Fast Facts

Per Scholas is seeking a Director of Talent Solutions in Chicago to develop employer partnerships for IT job placements of graduates and to drive the organization’s business development initiatives.

Responsibilities: Key responsibilities include employer outreach and business development, managing client relationships, conducting career advisement for learners, and team management.

Skills: The ideal candidate should have strong skills in sales, business development, consultative relationship management, and knowledge of the IT workforce needs.

Qualifications: Preferred qualifications include 5 years of relevant experience in sales or workforce development, successful deal-closing capabilities, and experience in managing staff.

Location: This is based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, with considerations for potential hybrid work.

Compensation: $75000 - $80000 / Annually

POSITION TITLE: Director, Talent Solutions

LOCATION: Chicago

REPORTS TO: Managing Director, Chicago

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR:

Per Scholas seeks a Director/Sr. Director of Talent Solutions to secure a pipeline of employers that will hire multiple Per Scholas graduates for relevant IT jobs and/or are willing to pay Per Scholas for each job placement. The role is a unique opportunity to raise awareness in the business and employer community about Per Scholas and to build sustainable talent pipelines between employers and our graduates.  

The successful candidate will have strong experience in sales, marketing, relationship management, and business development, preferably in the technology, staffing, or workforce development sectors.

Success in this role will be measured by achieving employment opportunities from 5-10 employer accounts monthly, meeting the team’s monthly and yearly job attainment (80%) and revenue goals.

WHAT YOU’LL DO :

Employer Outreach & Business Development

• Develop and execute an employer business development strategy in partnership with internal and external stakeholders, targeting decision-makers at the C-level, HR, and other key influencers. Conduct sector and occupational analysis, as well as informational interviews to understand evolving technology hiring needs.
• Build and maintain strong consultative relationships with employers, presenting Per Scholas Talent Solutions products using a solutions-based selling approach.
• In partnership with the Managing Director, lead business development initiatives into new industry sectors, which may include Healthcare, Data Centers, and Advanced Manufacturing
• Implement an enterprise-level strategy aimed at securing 8-10 employer accounts committed to hiring 5+ graduates annually across IT Support, Cybersecurity, and Cloud Computing roles within your first year
• Secure 20+ new employer accounts, hiring 1+ graduates within your first year 
• Manage the full client lifecycle: prospecting, relationship development, securing job orders, and ensuring high employer satisfaction.
• Negotiate and close revenue-generating opportunities in partnership with National Talent Solutions leads that create sustainable employment pathways for graduates
• Attend networking and industry events to build relationships and grow brand awareness
• Provide feedback from employers to the product development team to strengthen our curriculum and services
• Maintain timely tracking for all employer partnerships in CRM (Salesforce) 

Career Advisement: Direct Learner / Alumni Support

• Conduct job readiness assessments for learners as a prerequisite for graduation.
• Collaborate with Instructors and Professional Development Coaches to match graduates to suitable employer opportunities.
• Provide personalized career guidance to learners and alumni, including job search support, career planning, professional development recommendations, and skill enhancement strategies.
• Facilitate connections to mentors, hiring managers, and internal stakeholders to expand career pathways.
• Conduct one-on-one coaching sessions to address career concerns and track progress toward career goals.
• Secure employment for 60% of graduates within 4 months of program completion and 80% or more by 12 months post-program completion.
• Maintain accurate records of advisement sessions and contribute to reporting on career development outcomes.

Team Management

• Directly manage the Chicago-based Professional Development Manager, providing strong leadership and support in meeting their goals 
• Note, this role will grow to manage another Talent Solutions team member by early 2026

WHAT YOU’LL BRING TO US:

Professional Qualifications

• 5 years relevant experience in sales, business development, staffing, recruiting, or workforce development industries with a proven track record of closing multiple deals leading to repeat clients 
• Experience building a pipeline of senior executives (C-Level), operational managers with decision-making authority on hiring
• Success in leading and executing the business development process, organizational, business, and professional skills
• Consultative relationship management skills to drive results with clients
• Expert business knowledge to understand the business needs that drive clients to hire Per Scholas graduates
• A deep understanding of the IT industry’s talent/workforce needs, current staffing and future growth trends, as well as connections within the employer landscape in the Chicago market.  
• Demonstrated creativity in the development of solutions to diverse customer needs, including requirements documents, statements of work, and contracts
• Track record of excellent relationships with partners and executives
• Experience with direct people management (preferred) 

Personal Characteristics

• You thrive in a creative, inventive, fast-paced startup environment with people who are passionate about their work and mission
• You are data-driven, result-oriented, and a forward-looking catalyst for social change
• You have a collaborative and flexible work style. You’re excited to work cross-functionally with other departments. Independently
• You are an effective communicator with excellent written presentation and public speaking skills
• You are highly organized and detail-oriented, with the ability to manage multiple tasks and projects with consistent follow-through 
• You are self-directed, analytical, and comfortable making decisions to adapt strategy and processes based on current conditions
• You are tech-savvy and enjoy keeping current on trends
• You stand behind our mission, believing that individuals from any community should have access to well-paying career positions, and that talent should be recognized and recruited from many diverse sources.

#LI-Hybrid

For this role specifically,we are targeting a salary of $75,000- $80,000 per year, where the difference in salary is typically determined by several factors, including geography in which the selected candidate resides, and alignment with qualifications and experience.