GEAR UP Kentucky (GUK): District Program Manager (Pendleton County Schools)

Application Due Date: Preference given to applications received by November 3, 2023
Location: Works primarily in Pendleton County schools. When school is not in session (summer break, winter break, etc.) or if assigned school chooses to limit in-person instruction and opt for non-traditional formats (e.g., virtual learning, hybrid in-person, and virtual formats), this position will also work from home or take a hybrid approach.
Position: Time-limited, full-time position as a CPE Associate; funded with federal funds through September 2025.
Travel: Some in-state and overnight travel is expected to attend GUK-sponsored trainings, meetings, and conferences, including a three- week, residential, on-campus assignment during the GUK Summer Academies in the summers of 2024 and 2025. May be required to attend out-of-state conferences at the discretion of the Executive Director.
Compensation: $51,516/year

Overview

GEAR UP Kentucky is a federal grant program coordinated by the Council, which works with students and schools in low-income communities to support college preparation and success. GEAR UP Kentucky is a competitive federal grant program designed to increase the college-going rate. In 2018, the Council was awarded a seven-year, $24.5 million grant to serve at least 10,000 middle and high school students in at least 10 school districts. This is the fourth GEAR UP state grant for Kentucky that has been administered through the Council. GEAR UP positions are for the term of the grant.

Duties and Responsibilities

The District Program Manager (DPM) is the lead professional working with school and GUK staff in an assigned school district and is responsible for the implementation of all program strategies in alignment with meeting outlined goals, including timely submission of required plans, data, and reports.

The District Program Manager will establish and maintain relationships with school leaders to ensure effective implementation of services and integrate GUK into school culture and community.

Budget and Team Management

• Schedule, facilitate, and document school site team meetings in district schools; establish and maintain implementation timelines.
• Lead the development and timely processing of district quarterly activity and expenditures plans in partnership with the local school site teams.
• Manage local project expenditures, including review and certification of reimbursement requests for direct expenditures and monitoring funds expended within GEAR UP annual district contracts based on annual allocated budget.
• Assist schools in coordinating all available resources to ensure maximum efficacy.

Management and Supervision

• Coordinate the recruitment, interview and hiring process for College and Career Coaches per Contracted Staff Hiring Process.
• Review and monitor the activities and service delivery of College and Career Coach(es) and provide support as needed to meet objectives.
• Communicate regularly with the College and Career Coach(es) to clarify expectations, check understanding, communicate changes, and resolve issues as well as introduce new products, programs, services, policies, and procedures.
• Review and approve timesheets and requests for work absences and ensure/provide coverage of scheduled classroom curricula delivery as needed.
• Monitor the allocation of work hours to ensure maximum impact across the school and region; recommend adjustments to work hour allocations to Associate Director of District Implementation.
• Regularly communicate observations and concerns (if any) regarding the performance or capacity of College and Career Coach(es).
• Monitor, assess, and support the College and Career Coach(es) capacity to implement services with program fidelity.
• Provide feedback on the retention of individual College and Career Coach(es). Monitor individual data collection practices for security and compliance.
• Complete quarterly reports and data review on district progress toward objectives.

Services to Students, Families and Schools

• Communicate GUK vision and mission effectively to all stakeholders.
• Oversee and ensure implementation fidelity of direct services to Full-Service Cohorts by the College and Career Coach(es).
• Implement direct services to students in Priority Service Cohorts, including curricula delivery, student advising, student engagement and leadership programs, campus experiences, student surveys and assessments, and other activities as determined by the GUK grant project and local school site team.
• Establish curricula delivery schedule and set classroom expectations with classroom teacher, prior to delivery of first lesson.
• Conduct orientations and disseminate GUK resources and information to create ongoing awareness of the GUK program, activities, and outcomes.
• Create and implement advising plan in collaboration with School Site Team.
• Implement student and family engagement services.
• Coordinate and promote all GUK family engagement activities.
• Utilize school/community partnerships and initiatives when appropriate.
• Routinely send communication to families and students, both virtually and in hard copy.
• Attend all school staff meetings, professional development, and any other trainings deemed necessary, unless otherwise determined by School Site Team or supervisor.
• Follow all school protocol and procedures as directed.
• Seek documented approval and adhere to district/school policies and protocols when assisting with and organizing trips/events. These may include, but not be limited to, campus visits, job site visits, job shadowing, college and career fairs, FAFSA Frenzy, College Application Month, GEAR UP Go Day, CERT/ACT preparation, etc.

Summer Academies

• Support the recruitment & promotion of the GUK Summer Academies.
• Participate in pre-Academy staff trainings.
• Assist the Student/Family Services Specialist in pre-Academy family orientations.
• Supervise students between breakfast and bedtime during on-campus and off-campus activities as scheduled; Participate in 24 hour on-call rotational system as scheduled.
• Stay overnight in residence halls as scheduled during the Academy to provide supervision of students.
• Escort students to and from campus locations and academy classes/events/activities.
• Chaperone students during field trips and organized recreational activities.
• Transport students in state motor pool vehicles as necessary and within established guidelines for Academy events/activities/attendance.
• Assist professors in class by monitoring student behavior.
• Ensure the safety of students and staff attending the Academy in conjunction with established GUK/host campus rules and procedures.
• Assist in the implementation of GUK-provided curricula and activities.
• Coordinate evening activities as scheduled by Site Director.
• Participate in daily/weekly meetings as scheduled by Site Director.
• Be available to support and assist all students, including students who display symptoms of homesickness; refer to health/counseling services as needed and according to established procedures.
• Report to GUK Academy Site/Co-Site Director throughout the duration of the Academy.
• Other duties as assigned by Academy Site Director.

Communication and Information Management

• Collect and maintain accurate and complete data on delivery of all services in accordance with GUK timelines and FERPA guidelines, including weekly submission of service delivery data and submission of quarterly GUK district reports.
• Adhere to FERPA/confidentiality expectations regarding any student/school data as outlined in GUK Data Collection and Use policies and procedures.
• Maintain all work-related activities on calendar in Microsoft Outlook and communicate schedule with direct supervisor according to agreed- upon practice.

Program and Resource Development

• Serve as a member of at least one project team to inform and contribute to the development of GUK services and strategies.

Professional Development

• Participate in professional development opportunities, seminars, conferences, and networking opportunities as assigned.

Other

• Other duties as assigned by Associate Director of District Implementation, Executive Director, and/or leadership of the Council on Postsecondary Education.

Minimum Education and Experience

• A college degree in the area of education, psychology, sociology, guidance counseling, business management, communications, or a closely related field.
• Minimum of three years of professional experience; experience in the area of teaching, guidance counseling, college and career advising, youth development, and/or social work preferred.
• Possess a valid Kentucky driver’s license and fulfill requirements to be authorized to drive a Kentucky Division of Fleet Management Vehicle.

Successful Applicants Will Demonstrate

• Proficient skills in the use of Microsoft Office Suite programs (i.e., Word, Excel, and PowerPoint); proficient written and oral communication skills.
• Proficiency in human relations and interpersonal skills with a positive, outgoing, and highly motivated personality.
• Skills in problem solving, multi-tasking and ability to negotiate difficult situations between all project stakeholders.
• Strong work ethic and the ability to work independently.
• Ability to achieve project deliverables in a timely fashion.
• Strong presentation skills and the ability to provide training to learners of all ages.
• Ability to plan, organize, and coordinate work assignments.
• Ability to work collaboratively with school administration and staff, as well as program business partners.

How to Apply

Interested applicants should submit a letter of application specifically addressing the responsibilities and qualifications of the position, a resume, and the names, titles, and contact information for at least three professional references to CPE.HR@ky.gov.