Executive Director, Bronx Green Jobs Center

Founded in 1841, Fordham is the Jesuit University of New York, offering an exceptional education distinguished by the Jesuit tradition to more than 16,000 students across its nine colleges and schools. The University has residential campuses in the Bronx and Manhattan, a campus in West Harrison, N.Y., the Louis Calder Center Biological Field Station in Armonk, N.Y., and the London Centre in the United Kingdom.

About the role

Set to launch in January 2027, the Bronx Green Jobs Center (BGJC) will be the nation’s leading green workforce development and entrepreneurship hub. BGJC will establish a new national blueprint for public-private partnership supporting community-led economic development in the sustainability economy. Conceptualized by Fordham University and powered by a broad set of partners encompassing higher education institutions, industry and employer partners, community-based social service organizations, and local and state government, BGJC will help Bronx residents train for and secure career-track employment within New York’s growing green economy, while adding to the vibrancy and sustainability of the Bronx.

Fordham University invites applications for the inaugural Executive Director of the Bronx Green Jobs Center. This full-time, in-person position reports to the Vice President for External Affairs and requires extraordinary skills in strategic planning, financial management, development and fundraising, stakeholder communication, and building effective curriculum-based programming. The Executive Director will work out of the BGJC at 585 East Fordham Road, with occasional evening, weekend, and travel requirements (up to 35% of time, primarily within NYC).

Responsibilities

• Leadership
  • Design, refine, and lead implementation of plans and strategies to launch, grow, and evolve BGJC programs and partnerships, ensuring alignment with organizational priorities, workforce development goals, and emerging community and industry needs.
  • Build and set culture for BGJC’s foundational team, ensuring effective program management, accountability, and alignment with Fordham University’s mission and values.
  • Develop, monitor, and manage the Center’s budget and pursue external funding through public and philanthropic development opportunities, including grants, contracts, and earned-revenue opportunities.
• Outreach and Public Engagement
  • Cultivate and maintain strong communication with city and state agencies, workforce boards, community-based organizations, employers, elected officials, and industry leaders to identify opportunities for collaboration and funding.
  • Advocate for policies and practices that promote equitable access to green workforce training and entrepreneurship resources in historically underserved communities.
  • Represent BGJC and Fordham University in local, regional, and national forums on sustainability, workforce innovation, and economic development.
• Program Management
  • Oversee workforce development initiatives that emphasize stackable credentials, industry alignment, and pathways into quality green jobs.
  • Oversee the Green Entrepreneurship program focused on supporting entrepreneurs and small enterprises advancing clean technology, environmental resilience, and sustainable practices.
  • Design and manage the wraparound support services portfolio offered to BGJC training participants through community-based organizations and Fordham departments.
  • Establish reporting mechanisms to monitor career outcomes and evaluate overall center performance.
• Management Responsibilities
  • Supervise individual contributors (admin, clerical, maintenance) and occasionally other managers.
  • Handle hiring, training, development, performance management, and corrective action, with significant input on compensation decisions.

Requirements

• Education and Experience
  • Bachelor’s degree in Sustainability, Environmental Studies, Public Administration, Urban Policy, Workforce Education and Development, Business Administration, Economic Development, or a closely related field.
  • Minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible senior leadership experience, including at least 8 years of direct supervisory responsibility overseeing professional teams.
• Knowledge and Skills
  • Proven leadership experience and subject matter expertise in workforce development or a related field, particularly in areas related to green jobs or stackable workforce credentials.
  • Demonstrated success in partnership development, program management, and external relations within higher education, government, private, or nonprofit sectors.
  • Strong understanding of New York City’s economic ecosystem, particularly the Bronx, and the dynamics of equitable workforce and small business development.
  • Strong financial management experience and a track record of securing financial support from external sources.
  • Excellent communication, strategic planning, and organizational skills.
  • Exceptional ability to balance multiple priorities and function effectively in time-constrained and/or ambiguous contexts.
  • Commitment to Fordham University’s mission of education in service of social justice and community empowerment.
  • Proven experience in startup environments.
  • Familiarity with data-driven evaluation, outcomes measurement, and continuous program improvement.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree.
• Demonstrated experience building or operating programs at the intersection of workforce and business growth services.
• Demonstrated success in grant management and overseeing sponsored programs.

Benefits

Fordham University offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• Flexible spending accounts.
• Retirement plans.
• Life insurance; short and long-term disability.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
• Tuition remission.
• Generous time off.

Pay

Minimum starting salary: $140,000. Maximum starting salary: $175,000.

Schedule

• 35 scheduled hours per week.
• Hybrid work arrangement (review the Hybrid Policy).
• Evening and weekend hours required at times.
• Up to 35% of time may include travel, primarily within NYC but occasionally outside the city.