Global Talent Partnership Manager

Position Title: Global Talent Partnership Manager

Division: Community Impact

Reports to: Senior Project Manager, Southern Maine Workforce Initiative

Date: February 2025

General Summary

Working closely with the Senior Project Manager, Southern Maine Workforce Initiative, the Global Talent Partnership Manager supports and advances United Way of Southern Maine’s (UWSM’s) mission by identifying, developing, and maintaining high quality relationships with organizations and individuals. This is a grant funded position that will lead a pilot project supporting efforts in Southern Maine to improve employment outcomes for recent immigrants and foreign-trained professionals; the position is funded through June 2026 with the potential for continuation contingent on securing additional funding. The project will build upon existing work to allow employers to become better equipped and more confident in hiring, promoting, and retaining more immigrants and refugees, including appropriate placement or pathways for foreign trained individuals to mitigate “brain waste,” i.e., employment that disregards their previous training and expertise.

The Southern Maine Workforce Initiative (SMWI) is a collective impact initiative of 21 partners in our community, including representatives from education and training providers, funders, federal, state, and local government, non-profit organizations, community/economic development organizations, and businesses. SMWI's work is centered around systems change — working differently, together. When the expertise, programming, and influence of the partners are combined, the results are far more effective than they are individually.

SMWI serves five target populations who face significant obstacles to steady and sustainable employment: immigrants and refugees, single heads of household, older youth not connected to school or work, individuals experiencing homelessness, and those re-entering the workforce from incarceration. SMWI’s goal is to ensure jobseekers are prepared for and connected to employment with strong career pathways and family-sustaining wages, while forging robust employer partnerships to help foster inclusive workplaces through job seeker advocacy, employer education and training.

This is a great opportunity for a results-oriented self-starter to engage with key partners within both large and small businesses to serve both local employers and job seekers, and to engage the community in SMWI’s work. This outward-facing role requires the Global Talent PartnershipManager to build strong, mutually beneficial relationships and to achieve prescribed grant deliverables. The ideal candidate will have a dynamic and high-energy approach to achieving results and a strong interest in the areas of workforce development, immigrant/refugee workforce, community integration, and helping individuals and families achieve financial stability.

Essential Functions

• Develops and grows meaningful relationships with key company leaders, company influencers, and other individuals within assigned areas of responsibility.
• Gathers information to understand job seekers, incumbent employee, and employer needs (root causes and immediate needs).
• Creates ongoing learning opportunities for employers (through individual team support, group training, and engagement in community-based opportunities).
• Designs and implements annual Employer Practices Forum in collaboration with SMWI partners, including employer practices advisory group.
• Supports toolkit refinement, and implementation with employers, including the use of the “brain waste” assessment survey.
• Oversees an employer practices advisory group to ensure ongoing activities are employer, and community informed.
• Conducts regular in-person and virtual meetings, as appropriate, with partners and prospects to expand relationships and business engagement.
• Serves as a connector for job seekers hosting two “Making Connections” job fairs to support employer workforce needs.
• Reviews feedback from employers, job seekers, and incumbent employees to establish baseline metrics (to measure progress) and refine/design employer supports and tools.
• Supports employers in navigating the workforce development system.
• Connects employers and jobseekers with essential supports to mitigate barriers impacting employees (child/elder care, transportation, etc.) through SMWI partners.
• Works effectively with other teams at UWSM to be able to provide appropriate support and value to partners.

Preferred Education

Bachelor’s degree or foreign equivalent, or equivalent in relevant work-related experience.

Requirements

• Expertise and experience in working directly with employers and job seekers.
• Demonstrated success in working both independently and collaboratively within team environments.
• Proven ability to develop and nurture relationships, demonstrating skill in understanding client needs, building trust, and creating long-term strategic partnerships.
• Exceptional capability to prioritize tasks, manage competing deadlines, and maintain high-quality standards in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
• Superb English-language communication skills (written and verbal) with an ability to effectively engage with a diverse group of individuals or organizations.
• Effective listening skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills with demonstrated ability to effectively communicate across all organizational levels, including stakeholders, team members, and senior leadership.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office suite and customer relationship management software.
• Highly skilled at navigating changing project scopes, shifting priorities, and unforeseen challenges, leveraging strategic thinking to drive successful outcomes.
• Results-driven with a history of successfully delivering projects on time, within scope, and meeting or exceeding project deliverables.
• Comfort working on grant funded project that could end in June 2026 if additional funding is not secured.

Supervisory Responsibility

none

Work Environment

This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines.

A valid driver’s license, verifiable auto insurance, cell phone, and use of a personal vehicle required.

We are focused on creating connections within the Southern Maine community. Our current hybrid model is focused on doing just that. This position requires at least 16 hours per week creating connections. Examples of creating connections include office time, external meetings/gatherings, training, volunteer engagement events, and even a cup of coffee with an internal/external partner.

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work

This is a full-time position. Days and hours of work are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. This position may require long hours including early morning meetings, evening events, and weekend work during peak times.

Travel

Travel is primarily local during the business day, although some out-of-area and overnight travel may be expected.

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Accepting resumes till March 21, 2025. Please submit a cover letter and resume to hr@uwsme.org.