Employee Paid Benefits Pre-Tax Medical Flexible Spending Account Pre-Tax Dependent Care Account Pre-Tax Transit & Parking Options Supplemental Life and AD&D Insurance Short-Term Disability Insurance 401(k) Retirement Plan (employer match up to 4% upon hire & immediately vested) As of this posting, we annually review our benefit offerings to meet our employees needs and be competitive in the market. All listed benefits offerings a at the discretion of the employer. Equal Opportunity Employer Cara Collective is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive work environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, age, disability, parental status, veteran status, or any other protected status under applicable laws. This commitment applies to all employment practices, including those supported by technology or artificial intelligence tools used in the hiring process. We encourage individuals of all backgrounds to apply. If you are a qualified candidate with a disability and require reasonable accommodation to complete this application or participate in the interview process, please email us at kboelkens@carachicago.org.