Principal, AWS Workforce Development

Application deadline: Nov 10, 2026

Are you passionate about building meaningful workforce development partnerships with local stakeholders — ones where everyone wins? Do you thrive on the challenge of designing innovative programs and fresh approaches to workforce development? Amazon is seeking a dynamic team member to do exactly that, playing a key role in driving our economic development initiatives forward in our US regions.

Key job responsibilities

• Own the full workforce program lifecycle, from gap identification and solution design through pilot execution and scaled delivery. Ensure programs are delivered on time, within budget, and informed by data.
• Assess current workforce development offerings against labor market demands and expansion timelines. Identify competency mismatches and build a pipeline of new program concepts to address unmet needs.
• Set a multi-horizon strategic vision for workforce development that operates across national, state, regional, and local levels. Translate that vision into a prioritized roadmap aligned to talent needs.
• Cultivate high-trust relationships with political, economic development, and education leaders at all levels of government. Secure the policy, funding, and institutional support needed to bring programs to scale.
• Represent the workforce development mission through public speaking, written content, convenings, and coalition-building with policymakers, educators, employers, and community organizations.
• Champion the needs of internal teams and external partners to continuously increase program quality and relevance.
• Partner with the research and analysis team to evaluate program effectiveness, make evidence-based decisions, and communicate outcomes to senior leadership and external stakeholders.

A day in the life

The role will be responsible for identifying evolving opportunities and leading an entrepreneurial approach to developing new solutions and approaches, building consensus internally and externally, iterating through real world pilot launches, fostering adoption, and driving implementation to scale. This includes analyzing labor demand and supply side dynamics, building novel partnership models and approaches, marshaling internal and external resources, aligning external political leadership, and partnering with other allied employers and educational institutions.

About the team

AWS Workforce Development is a part of the Global Public Policy team. We work seamlessly with our public policy teammates, internal customers (particularly AWS infrastructure teams), and partners across Amazon.com to drive a robust and highly successful portfolio of data center infrastructure-based workforce development programs.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or above in a relevant discipline (e.g. Law, Political Science, Public Policy, Public Affairs, Economic Development)
• 10+ years of experience in education leadership, workforce development, economic development, or public policy
• Ability to travel frequently, domestically and globally, based on business needs, sometimes on short notice.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience negotiating complex deals with customers and partners or equivalent
• Experience with instructional design, curriculum architecture, or training program development
• Experience prioritizing and handling multiple assignments at any given time while maintaining commitment to deadlines, or experience completing complex tasks quickly with little to no guidance and react with appropriate urgency to situations that require a quick turnaround
• Knowledge of program management lifecycle and project management tools/methodologies
• Experience designing, developing, deploying, and maintaining large scale projects.
• Experience developing curriculum, assessments and program accreditation.
• Knowledge of education funding sources, policies, and legislation
• Strong verbal and written communication, and presentation skills.

Amazon is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected veteran status, disability, or other legally protected status.

Los Angeles County applicants: Job duties for this position include: work safely and cooperatively with other employees, supervisors, and staff; adhere to standards of excellence despite stressful conditions; communicate effectively and respectfully with employees, supervisors, and staff to ensure exceptional customer service; and follow all federal, state, and local laws and Company policies. Criminal history may have a direct, adverse, and negative relationship with some of the material job duties of this position. These include the duties and responsibilities listed above, as well as the abilities to adhere to company policies, exercise sound judgment, effectively manage stress and work safely and respectfully with others, exhibit trustworthiness and professionalism, and safeguard business operations and the Company’s reputation. Pursuant to the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Our inclusive culture empowers Amazonians to deliver the best results for our customers. If you have a disability and need a workplace accommodation or adjustment during the application and hiring process, including support for the interview or onboarding process, please visit https://amazon.jobs/content/en/how-we-hire/accommodations for more information. If the country/region you’re applying in isn’t listed, please contact your Recruiting Partner.

The base salary range for this position is listed below. Your Amazon package will include sign-on payments and restricted stock units (RSUs). Final compensation will be determined based on factors including experience, qualifications, and location. Amazon also offers comprehensive benefits including health insurance (medical, dental, vision, prescription, Basic Life & AD&D insurance and option for Supplemental life plans, EAP, Mental Health Support, Medical Advice Line, Flexible Spending Accounts, Adoption and Surrogacy Reimbursement coverage), 401(k) matching, paid time off, and parental leave. Learn more about our benefits at https://amazon.jobs/en/benefits.

USA, , - 164,800.00 - 222,900.00 USD annually