Project Manager & Communicator Needed for Job Quality Initiative
Summary
The Workforce Development Council of Seattle-King County (WDC) invites qualified professionals to partner with us on an exciting initiative to transform job quality and equity in the local hospitality sector. This grant-funded opportunity is perfect for a skilled consultant who thrives on project management, dynamic communications, and collaboration with community stakeholders.
The Project
The WDC, alongside its partners at Braided Rivers, FareStart, WeTrain Washington-UFCW 3000, Seattle Good Business Network, and Pacific Northwest Hospitality Training Program-UNITE HERE! Local 8, has been awarded $3,000,000 through the Department of Labor’s Critical Sectors Job Quality grant program.
This initiative, "A Shared Regional Approach to Improve Job Quality in the Hospitality Sector," is focused on elevating job quality and equity by:
Engaging employers to assess and enhance workplace practices.
Training and placing workers in high-quality hospitality jobs.
A critical aspect of the project is advancing racial equity by addressing systemic barriers faced by historically marginalized communities in the Seattle-King County region who are overrepresented in low-wage hospitality jobs, including BIPOC individuals, immigrants, refugees, justice-involved individuals, working-class, and people experiencing homelessness.
Scope of Work
The consultant will work with the WDC and other grant partners to set up and execute the grant-funded work, tracking progress towards key outcomes. The different services and activities include but are not limited to:
Project management and administrative support: Provide general project management support to ensure the project stays on track and meets its objectives. Responsibilities may include but not be limited to developing and managing project plans and timelines, scheduling and supporting the facilitation of partner meetings, communicating with partners and other grant participants (like employers), and other activities as needed.
Communications support: Work with WDC staff to develop and execute a project communications plan. Lead the creation of materials, such as recruitment emails for employer participation and communications for partners, while ensuring regular updates and alignment with organizational messaging. Other responsibilities may include collecting and amplifying participant success stories, planning and executing promotional efforts for key milestones, and coordinating celebratory events to highlight project achievements.
Event organization: Organize (or support partners in organizing) events such as information sessions with employers potentially interested in participating in the assessment process.
Partner support: Provide administrative and other support to partners as needed (potentially with activities like managing cohorts, delivering trainings, and/or executing on other work items).
Attendance and participation: Attend partner meetings, employer convenings and cohort sessions, job fairs, and other key project gatherings to provide support and gather insights as needed.
Evaluation: Work with partners and WDC staff to capture and support evaluation of project activities.
Reporting: Work with the WDC grants and data teams to meet all federal grant reporting requirements. Work with the WDC to capture shared learnings and best practices to contribute to a final report on the grant.
The WDC is looking for a consultant with the following skills and qualifications:
Proven experience in project management, preferably in a grant-funded environment.
Strong organizational, administrative, and event planning skills.
Excellent communication and facilitation abilities.
Ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders.
Experience in evaluation and reporting.
Strong knowledge of and commitment to advancing racial equity.
Knowledge of workforce development and related fields is a plus.
Cost & Budget
Location: Mostly remote, with some potential in-person meetings in and around Seattle, WA.
Duration: Contract through December 2025, with the possibility of extension.
Budget: $90,000 for services between February and December 2025. Anticipated workload is approximately 15 hours per week (60 hours/month).
The three-year grant runs through September 2027. The WDC has a budget of $90,000 for this consultant role between February and December of 2025. The consultant will focus on getting the work up and running, and therefore on contract through the end of 2025, with the possibility for extension.
Please provide fee structure for your services. After organizations/individuals are selected based on qualifications, experience, and proposed approach, one or more interviews may be held. The WDC requests that interested parties prepare a budget summary simultaneously with the RFQ submittal, to be prepared for the next procurement step of structured interviews. Organizations/individuals selected for interviews may be expected to discuss proposed budget details.
Proposal Submission
Preference will be given to proposals submitted by Sunday, February 2, 2025, at 11:59 PM PDT. Include relevant resumes and references, a detailed fee structure budget summary, and a response of no more than three pages on your experiences and qualifications in your submission. Proposals should be sent in PDF format to proposals@seakingwdc.org, with RFQ #24-02 in the subject line.
Questions? Submit inquiries to proposals@seakingwdc.org by January 29, 2025, at 5:00 PM PDT.
Next Steps: Selected applicants will be contacted for interviews by February 7, 2025. All applicants will be notified of their status by the end of the procurement process.
Join us in creating a stronger, more equitable hospitality sector in Seattle-King County!