System of Great Schools District Support Specialist

MISSION: The Texas Education Agency (TEA) will improve outcomes for all public-school students in the state by providing leadership, guidance, and support to school systems.

POSITION OVERVIEW: In order to advance the mission of the TEA of improving outcomes for all public school students, the SGS District Support Specialist supports school districts in the design and implementation of system-level reforms related to school portfolio management, district charter partnerships, and school actions. The SGS District Support Specialist tracks and monitors SGS implementation progress with SGS Executive Firms, School Action Fund Technical Assistance Providers, and other support providers. The SGS District support specialist reports directly to the DSSI District Support Manager and will work with a team of District Support Specialists and Executive Advisor Firms to support district leaders in implementing the SGS Theory of Action through Chief Innovation Officer workshops, the development and refinement of quality tools and resources, and strategic coaching and advising.

Please note that a resume and tailored cover letter are required attachments for applying to this position. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Additionally, please be sure to respond to the short answer prompts found in the supplemental questions. These responses should be added in a separate Word or PDF document in the attachments section of the application.

Applicants who are strongly being considered for employment must submit to a national criminal history background check.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Supports multiple district leaders in developing and implementing strategies related to the System of Great Schools theory of action through quality tools & resources, professional learning, and access to tailored strategic coaching.
• Monitors fidelity of implementation of SGS strategy and other related initiatives, including School Action Fund grants and district-charter (SB 1882) partnerships, and influences course corrections with appropriate support partners and technical assistance providers.
• Support the management of TEA vendors, including SGS Executive Advisor firms, to ensure districts are provided high-quality coaching and advising to all SGS Network districts.
• Maintains a deep working knowledge of SGS districts, including academic performance, personnel, and community dynamics, as well as a deep working knowledge of the best practices that drive the SGS strategy, including quality authorizing practices, talent pipeline development, and policy development and implementation.
• Collaborates with TEA colleagues to evaluate SGS initiatives and recommend adjustments to continuously improve the design of the SGS network and district supports.

Qualifications

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Education: Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university. Advanced degree or major course work in a field relevant to the assignment is generally preferred.

Experience: At least (4) years of experience in the education sector.

OTHER QUALIFICATIONS:

• Documented experience in system level school reforms, particularly in school portfolio management, performance-based accountability, school choice programs, district charter partnerships, school autonomy and empowerment, new school creation or design
• Knowledge of state (e.g. SB 1882) and federal laws (e.g. Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) related to state agency actions in support of school districts and schools)
• Ability to quickly comprehend complex information and break it into comprehensive parts
• Expertise in influencing and motivating others to a desired outcome
• Highly organized with ability to develop and execute project plans and progress monitoring tools
• Experience in developing and managing critical relationships that include but are not limited to internal TEA staff, district superintendent and Cabinet-level leaders, and external organizations (non-profits, foundations, consultants, etc.)
• Skill in qualitative and quantitative analysis; and creating MS PowerPoint, Excel, and Word-based toolkits, guides, and resources
• A desire to self-reflect, give/receive feedback and continuously improve
• Demonstrates outstanding leadership and personal relations skills, including excellent written and oral communication, facilitation, and presentation skills
  
  

As an equal opportunity employer, we hire without consideration to race, religion, color, national origin, age, sex, disability, or veteran status, unless an applicant is entitled to the veteran’s preference.

Additional Military Crosswalk (occupational specialty code) information can be accessed here.

This position requires the applicant to meet Agency standards and criteria which may include passing a pre-employment criminal background check, prior to being offered employment by the Agency.

No phone calls or emails, please. Due to the high volume of applications, we do not accept telephone calls and cannot reply to all email inquiries. Only candidates selected for interview will be contacted.