Administrative Consultant (Charter Schools)

State of Iowa • Des Moines - 50319 - Polk County, IA

6d • Onsite

About The Position

The Iowa Department of Education is seeking a talented and passionate Administrative Consultant for Charter Schools. This role is crucial in implementing exemplary authorization practices to ensure that Iowa charter schools provide excellent educational options. The consultant will oversee all aspects of charter authorization, serve as the main point of contact between charter schools and the Department, and build organizational capacity within the authorization team. This position offers opportunities to make a widespread difference in the lives of children and communities, working in a collaborative environment with talented colleagues.

Requirements

• Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university, and experience equal to five years of full-time, professional-level work in program administration, development, management, or operations.
• A combination of a total of nine years of education and full-time experience (as described in number one), where thirty semester hours of accredited college or university course work may substitute for one year of full-time experience.
• Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Master's degree in social work, law, education, engineering, or public or business administration, and experience equal to three years of full-time, professional-level work in program administration, development, management, or operations.
• Current, continuous experience in the state executive branch that includes two years of full-time work as an Education Program Consultant.
• Passion for accomplishing common goals in pursuit of public service
• Ability to research, analyze and interpret state and federal laws, regulations, and guidance
• Ability to work independently, moving projects forward with minimal supervision
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Conflict resolution and interpersonal skills
• Desire to work with diverse teams and stakeholders

Nice To Haves

• Experience in large-scale project implementation.
• Familiarity and/or experience with charter schools and charter school authorization practices.
• Ability to build and improve upon systems and processes that will support efficient and effective work across team members.

Responsibilities

• Oversee implementation of charter school authorization practices and procedures, initiatives, and policies as defined by Iowa Code, ensuring that the principles of maintaining high standards, upholding school autonomy, and protecting the student public interest are upheld in all actions.
• Oversee all aspects of charter authorization including; new charter applications, renewals, performance framework development, contracts, performance evaluation, reporting.
• Make recommendations to the State Board of Education as the authorizing agent.
• Create timelines, protocols, and procedures to operationalize charter school authorization processes in alignment with quality standards.
• Serve as the main point of contact between charter schools and the Department of Education, ensuring that communication is timely, responsive, and accurate.
• Build organizational capacity in a cross-functional authorization team that works collaboratively to implement quality authorization standards.
• Provide regular reports to the State Board of Education.
• Provide legislative reports as requested.
• Facilitate internal meetings and training of the Department charter authorizing team.
• Ensure the State Board of Education receives ongoing training on authorizer roles and responsibilities.
• Develop and deliver presentations and training to charter schools and other stakeholders.
• Maintain an applied knowledge of the state and federal policy, impact of legislation, and national quality authorization standards.
• Engage in continuous review and refinement of all authorization processes and procedures, ensuring transparency and clear communication among stakeholders.

Benefits

• Opportunities to make a widespread difference in the lives of children, their families, and Iowa communities
• Collaborative, positive work environment
• Talented and passionate work colleagues that will help you learn and grow
• Opportunities to collaborate with experts from around the country
• Employee discounts from a variety of vendors
• Competitive salary and benefits package

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level