Job Description

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The Commercial Club of Chicago and Civic Committee Overview

The Commercial Club of Chicago is a membership organization of senior leaders in the region. Our members span the business, education, civic, cultural, and philanthropic sectors - unified by excitement for the future of Chicago. We believe cooperation and an open exchange of ideas are fundamental to success.

Throughout our history, the Commercial Club of Chicago and our affiliated organizations have played a leading role in shaping the Chicago region. We have helped tackle the most pressing issues facing Chicago and have been instrumental in some of the Citys most visionary efforts.

Today, the Commercial Club continues to address social and economic issues of importance to the Chicago region.

The Civic Committees mission is to make the Chicago region a great place for everyone to live, work, and do business. Originally formed in 1983, the Civic Committee is tasked with identifying key issues facing the State of Illinois and the greater Chicago region and providing leadership, high-quality research, long-term policy recommendations and programmatic actions for the benefit of the city, region, and state and all who live here. The Civic Committee is composed of the leaders of the Chicago regions leading private sector employers and works with public officials and other civic organizations on transformational initiatives to promote our region's social and economic well-being. The Civic Committee generally serves as the Clubs lead on policy and programmatic initiatives and our focus areas currently include efforts in public safety, business opportunity, transportation and infrastructure, and state and local finance.

We also work alongside, and partially fund, the organizations established by us to tackle key issues head-on:

• Civic Consulting Alliance
• Kids First Chicago
• P33

Terms of Employment

This is a full-time position with benefits, reporting to the Director, Hiring Initiative. Initial employment will be on an introductory basis, with detailed evaluations and feedback at the 30-, 60-, and 90-day marks.

Civic Committees Hiring Initiative Overview

The Civic Committee seeks an Associate Director to support its Hiring Initiative, a key component of the Civic Committees strategic focus on growth for all in Chicago.

The Initiative aims to create 20,000 jobs over five years on Chicagos South and West Sides, with a particular focus on supporting pathways to employment for participants in Community Violence Intervention (CVI) programs. The Hiring Initiative works on both sides of the labor markethelping companies attract and retain talent while strengthening the capacity of workforce development organizations. The Initiative supports local hiring through place-based investing, apprenticeships, direct hiring, and third-party partnerships.

The Civic Committees focus on job placements for CVI participants connects the Hiring Initiative to major investments the Civic Committee has made to increase the scale and reach of those programs in selected neighborhoods.

Essential Functions

Reporting to the Director of the Hiring Initiative, the Associate Director will play a key role in strengthening relationships with community-based workforce development organizations, with a special emphasis on those working in Community Violence Intervention (CVI). The Associate Director will help align workforce partners with hiring opportunities, ensure community-based organizations are responsive to employer needs, and facilitate stronger coordination between companies and implementation partners.

This role will require a deep understanding of the workforce development landscape on Chicagos South and West Sides, including the barriers facing job seekers impacted by violence or the criminal legal system and the resources needed to overcome them. The Associate Director will serve as a connector between employers and the Civic Committees network of workforce development partners, helping to ensure that hiring pathways are inclusive, sustainable, and rooted in community expertise.

Primary Responsibilities

• Build and maintain strong, trust-based relationships with workforce development organizations and CVI programs.
• Collaborate with partners to identify hiring opportunities, align training programs with employer demand, and support job placement and retention efforts.
• Support efforts to strengthen the workforce ecosystem, including:
• Identify structural barriers to employment and advance policy solutions for inclusive hiring and retention.
• Finalize and implement a job readiness standard.
• Develop scalable employment pathways for CVI participants.
• Oversee data collection on job placements and retention to guide program strategy.
• Recruit new employers, highlight success stories, and scale effective hiring practices. Serve as a key point of contact for participating companies, providing:
• Expert consulting and streamlined communications to companies working to define their Hiring Initiative commitments.
• Connections to workforce development partners.
• Planning support for industry-based roundtables, workshops, and other peer-to-peer learning opportunities.
• Progress tracking against company participation and defined hiring goals.
• Develop sector knowledge in key industries (e.g., healthcare, finance, law, education, manufacturing) and translate employer needs into actionable information for community partners.

Position Requirements

Education and Experience Requirements

• Seven or more years of progressive responsibility managing complex workflows and demonstrating impact in government and / or civic sector work.
• Subject matter expertise in workforce development with demonstrated experience in or commitment to equitable hiring practices. Industry-specific expertise in one or more industries represented in Civic Committee membership strongly preferred but not required.
• M.A., B.A. or comparable professional experience in public policy, public affairs, business, social service administration, or a related field.

Required Personal Attributes

• The successful candidate will be a creative, intelligent, and self-confident manager with a proven track-record of success in a collaborative and entrepreneurial environment.
• The ideal candidate will have experience working with business leaders, philanthropy, community organizations, the public sector at the city, county, state and / or federal levels, researchers, and nonprofit and community-based violence prevention service providers.
• The Associate Director must demonstrate flexibility and adaptability in a dynamic environment, showing a readiness to pivot strategies, manage evolving priorities, and respond effectively to the needs of both employers and community partners.
• The Associate Directors personal characteristics will include proven leadership skills; the ability to understand, manage and direct diverse stakeholder interests; a focused and pragmatic, but open management style; and superior written and oral communication skills.
• The Associate Director must have the capacity to welcome and respond to constructive feedback and work well with others.

The position is in Chicago. Regular travel within the city is required. We believe that the path to achieving our missions requires our organizations and teams to regularly collaborate, work in teams, maintain collegiality, and provide a space for thought-partnership, all of which are best accomplished in person. However, we also recognize that appropriate flexibility is beneficial to the effectiveness of our employees and our organizations. With that in mind, we offer opportunities for employees to work in a combination of in-person and remote work (hybrid option).

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The Club and its affiliated organizations are equal opportunity employers and do not unlawfully discriminate against employees or applicants for employment on the basis of any legally protected characteristic, whether actual or perceived, including, including, but not limited to, an individuals race, religion, color, creed, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, marital status, pregnancy, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or other legally protected status. This policy applies to all terms, conditions, and privileges of employment, including recruitment, hiring, placement, compensation, promotion, discipline, and termination.

Compensation

Commensurate with experience, starting at $80,000 annually. The Club offers a competitive benefits package, subject to specific policy eligibility guidelines.

Seniority level

• Seniority level

  Mid-Senior level

Employment type

• Employment type

  Full-time

Job function

• Job function

  Human Resources

• Industries

  Non-profit Organizations and Civic and Social Organizations

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