COMMUNITY PROGRAM SPECIALIST V

Job Description:

COMMUNITY PROGRAM SPECIALIST V

Description

DESCRIPTION

The Community:

Idyllically located on the Pacific Coast just south of Los Angeles and adjacent to Orange County, Long Beach is a vibrant city of approximately 450K residents. Known for its diverse and inclusive community, Long Beach features a unique blend of urban sophistication, cultural richness, and coastal charm. The City encompasses about 51 square miles, offering an array of parks, beaches, and recreational opportunities. Residents enjoy mild climate year-round perfect for outdoor activities such as biking, running, water sports, and much more. Long Beach is home to world-class attractions including the Aquarium of the Pacific, the historic Queen Mary, and the annual IndyCar Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. Long Beach will be the largest venue city for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Long Beach also boasts a thriving economy supported by industries such as aerospace, education, health services, manufacturing, tourism and professional services. With two advanced educational institutions, California State University Long Beach and Long Beach City College, and robust K-12 schools, the City is a hub for learning and innovation. Transportation options abound. The Long Beach and Metro transit systems along with the City’s own airport provide convenient access throughout the broader Southern California region. Long Beach is recognized as one of the nation’s most walkable and bike-friendly cities.

The City Government:

Long Beach operates as a charter city governed by an elected Mayor and nine City Council members elected by district. The City Manager, appointed by the Mayor and City Council, oversees the daily operations of 15 departments and an FY26 annual budget of approximately $3.7B. The City employs over 6,000 full-time and part-time staff; dedicated to providing exceptional public services with the vast majority being represented by eleven employee associations.

• City Departments
• Citywide FY26 Budget
• 2030 Strategic Vision
• Elevate ’28 Infrastructure Investment Plan

The City of Long Beach fosters an environment where every employee is celebrated for their individuality and unique talents they bring to their role. Reflecting the diversity of the community within the workforce is a key priority embraced at every level of the organization-from management to policy creation. City Leadership actively promotes equity and inclusion by partnering with staff and community stakeholders to advance fairness in all initiatives. Transparency remains a cornerstone of these efforts with demographic data, including workforce diversity and pay equity by race and gender, shared publicly to ensure accountability and progress.

Economic Development & Opportunity:

The Department of Economic Development & Opportunity is an innovative department that leverages Federal, State, and City resources to generate growth in property, sales, and transient occupancy taxes that pay for services citywide. The Department continuously works to implement the recommendations of the Grow Long Beach Economic Blueprint. This comprehensive plan provides policy recommendations and will further Long Beach as an innovative ecosystem that lays a foundation for entrepreneurial success from business start-up to growth.

The Department has approximately 90 employees with five bureaus: Business Development, Business Operations, Real Estate Development, Waterfront Development, and Workforce Development. The Department's mission is to create economic opportunities for workers, investors, and entrepreneurs with an annual budget of over $31 million from eight different City funds.

To learn more about the Department visit:

• Department Website
• Department FY 26 Budget
• Grow Long Beach Initiative
• Bureau Website

Position Summary:

The City of Long Beach Economic Development & Opportunity Department has an opening for a Community Program Specialist V (Business Engagement Supervisor) in Business Development Bureau. This position will work with the Long Beach Workforce Innovation Network (LBWIN) to connect adults, youth, and businesses to opportunities-job seekers to employment, and businesses to skilled workers, in alignment with the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA).

The Business Engagement Supervisor is responsible for the implementation of the Bureau’s employer engagement (business services) strategies, including business outreach and engagement; coordination of Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN), Rapid Response and Layoff Aversion activities and strategies; recruitment and talent acquisition services; worker pipeline development; and other related services. In addition, the position will develop opportunities to connect career counseling staff to private/public-sector employers to center program design and delivery on local industry needs, and coordinate with local hire initiatives to ensure coordination with existing programs.

The position will report to the Business Development Special Projects Officer and work closely with the LBWIN Executive Director and program managers to supervise a team of three employment engagement leads each dedicated to supporting Long Beach workforce business industry sectors. The position works collaboratively to develop quarterly and annual goals, launch new projects and align with related services offered within the Department. This position will also produce monthly, quarterly and annual reports on an as needed basis.

The position requires local travel throughout the organization’s service area, including locations in Long Beach and Signal Hill. The position offers a hybrid schedule with one remote workday per week and the possibility for an alternate work schedule.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

• Plans, directs, and supervises the development and implementation of the City’s WIOA Title I Business Engagement, Rapid Response, and Layoff Aversion programs, ensuring full compliance with federal, state, and local regulations;
• Leads and supervises the Business Engagement Team, providing strategic direction, guidance, and performance oversight to ensure effective delivery of employer services and achievement of all WIOA program performance outcomes;
• Builds and sustains relationships with employers, labor organizations, industry associations, and regional partners to identify workforce needs, coordinate services, and promote utilization of WIOA-funded programs and resources;
• Oversees the City’s response to Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) notices, coordinating employer outreach, employee transition services, and interagency collaboration in accordance with state and federal requirements;
• Implements proactive layoff aversion strategies, including risk assessment, early warning identification, incumbent worker training, and customized business assistance to prevent job loss and strengthen local industry competitiveness;
• Designs and promotes business-driven workforce solutions such as On-the-Job Training (OJT), Customized Training, Incumbent Worker Training, and registered Apprenticeships to support recruitment, retention, and upskilling needs;
• Collects, analyzes, and interprets labor market and business intelligence data to identify emerging trends, workforce gaps, and sector priorities that inform strategic planning and service alignment;
• Represents LBWIN at local, regional, and statewide meetings, presentations, and events to promote business engagement and workforce development programs and foster collaboration among public and private stakeholders;
• Collaborates with internal and external partners, including Economic Development, labor, education, and community-based organizations, to ensure seamless coordination of employer and job seeker services;
• Researches and applies best practices in business engagement and high-road workforce strategies, integrating continuous improvement and innovation into service design to advance equitable access and quality outcomes.
  

REQUIREMENTS TO FILE

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Public Administration, or closely related field (experience offering specific and substantial preparation of duties of the position may be substituted for the required education on a year-for-year basis);

AND

• Minimum of four (4) years of recent full-time professional experience offering specific and substantial preparation of duties of the position in the public or private sector;
• A Master’s Degree in Business, Public Administration, or closely related field from an accredited college or university may be substituted for up to one (1) year of the required professional experience;
• Possess valid California driver’s license;
• Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing;

AND

• Ability to work effectively with a wide variety of people, including employers, adult residents, dislocated workers and youth, by consistently exercising tact, good judgment and a proactive, problem-solving focused communication style.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS:

• Knowledge and understanding of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) programs services;
• Experience delivering employer-focused activities designed to help businesses find, develop, and retain talent;
• Experience working in Business Engagement, Business Development, or Business Support programs and an understanding of business needs;
• Demonstrated skills in process improvement, with a track record of identifying inefficiencies, implementing best practices, and enhancing service delivery within workforce and business development;
• Bilingual in Spanish, Khmer or Tagalog.

SELECTION PROCEDURE

HOW TO APPLY:
This recruitment will close at 11:59 PM Pacific Time January 21, 2026. To be considered for this opportunity, applicants must submit an online application, applicants must submit a cover letter that reflects the scope and level of your current/most recent positions and responsibilities, resume, and proof of education (if qualifying with a degree and applicable to position) in PDF format. Applicants who do not meet the minimum requirements, including submission of all required attachments, will not be considered.

Applications will be reviewed for depth and breadth of experience, and for level and relatedness of education. The most qualified candidates will be invited to participate in further selection procedures. The selected candidate may be required to go through a background check and a physical examination prior to appointment. For questions regarding this recruitment, please call (562) 570-6044.

The City of Long Beach is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We value and encourage diversity in our workforce. The City of Long Beach is committed to creating a workplace where every employee is valued for who they are. Having our workforce reflect the diversity of our community at various levels of the organization is a continuous goal embraced by our departments, management staff, and policymakers. To support efforts of fairness and diversity, City Leadership is committed to incorporating equity and inclusion into our work by supporting staff and community partners. We are committed to promoting transparency by publishing updated demographic information for employees, including workforce diversity data and pay by race and gender.

The City of Long Beach will consider qualified applicants with a criminal history pursuant to the California Fair Chance Act. You are not required to disclose your criminal history or participate in a background check until you receive a conditional job offer. If the City of Long Beach has concerns about a conviction that is directly related to the job after making a conditional job offer and conducting a background check, you will have the opportunity to explain the circumstances surrounding the conviction, provide evidence to mitigate concerns, or challenge the accuracy of the background report. Find out more about the Fair Chance Act by visiting https://calcivilrights.ca.gov/fair-chance-act .

The City of Long Beach is committed to maintaining fairness and transparency in our hiring practices. We believe in providing equal opportunities to all applicants and ensuring that every applicant is evaluated based on their qualifications and merit. If you believe that you have been unjustly disqualified based on minimum qualifications for an unclassified job opportunity, you have the right to appeal the decision. Find out more about the Unclassified Applicant Appeal Process by visiting Applicant Appeal Process (longbeach.gov).

The City of Long Beach intends to provide reasonable accommodations in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. If special accommodation is desired, or if you would like to request this information in an alternative format, please call (562) 570-3693.

In support of the City’s Language Access Policy, bilingual skills (Spanish, Khmer and/or Tagalog) are desirable for positions interacting with the public.

For technical support with your governmentjobs.com application, please contact (855) 524-5627.

Employee Benefits

The City of Long Beach offers its employees opportunities to grow personally and professionally.As a permanent employee, you are eligible to receive fringe benefits that include:

• Medical and Dental Insurance

• Life Insurance

• Retirement Plan (P.E.R.S.)

• Paid Vacation, Personal Holidays and Sick Leave

• Deferred Compensation

• Credit Union Membership

• Free Bus Transportation (Long Beach Transit)

• Flexible Spending Accounts

• Free Employee Parking
• Paid Parental Leave*
*Paid Parental Leave - after six (6) months of City employment; up to 30 calendar days (160 hours/192 hours for sworn platoon) of PPL, taken in full-day increments, in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster placement of a child, up to the age of seventeen (17).

Closing Date/Time: 1/21/2026 11:59 PM Pacific

Salary:

$41.53 - $56.49 Hourly