Manager, Workforce Planning and Employee Development

We are the Metropolitan Council, the regional government for the seven-county Twin Cities metropolitan area. We plan 30 years ahead for the future of the metropolitan area and provide regional transportation, wastewater, and housing services. More information about us is on our website.

We are committed to supporting a diverse workforce that reflects the communities we serve.

Join an award-winning wastewater industry leader in protecting our environment! Environmental Services (ES) operates and maintains the wastewater collection and treatment system in the Twin Cities metropolitan region. It also provides coordinated long-range water resources and supply planning, and air and water quality monitoring to meet future needs. ES treatment plants consistently earn state and national awards for complete compliance with their environmental permits. ES received a Governor's Award as a Great Place to Work.

To find out more about the Environmental Services division, please click on the link for more information: https://metrocouncil.org/Wastewater-Water.aspx.

How your work would contribute to our organization and the Twin Cities region:

The Workforce Planning & Employee Development Manager manages Environmental Services workforce planning, employee development, technical training, workforce analytics, and related program administration activities that support the full employee lifecycle. Leads staff and cross-functional teams to develop, implement, monitor, and evaluate strategies that ensure a skilled, prepared, and sustainable Environmental Services workforce.

Partners with Environmental Services leadership, Human Resources, Learning and Organizational Development, Talent Acquisition, Labor Relations, Finance, Performance Excellence and Analytics, community organizations, learning institutions, industry partners, and other internal and external stakeholders. Work includes establishing workforce planning and training program governance, analyzing workforce and operational data, managing technical training and learning systems, developing actionable reports and dashboards, overseeing budgets and contracts, and providing consultation on workforce needs, skill development, career pathways, and knowledge transfer systems

1. Lead data-informed workforce planning and employee development strategies.

• Develop workforce strategies that support Environmental Services operational needs, recruitment support, technical skill development, employee development, and long-term workforce sustainability.
• Work with division leadership, managers, employees, partner departments, and community members to identify organizational strengths, workforce gaps, operational risks, and opportunities.
• Analyze internal data, marketplace trends, turnover data, regional demographics, recruitment-to-hire timelines, skill development needs, and operational workforce information to identify gaps and recommend solutions.
• Partner with Environmental Services business units to implement workforce strategies that align with business needs, operational priorities, equity and inclusion goals, and employee-centered outcomes.
• Provide advice and consultation to management on workforce recruitment, skill development, training needs, career pathways, and long-term workforce planning.
• Identify, develop, or procure training and development opportunities that grow employee skills, support performance, and respond to emerging shifts in the regional workforce.

2. Manage workforce technical training and learning systems.

• Provide direction to teams responsible for creating and maintaining Environmental Services workplace systems that grow technical skills, support job performance, and foster the division as a learning organization.
• Create and execute initiatives and divisional programs that provide staff with professional growth opportunities, including training for plant operators, operator trainees, and technical staff.
• Collaborate with internal departments to align employee skill development, onboarding, career pathway development, knowledge transfer, and knowledge retention systems.
• Ensure Environmental Services technical training programs are meaningful to employees, operate efficiently, and integrate with overall employee support and performance management systems.
• Oversee instructional design, learning management system activities, safety training coordination, training delivery methods, program evaluation, and continuous improvement of employee learning systems.
• Guide staff and subject matter experts in developing training materials, work instructions, standard operating procedures, and technical learning resources.

3. Manage workforce analytics, reporting, and actionable data tools.

• Work with Environmental Services management to develop and prioritize medium- and long-range operational workforce goals.
• Use water workforce trend data, regional demographics, turnover data, recruitment timelines, bias mitigation practices, workflow information, and operational systems information to support recommendations about future workforce needs.
• Lead collaboration on predictive analytics, modeling, dashboards, data visualization tools, and reports that communicate anticipated workforce needs and skill optimization opportunities.
• Deploy and continuously improve interactive modeling, dashboards, and visualization tools that translate analytical results into operationally actionable information.
• Recommend actions that consider the different factors, workflows, drivers, and planning horizons involved in industrial and non-industrial operations.
• Identify potential data bias, data limitations, and reporting gaps that may impact the accuracy or usefulness of workforce recommendations.
• Manage scope development and contract delivery when outside consultants are used for workforce analytics, program design, or related project work.

4. Build stakeholder partnerships and represent Environmental Services.

• Build and maintain relationships with Environmental Services executive leadership, division management teams, Finance, Performance Excellence and Analytics, Planning, Human Resources Business Partners, Learning and Organizational Development, Talent Acquisition, and other internal partners.
• Facilitate collaborative workforce planning sessions with industrial and non-industrial management teams and other stakeholders to ensure input on, and accountability for, operational, workforce, equity, inclusion, and employee development goals.
• Represent Environmental Services training, workforce planning, and employee development interests on division-wide or agency-wide committees and initiatives related to training, administrative programs, workforce development, and related initiatives.
• Develop and maintain relationships with external partners, including community organizations, learning institutions, workforce development partners, regional water industry groups, and public agencies to support workforce pipelines and career pathway programs.
• Communicate program information, progress, and outcomes to diverse internal and external audiences.

5. Oversee program management, governance, budgets, contracts, and continuous improvement.

• Align Environmental Services workforce practices, work instructions, training systems, and program activities with Council policies and procedures.
• Develop and oversee consistent workforce planning processes, templates, tools, governance practices, performance measures, key performance indicators, and reporting methods.
• Develop business cases, budget proposals, reports, and recommendations for workforce planning, training, and employee development programs and initiatives.
• Manage budgets, contracts, vendors, procurement-related activities, consultant scopes of work, and authorized expenditures within assigned program areas.
• Stay current on best practices, industry trends, business processes, workforce development models, and administrative systems to support continuous improvement and collaboration.
• Identify and lead process improvements to increase effectiveness, efficiency, accountability, and impact.

6. Supervise, coach, and develop assigned staff.

• Develop and implement staffing levels, staff capabilities, and work assignments needed to meet program goals.
• Hire employees; assign and direct work; set performance expectations; monitor progress; evaluate performance; and provide feedback, coaching, development, recognition, and discipline when appropriate.
• Ensure compliance with applicable Council policies, work rules, labor agreements, procedures, and state and federal requirements.
• Promote an equitable, positive, respectful, and inclusive work environment that values culture and diversity among all employees.
• Direct consultant staff and cross-functional project teams as needed.

Any of the following combinations of experience in workforce planning, employee development, adult education, instructional design, workforce analytics, human resources, organizational development, business administration, operations program management, or a related field and completed education (degree field of study in business administration, analytics, education, instructional design, human resources, industrial/organizational psychology, management, or a closely related field):

• A high school diploma/GED with ten (10) years of experience.
• An associate degree with eight (8) years of experience.
• A bachelor's degree with six (6) years of experience.
• A master's degree or higher with four (4) years of experience.

• Experience working in a multi-union, operational public sector environment.
• Experience with water, wastewater, utility, industrial, or technical workforce development.
• Experience analyzing workforce trends, turnover data, recruitment timelines, training outcomes, skill gaps, or other workforce data to diagnose issues and measure progress.
• Experience designing or developing adult education sessions, technical training, online learning, blended learning, or performance-based instructional programs.
• Experience developing and maintaining community, industry, or educational partnerships to support workforce pipelines and career pathway programs.
• Experience implementing organizational change efforts in a public agency or complex organization.
• Experience analyzing equity and inclusion systems within a business or operational setting.
• Knowledge of water treatment, wastewater operations, or regional water workforce development.

• Knowledge of workforce planning principles, employee development strategies, technical training systems, workforce analytics, organizational development, and program management practices.
• Knowledge of the relationship between workforce insights, business strategy, financial planning, operational needs, and long-term workforce sustainability.
• Knowledge of adult learning principles, instructional design, training delivery methods, learning management systems, training evaluation, and employee skill development practices.
• Knowledge of workforce data, forecasting, modeling, dashboards, data visualization, and methods for translating complex information into actionable recommendations.
• Knowledge of equity and inclusion principles and workforce practices in a multi-stakeholder environment.
• Knowledge of the different workforce needs, workflow drivers, planning horizons, and operational dynamics involved in industrial and non-industrial work environments.
• Skill in analyzing workforce data, identifying patterns, assessing risks and opportunities, and developing recommendations that support management decision-making.
• Skill in developing, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating complex programs, initiatives, performance indicators, business cases, budgets, contracts, and reports.
• Skill in communicating complex workforce, training, operational, and analytical information clearly to leaders, managers, employees, and external partners.
• Skill in facilitation, consultation, presentation, written and verbal communication, stakeholder engagement, and difficult conversations involving workforce planning or operational change.
• Skill in project management, contract management, consultant coordination, budget administration, program governance, and continuous improvement.
• Ability to develop and implement workforce strategies, training systems, processes, tools, and programs that support operational needs and measurable results.
• Ability to analyze problems, anticipate impacts, exercise independent judgment, manage multiple priorities, evaluate program effectiveness, and adjust strategies based on data, feedback, and changing business needs.
• Ability to lead, supervise, coach, develop, and evaluate employees while creating an equitable, accountable, and respectful work environment.
• Ability to influence leaders, build trust, guide change, and facilitate cross-functional collaboration in support of long-term workforce planning and employee development outcomes.
• Ability to collaborate with data analysts, human resources professionals, managers, business leaders, union representatives, learning institutions, community partners, and industry organizations.

What steps the recruitment process involve:

• We review your minimum qualifications.
• We rate your education and experience.
• We conduct a structured panel interview.
• We conduct a selection interview.

Once you have successfully completed the steps above, then:

If you are new to the Metropolitan Council, you must pass a background check which verifies education, employment, and criminal history. If you have a criminal conviction, you do not automatically fail. The Metropolitan Council considers felony, gross misdemeanor, and misdemeanor convictions on a case-by-case basis, based on whether they are related to the job and whether the candidate has demonstrated adequate rehabilitation.

If you are already an employee of the Metropolitan Council, you must pass a background check which verifies education and employment. A criminal background check will be completed if the job you're applying for is safety-sensitive, is a supervisory or management job, is in the Finance, Information Services, Audit, or Human Resources departments, or has access to financial records, files/databases, cash, vouchers or transit fare cards.

IMPORTANT: If you make a false statement or withhold information, you may be barred from job consideration.

The Metropolitan Council is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action, and veteran-friendly employer. The Council is committed to a workforce that reflects the diversity of the region and strongly encourages persons of color, members of the LGBTQ community, individuals with disabilities, women, and veterans to apply.

If you have a disability that requires accommodation during the selection process, please email HR-OCCHealth@metc.state.mn.us.