Team Culture & Operations Lead (Staff Services Officer V)

Agency Information

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) oversees primary and secondary public education in Texas and is committed to improving outcomes for all public school students by providing leadership, guidance, and support to school systems across the state.

Core Values

• We are Determined: We are committed and intentional in pursuing our primary purpose of improving outcomes for students.
• We are People-Centered: We strive to attract, develop, and retain committed talent that reflects the diversity of Texas, with each individual contributing to our shared vision for students.
• We are Learners: We seek evidence, reflect on outcomes, and continuously improve in pursuit of excellence for students.
• We are Servant Leaders: We are public servants committed to improving opportunities for students and supporting those who serve them.

Job Description

The Office of District Planning and Implementation (ODPI) is a 60+ member team supporting districts statewide with high-quality instructional material and aligned instructional leadership implementation, superintendent and board member capacity building, school improvement, and regional service center strategy and support. The Team Culture & Operations Lead (TCOL) for ODPI is an integral member of our team, responsible for advanced, senior level administrative support to the Deputy Commissioner of ODPI and additional division directors, as well as coordinating operational and culture structures support for the office at large.

The TCOL's role involves preparing for and facilitating department-wide culture and meeting structures, coordinating calendars, managing key event logistics, supporting with team member professional development and IT requests, internal and external communications, budget management, human resources support, and other key administrative supports. The TCOL will also be a core team member driving and supporting a strong ODPI team culture, supporting team-wide events, culture-building, and the smooth onboarding of new team members.

The TCOL is an individual contributor role that reports to the chief of staff of the Office of Planning and Implementation. The TCOL works under minimal supervision, with extensive latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment.

Flexible work location within the state of Texas may be considered for qualified candidates.

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

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

Essential Functions

Job duties are not limited to the essential functions mentioned below. You may perform other functions as assigned.

1. Operational Coordination, Scheduling, and Talent Acquisition Support: support the ODPI Deputy Commissioner and Senior Leadership Team with calendaring and weekly planning by prioritizing engagements and proactively resolving conflicts; oversee day-to-day operational logistics, including room reservations, meal orders, and meeting support; collaborate with other agency offices (OSP, OES, OG, OOF, etc.) to ensure alignment and visibility for key meetings, professional development, and cross-team coordination; design and maintain essential office processes and resources that strengthen talent acquisition via PAF Coordinator, hiring assistant support, PIR back up, and facilitation of initial onboarding touchpoints (e.g., DC new hire lunch)

2. Office-wide Planning, Engagements, and Communication: collaborate with the ODPI Deputy Commissioner to plan, facilitate, and execute key office-wide engagements including quarterly All-Office meetings, professional development opportunities, biweekly SLT meetings, and bimonthly LT meetings ODPI email inbox, ODPI iTEA SharePoint site, shared office calendar, etc.; develop and oversee key artifacts that support information sharing, operational transparency, and team alignment, such as the monthly ODPI Note from DC, SEE Survey, and other office-wide resources; facilitate cross functional collaboration and ensure readiness for internal cross team meetings and external ESC engagements; support the ODPI Senior Leadership Team by coordinating agenda development, preparing and reviewing presentation materials, maintaining records of prior presentations, and ensuring ODPI is informed and prepared for monthly CCRS and Core Group meetings

3. ODPI Site Visit Coordination and Talent Acquisition Support: partner with the division directors within the Office of District Planning and Implementation to ensure site visit coordination across the office; monitor use of the ODPI site visit calendar and site visit documentation tools; access data on site visit completion and record keeping and share with relevant stakeholders as necessary; support cross-office teams to develop field visit central tracking systems for ODPI field visits; support division directors with talent acquisition tasks such as completing initial application screening, updating matrices, and generating draft documents for revision

4. Manage PD Requests and Event Execution: oversee the end to end process for office members attending professional development conferences, including request intake, budget approval, registration, and documentation, while partnering closely with the Executive Assistant on purchasing and travel coordination; collaborate with internal teams and external partners to manage logistical components of events, applying a detail oriented approach that integrates both in person and virtual planning to ensure seamless execution, strong engagement, and high professional standards

5. ODPI Special Projects: provide "flex" support on office special projects as needed

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

• Education: Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university
• Experience: At least three [3] years of experience in an administrative, communications, or operational role
• Substitution: Education and experience may substitute for one another on a year-for-year basis.

Other Qualifications

• Share the belief that all Texas students can achieve at high levels and are able to succeed in college, career, or the military
• High degree of responsibility and responsiveness
• Ability to accomplish tasks in a timely manner
• Fluency with Microsoft Outlook and Outlook Calendar; comfort with Microsoft Office Suite overall (particularly Word, PowerPoint)
• Meticulous attention to detail
• Organizational and time management skills
• Openness to learning new systems and approaches
• Resourcefulness and independence in seeking out answers
• Growth mindset with a willingness to give, receive, and act on feedback to learn and improve
• High degree of judgment and discretion in managing communications with senior leaders
• Professional, accurate, concise communications
• Attentiveness to end user experience when organizing an event or sending communications

New hires, rehires, and internal hires will typically receive a starting salary between the posted minimum and the average pay of employees within the same classification. Offers are based on the candidate's experience and qualifications and consider internal pay equity across employees performing similar work.

The top half of the posted salary range is generally reserved for candidates whose qualifications exceed the role's requirements. The maximum of the range is typically reserved for candidates who significantly exceed the required and preferred qualifications.

Benefits

TEA employees receive a comprehensive benefits package through the State of Texas and the Employee Retirement System of Texas (ERS), supporting health, financial security, and work-life balance.

Benefits include:

• Retirement through ERS and employer-paid health insurance for eligible employees
• Optional dental, vision, and dependent coverage
• Paid state holidays, vacation leave, sick leave, and longevity pay
• Wellness programs, employee assistance programs, and professional development opportunities
• Eligibility for the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program

To learn more about benefits available to State of Texas employees, please review the State of Texas Employee Benefits brochure and visit the TEA Compensation and Benefits page .

Military/Veteran Information

Applicants eligible for Military Employment Preference will be considered in accordance with applicable state and federal laws and regulations.

To explore how military experience may align with this role, applicants may review Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) codes within the State's Position Classification Plan. Please refer to the Military Crosswalk and select the occupational category that most closely corresponds with the classification listed in this job posting.

Additional Information

TEA is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal and state nondiscrimination laws. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or veteran status.

TEA does not sponsor or assume sponsorship of employment visas.

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.

To learn more about working at TEA, including hiring timelines, process details, and candidate resources, please visit the Careers at TEA page .

Due to the high volume of applications, we are unable to accept phone calls or respond to all email inquiries. Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

To help ensure you receive updates regarding your application, please add [email protected] and @tea.texas.gov to your safe sender's list.

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