Emery Sapp & Sons, Inc. (ESS) logo
Workforce Development Coordinator
full-timeColumbia

Summary

Location

Columbia

Type

full-time

Explore Jobs

About this role

Why This Role Matters-

At Emery Sapp & Sons (ESS), building a strong workforce doesn’t start on the jobsite—it starts long before. The Workforce Development Coordinator plays a critical role in introducing the next generation of builders to ESS and the heavy civil construction industry.

This role is on the front lines of workforce recruitment and outreach—showing up in schools, classrooms, career fairs, and communities to spark interest, build relationships, and create early connections to ESS careers. By maintaining a consistent, professional, and engaging presence in targeted talent markets, this role helps ensure ESS has a healthy pipeline of future employee-owners ready to grow with the company.

Position Overview-

Reporting to the Workforce & Industry Outreach Manager, the Workforce Development Coordinator executes ESS’ recruitment outreach and pipeline development efforts across schools, community organizations, and workforce partners. Working in a merit shop heavy civil construction environment, this role partners closely with Talent Acquisition, Human Resources, Marketing, Operations, and Safety to align outreach activity with current and future hiring needs.

This position serves as the FACE of ESS at external workforce events—delivering presentations, attending career fairs, coordinating site tours, and maintaining consistent partner communication to maintain positive industry relationships and generate qualified candidate interest and warm leads.

Helpful insight: This role is focused on external recruitment outreach and talent pipeline development. Technical recruiting or delivery of internal employee training programs sits outside of the scope of this role.

What You’ll Own-

School & Community Outreach

· Serve as the primary ESS representative at high schools, trade schools, technical colleges, universities, and community events.

· Deliver engaging presentations on heavy civil construction careers, career paths, internships, and entry-level opportunities.

· Build and maintain relationships with counselors, instructors, program directors, and community leaders to support long-term workforce pipelines.

· Coordinate and support jobsite tours, classroom visits, and experiential learning opportunities when appropriate.

Talent Pipeline & Partnership Support

· Support and maintain partnerships with schools, workforce boards, industry associations, and community organizations.

· Manage ongoing communication with partners, including event planning, follow-ups, and next-step coordination.

· Identify new outreach opportunities aligned with geographic priorities and workforce needs.

· Serve as a consistent point of contact to ensure ESS remains visible, responsive, and reliable to partners.

Recruiting Events & Candidate Engagement

· Plan and support recruiting activities such as career fairs, hiring events, school visits, and community programs.

· Collect candidate leads, conduct basic interest and fit screening, and coordinate warm handoffs to Talent Acquisition.

· Ensure timely follow-up with candidates and partners to maintain engagement and momentum.

· Support internship and early-career pipeline activity as directed.

Internship Program Sourcing & Support

· Support internship recruiting efforts by collecting, organizing, and tracking intern applications and resumes.

· Assist with initial candidate screening, interview scheduling, and coordination with hiring managers.

· Maintain accurate intern candidate pipelines and status updates across operations and regions.

· Coordinate logistics for intern interviews, onboarding touchpoints, and communications.

· Serve as a point of contact for intern candidates throughout the recruiting process, ensuring a professional and engaging experience.

· Partner closely with the Workforce & Industry Outreach Manager to ensure timelines, documentation, and operational leadership needs are met.

Coordination, Tracking & Reporting

· Track outreach activity and results, including events attended, contacts made, leads generated, and conversion outcomes.

· Maintain organized records of partner contacts, event calendars, presentations, and outreach materials.

· Provide regular updates and insights to the Workforce & Industry Outreach Manager to support planning and resource allocation.

Employer Brand & Communication

· Partner with Marketing to support recruitment messaging, presentations, and materials used for outreach and events.

· Ensure all public-facing communication reflects ESS values, safety standards, culture, and employee-owner mindset.

· Help deliver engaging, on-brand activations at workforce events that represent ESS professionally and authentically.

What Success Looks Like-

· ESS maintains a consistent, professional presence in priority schools and communities.

· Strong relationships exist with counselors, instructors, and workforce partners.

· Candidate leads are generated regularly and handed off smoothly to Talent Acquisition.

· Outreach activity is well-organized, tracked, and communicated.

· Intern candidates experience a smooth, organized recruiting process.

· ESS’ employment brand is represented accurately, consistently, and engagingly.

· Internal teams view this role as dependable, proactive, and well-aligned with hiring needs.

What You’ll Bring to the Role-

· 3+ years of experience in recruiting, workforce outreach, campus recruiting, community engagement, or a related field.

· Preferred exposure to construction, skilled trades, manufacturing, or industrial environments.

· Strong public speaking and presentation skills; comfortable engaging students, educators, and community groups.

· Proven ability to build relationships and maintain partnerships over time.

· Highly organized with strong follow-through and attention to detail.

· Ability to manage multiple events, schedules, and stakeholders simultaneously.

· Proficiency with Microsoft Office; familiarity with HRIS or ATS tools is a plus.

· Willingness to travel regionally and work occasional evenings or weekends for events.

· A professional, approachable, field-first mindset.

MUST BE ABLE TO TRAVEL

Work Environment-

· Office-based with frequent travel to schools, community organizations, and recruiting events.

· Fast-paced, field-driven environment requiring collaboration across HR, Marketing, Operations, and Safety.

· Flexible schedule based on event and outreach needs.

Why ESS?

Emery Sapp & Sons is 100% employee owned. When we win, everyone wins. We build critical infrastructure—and we invest just as intentionally in the people who build it.

At ESS, you’ll find:

· Employee ownership from day one. · A company committed to safety, development, and long-term careers. · Help introduce the next generation to meaningful, hands-on work in the heavy civil industry. · Make a direct impact on the future workforce of ESS.

We don’t just build projects—we build careers, strengthen communities, and invest in the next generation of builders.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)

Other facts

Tech stack
Recruiting,Workforce Outreach,Community Engagement,Public Speaking,Presentation Skills,Relationship Building,Organizational Skills,Attention to Detail,Event Planning,Communication,Talent Acquisition,Internship Coordination,Microsoft Office,HRIS Familiarity,Travel Willingness,Field-First Mindset

About Emery Sapp & Sons, Inc. (ESS)

We are proud to be one of the Midwest’s leading heavy civil infrastructure contractors. Consistently challenging the status quo, we push the boundaries of what’s possible. Our turnkey services provide best-in-class civil construction solutions, ensuring we exceed the needs of every project. No matter the scope, our experts are dedicated to delivering unmatched results. Proudly part of the 100% employee-owned ESS Companies, united in our mission to change lives through ownership while transforming communities across the country.

Team size: 1,001-5,000 employees
LinkedIn: Visit
Industry: Construction
Founding Year: 1972

What you'll do

  • The Workforce Development Coordinator is responsible for executing recruitment outreach and pipeline development efforts across schools and community organizations. This includes delivering presentations, coordinating events, and maintaining relationships with educational and community partners.

Ready to join Emery Sapp & Sons, Inc. (ESS)?

Take the next step in your career journey

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a Workforce Development Coordinator do at Emery Sapp & Sons, Inc. (ESS)?

As a Workforce Development Coordinator at Emery Sapp & Sons, Inc. (ESS), you will: the Workforce Development Coordinator is responsible for executing recruitment outreach and pipeline development efforts across schools and community organizations. This includes delivering presentations, coordinating events, and maintaining relationships with educational and community partners..

Why join Emery Sapp & Sons, Inc. (ESS) as a Workforce Development Coordinator?

Emery Sapp & Sons, Inc. (ESS) is a leading Construction company.

Is the Workforce Development Coordinator position at Emery Sapp & Sons, Inc. (ESS) remote?

The Workforce Development Coordinator position at Emery Sapp & Sons, Inc. (ESS) is based in Columbia, Missouri, United States. Contact the company through Clera for specific work arrangement details.

How do I apply for the Workforce Development Coordinator position at Emery Sapp & Sons, Inc. (ESS)?

You can apply for the Workforce Development Coordinator position at Emery Sapp & Sons, Inc. (ESS) directly through Clera. Click the "Apply Now" button above to start your application. Clera's AI-powered platform will help match your profile with this opportunity and guide you through the application process. You can also learn more about Emery Sapp & Sons, Inc. (ESS) on their website.