Associate Director, DCW Development - Military veterans preferred

We believe every person deserves to age well. That’s why we’re on a path to improve the lives of 40 million older adults by 2030. Come join an awesome team and learn about the work we do, the people we serve, and why equitable aging matters now more than ever. At NCOA, we represent the interests of the aging population across the nation, while striving to live out our core values of equity, excellence, and innovation. This is meaningful work where we put “people first” and our employees can learn and grow, where work/life balance is prioritized, and have a flexible hybrid work schedule while being part of a dynamic, collaborative team.   

We are interested in growing our team with passionate, committed, and innovative individuals. The Associate Director, Direct Care Workforce Development will join NCOA at a time of dynamic growth.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Associate Director of Direct Care Workforce Development plays a significant role in the development and coordination of programmatic activities within the Center for Economic Well-Being (CEW), providing project leadership for the Direct Care Workforce (DCW) Strategies Center. The National Council on Aging (NCOA) is charged with leading the Strategies Center, which was created by ACL in 2022, providing cross-state teams with focused technical assistance (TA) and developing tools and resources that elevate promising practices ready for broader adoption to improve and strengthen the direct care workforce nationally. This position supports the mobilization of a network of high-performing national partners, advisory committee members, and subject matter experts (SME) to develop and scale policy, practice, data, and economic solutions that build a resilient DCW and broaden access to services for older adults and people with disabilities.

Positions at this level typically report to a director and require advanced knowledge and experience as well as some management capabilities. Incumbents are required to make independent judgements within their scope of work and require minimal oversight.  Incumbents generally have five or more years of experience in their discipline and a bachelor’s degree or the equivalent, as well as substantive experience at this level.   Graduate level degrees may be considered in lieu of experience.

*This is a term-limited, grant-funded position contingent on the availability of funding. The initial term is for one year (12 months), with the possibility of extension based on continued funding.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Co-lead TA strategy and delivery (webinars, 1:1 coaching, PLCs, SALs) and related resource development; ensure quality and timely outputs.
• Produce public-facing deliverables (presentations, memos, reports) for federal, nonprofit, and general audiences.
• Serve as a subject-matter expert on aging, disability, and labor policy; advise staff and partners.
• Manage relationships with subcontractors, vendors, subgrantees, and the Advisory Committee; coordinate contracts/POs/billing and vendor communications.
• Act as secondary liaison to funders; route feedback, delegate tasks with the Director, and elevate issues and risks.
• Build and maintain Asana workplans aligned to contract deliverables; codify best practices, track progress, and ensure grant compliance.
• Lead compliance and evaluation with NCOA Research & Evaluation and external evaluators; track partner deliverables and maintain audit-ready documentation and budgets.
• Analyze program and large datasets; translate findings into performance measures, policy recommendations, and TA/resource improvements.
• Coordinate cross-functional needs (platforms, marketing/comms) and roll up Center achievements to departmental performance indicators.
• Represent the Strategies Center at convenings; plan/facilitate meetings and trainings; contribute to collaborative CQI culture and monitor relevant policy/industry changes.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

• Bachelor’s degree in social sciences, health, economics, or related field required. Master’s degree preferred. 
• 5-7 years of postgraduate work experience in a related capacity.
• Knowledge of issues related to the DCW crisis at the state and national levels as it relates to aging and disability populations. 
• Experience with workforce development issues in the direct care sector, plus a strong understanding and connection to various state and local programs and policies across the country is preferred.
• Fluency in the federal administrative ecosystem driving DCW initiative navigating processes, timelines, and reporting requirements across agencies (e.g., HHS, ACL, ACF, CMS, DOL).
• Financial acumen to manage budgets.  
• Experience managing complex projects with many sub-grantees, sub-contractors, stakeholders, steering, and advisory committees.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and experience with Asana or similar project management tools.
• Demonstrated skill in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships and communicating with vendors, clients, and diverse audiences. 
• Adaptability in fast-paced environments while meeting deadlines and satisfying evolving project parameters.
• Solid professional presence with excellent communication and operational instincts; good strategic skills and sound business judgment. 
• Demonstrated experience in supporting multiple projects simultaneously with a solid focus on results. 
• Willingness and ability to participate in anticipated in-state and out-of-state travel, including overnight travel, as requested (up to 10-15%). 

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

SELECTION PROCESS

We only accept applications that follow the electronic process. No phone calls please. This position is subject to background screening. 

NCOA offers generous benefits, including:

• Medical, Dental, Vision, STD, LTD insurances
• Paid vacation, sick, and other types of leave
• 403(b) Retirement plan
• Hybrid remote work options
• And more!

NCOA is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer