City names permanent workforce development director

Provided by city of Springfield

Sally Payne has led the city department as interim director since December 2019.

Sally Payne, the interim director of Workforce Development for the city of Springfield, has been permanently appointed to the role.

The decision was announced in a Friday news release and came more than 20 months after the retirement of previous Director Mary Ann Rojas.

Payne joined the city in 2008 as an accounting supervisor before being promoted to fiscal administrator and then assistant director of Workforce Development, according to the release.

“Sally has done a great job leading our workforce development efforts during a very challenging time when demand for jobs and people to serve in those jobs is very high. We are grateful for her service and her creative and collaborative approach to working with our many partners in this arena,” City Manager Jason Gage said in the release. “Workforce development is among the city’s highest priorities.”

Payne now officially leads the department, housed at the Missouri Job Center, in providing resources to job seekers and offering training programs in health care, information technology, manufacturing, construction, and transportation/logistics. She plans to hire an assistant director this fiscal year, said Missouri Job Center spokesperson Katherine Trombetta.

“During these challenging times, I believe in innovative, strategic initiatives and programs to meet the needs of job seekers and businesses in this ever-changing economy,” Payne said in the release.

This summer, the city was chosen for a $3 million grant designed to spur workforce development by helping people in correctional facilities prepare to reenter the job force.

Payne is host of the city’s first podcast, Workforce Vibe, which launched this summer. The show focuses on workforce recruitment and retention.

Her salary, including a car allowance, is $115,160, according to Trombetta.