Career Center

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

What We Do

For over 25 years, the Spokane Workforce Council (SWC) has played a key role in guiding the region’s workforce and economic development. Originally established as a city department in the 1990s and evolving into a private-sector-led Local Workforce Board in 1998, the SWC transitioned into a governmental nonprofit organization in 2013. Today, the SWC is a mission-driven leader dedicated to elevating local workforce efforts through critical insights, researched guidance, innovative funding, and strategic partnerships. Last year, SWC invested more than $12M into local job seekers, employers, and the regional economy.

Our work is centered on the vision of a flourishing Spokane, a goal we achieve by managing our current annual budget of approximately $6.7M and a dedicated team of 10 professionals. This team operates across our specialized WorkSource Spokane One-Stop Campus, which serves as the heart of regional development and engaged 9,470 job seekers this past year. Our campus integrates three core service pillars:

• WorkSource Spokane: Our hub for career matching provided over 6,500 services to more than 1,400 businesses in our community last year.
• Talent Solutions Center: Empowering business success through innovation and connection, including hosting hiring events attended by over 2,500 job seekers.
• Next Generation Zone: The area’s only career center for young adults, which supported 374 individuals last year and celebrated 195 GED graduates.

Through our dedicated community partnerships, we bridge the gap between jobseekers and employers. By modernizing the workforce system and integrating diverse services, SWC continues to build a stronger, more resilient community for all.

LEADERSHIP & CULTURE

Recognized as one of the most innovative and well-run workforce boards in the state of Washington, SWC operates with a culture of high trust, high accountability, and intentional autonomy. As we transition into a new chapter following the 20-year legacy of former CEO Mark Mattke, whose transformative leadership built our reputation as a national model for workforce innovation, we remain anchored by a highly skilled senior leadership team and a deeply committed 26-member Board of Directors.

Our team thrives in a family-friendly workplace where they are given the freedom to perform their roles at a high level. We believe in empowering our team with the autonomy to innovate, balanced by a strong commitment to visibility and results. As stewards of public funds, we lead with data-driven decision-making and a steadfast dedication to transparency. At SWC, you are joining a professional, mission-driven team that values your expertise and shares a common goal: building a more resilient Spokane.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

• Salary – $150,000 – $178,000 DOE/Neg.
• Medical, dental, and life insurance, and long-term disability per the plans offered through the Washington State Health Care Authority
• Retirement: Enrollment in the WA State PERS Employee Retirement System (PERS2 or 3)
• PTO: 15 paid days off, accrued at 10 hours per month
• Sick Days: 12 paid sick days in year one (8 hours accrued each month starting month 13)
• Holidays: 10 paid holidays, 4 floating holidays, and 1 community service day each calendar year
• Monthly cell phone stipend

LOCATION

This is a hybrid role with an office located at 140 S Arthur St., Suite 300A, Spokane, WA 99202. SWC staff currently have the option on Fridays to work from home when circumstances do not necessitate presence in the office.

POSITION SUMMARY

The CEO is a highly influential, public-facing leader who serves as the strategic visionary for the Spokane workforce development system. Representing Spokane and SWC on local, state, and national levels, the CEO acts as the region’s primary convener, building high-level alliances with business leaders, educational institutions, and government officials to cultivate a competitive workforce advantage.

Reporting to the Board of Directors, the CEO is responsible for the integrity and success of the entire workforce system, ensuring strict compliance with the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) while aggressively driving the diversification of funding through philanthropic partnerships, competitive grants, and revenue-generating initiatives. They provide total oversight of the annual operating budget, currently at $6.7M, and a dedicated workforce of 10 team members. The CEO oversees operations at the centers, including oversight of 55 staff with different agencies across four specialized sites, including the WorkSource Spokane One-Stop Campus. This role directly supervises a highly skilled senior leadership team of three: Division Executive of Programs & Development/Equal Opportunity Officer, Division Executive of System Advancement/Next Generation Zone Director, and the Division Executive of Finance.

Year one priorities include:

• Funding Diversification: Expanding and diversifying the organization’s financial base through private-sector partnerships, philanthropic investments, grants, and innovative funding models.
• Strategic Convening: Bringing together key business, industry, labor, and educational partners to actively align workforce strategies with real-time labor market demands.
• Legislative Advocacy: Serving as a visible advocate for the public workforce system at local, state, and federal levels to strengthen workforce funding, flexibility, and outcomes.
• Innovation in Service Delivery: Driving the adoption of new technologies and service models to enhance the customer experience for job seekers, businesses, and community partners.
• Stakeholder Alignment: Strengthening relationships with K–12 systems, higher education, and training providers to build coordinated career pathways and talent pipelines.
• Operational Sustainability: Proactively aligning organizational strategy with shifting legislative landscapes while optimizing the budget to maintain high staff and service levels. Planning for SWC’s future real estate needs after the current lease expires.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Strategic Board Governance: Manage and foster the development of the Board of Directors, providing the research and guidance necessary for effective planning and committee success.
• External Advocacy and Thought Leadership: Serve as a visible spokesperson and advocate at local, state, and national levels, to stakeholders and funders to advance workforce policy.
• Organizational and Talent Excellence: Develop the organizational structure and professional talent required to support the mission, overseeing human resources and cultivating a high-performance culture.
• Ecosystem Partnerships and Integration: Convene business leaders, educators, and government officials to align service delivery with real-time economic needs.
• Fiscal & Operational Stewardship: Oversee the current annual operating budget of $6.7M and procurement systems to ensure all operations and funded providers remain in full compliance with WIOA and other regulations.
• Revenue Diversification: Proactively establish relationships with diverse funders to expand the revenue base through private-sector partnerships and philanthropic investments.

BACKGROUND PROFILE

• A strong track record of building and sustaining cross-sector partnerships, effectively convening business leaders, educators, and government officials toward shared regional goals.
• Advanced business acumen and experience managing multi-million-dollar budgets, contract administration, and organizational effectiveness to ensure high-level fiscal accountability.
• Experience collaborating with Boards of Directors and diverse committees to facilitate effective planning and transparent policy making.
• Familiarity with the laws and policies governing workforce, education, and economic development, with a proven ability to navigate public-sector and nonprofit landscapes.
• Exceptional communication skills with the ability to inspire partners and serve as a visible advocate for the workforce system at the local, state, and national levels; a skilled public speaker.

FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO APPLY, PLEASE CONTACT:

Sarah Thompson, Senior Director, Blair Search Partners
sarah@blairsearchpartners.com