Director, Northern California Apprenticeship Innovation District

‍

Location: San Francisco Bay Area or Northern California (Hybrid)
Salary Range: $130,000–$150,000
To apply, email: jobs@buildwithin.com with cover letter, resume and 3 references

About the Role

BuildWithin is reimagining how people learn and work.
We’re not here to fix the old system—we’re here to build what comes next.

We’re building the infrastructure for a skills-based economy—where talent rises on ability, not pedigree, and learning happens on the job, not just in a classroom.

We’re a fast-growing, venture-backed company recognized by the U.S. Department of Labor as a national Apprenticeship Intermediary. But more importantly, we’re trusted by the people doing the work on the ground—employers, educators, and communities ready to do things differently.

As part of a federally funded initiative, we’re launching Apprenticeship Innovation Districts across the country. Northern California  is one of five selected regions—and we’re looking for a bold, collaborative leader to take the helm.

What You’ll Do

• Work shoulder-to-shoulder with local partners—not around them. You’ll collaborate with workforce boards, American Job Centers, and community organizations already doing the work—and help them scale what works.
  
  
• Disrupt what’s not working. You’ll challenge legacy systems and outdated assumptions—respectfully, but relentlessly. You’re not here to tinker. You’re here to build something better.
  
  
• Expand apprenticeships with real impact. Not check-the-box programs—real roles, in high-growth sectors, with clear paths to advancement.
  
  
• Inspire employers to think differently. You’ll help them see that talent is everywhere—and that skills-based hiring isn’t a risk, it’s an edge.
  
  
• Strengthen the regional ecosystem. You’ll connect the dots between industry, government, and education so earn-and-learn becomes the default model—not the pilot program.
  
  
• Be a visible leader. You’ll represent BuildWithin in public forums, at convenings, and in the media. You’ll tell stories that shift perspectives—and policies.
  
  
• Turn field insights into strategy. What you hear on the ground will inform how we influence state and national workforce priorities.
  
  
• Help shape the national agenda. You’ll contribute to the future-of-work conversation on how we train, hire, and grow talent in a rapidly changing world.
  

Who You Are

• You build. You lead. You don’t wait to be told where to start.
  
  
• You believe apprenticeships aren’t a program—they’re a revolution in how people learn and grow.
  
  
• You know the Bay Area labor market like it’s your backyard—and you see where the future is headed.
  
  
• You think in systems, act with urgency, and execute with precision.
  
  
• You communicate with clarity and purpose—whether in a boardroom or on a community stage.
  
  
• You live in Northern California and you’re ready to get to work.

Benefits & Compensation

• Competitive medical, dental, vision, and life insurance coverage
• Paid time off and paid parental leave
• Company stock options 
• Hybrid work schedule with travel as needed across Northern California

‍

Why Join BuildWithin

BuildWithin is a venture-backed startup with a human mission: open doors for people, and help employers become engines of learning. Our tech powers everything from enrollment and skills matching to on-the-job training and advancement.

We move fast. We think big. We build for impact.

And in Northern California, you’ll help shape the future of work—in a region that shapes the world.

‍BuildWithin is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome candidates of all backgrounds and identities. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities.

‍