Program Planner 2 (Community Engagement Consultant)

Full Job Description

Iowa Department of Education’s mission is ensuring all students experience a world-class education. To accomplish our mission, we need talented, passionate people working together to build an excellent education system that empowers all students to achieve their full potential.

The Iowa Department of Education seeks a dedicated, highly qualified program professional to serve as the Community Engagement Consultant for the Course to College Coaching program in the Bureau of Iowa College Aid.

This person will provide professional level program work by planning project activities, including developing and executing work plans for statewide implementation of the five program components: early awareness, college application campaign, FAFSA completion, college decision day, and summer transition.

This position will also assist in the coordination of other community engagement programming and communications, including Course to College Corps – AmeriCorps.

Your Responsibilities:

• Perform professional level program planning work as part of a comprehensive plan to assist community-based efforts to increase higher education attainment in the state.
• Provides planning assistance to the statewide Course to College Program in Iowa High Schools.

This includes:

• • Developing and executing work plans for the statewide implementation of each of the five program components: early awareness, college application campaign, FAFSA completion, college decision day, and summer transition;

  • Planning and conducting meetings with high school counselors, staff, and partners to assist in program planning and implementation for high schools across the state;

  • Participating in statewide educator professional development networks and committees relative to college and career planning for secondary students;

  • Ensuring that state and federal policies and regulations, particularly related to FAFSA completion, and student privacy are followed;

  • Working with schools to provide promotional and related support materials;

  • Instituting data collection strategies to assist in tracking completed applications;

  • Working with schools to obtain signed data agreements and internally manage the agreements; and

  • Attending events and providing volunteer support for schools, as needed.

• Support the facilitation and provide school advisement on FAFSA completion strategies. Coordinate with school representatives for the effective and compliant sharing of FAFSA data, including school level reports and access, review and correction of report anomalies.

• Assist in the coordination of programming and communications across connected initiatives, including, but not limited to, Course to College Corps and other Community Engagement programs.

Research and maintain up-to-date knowledge of best practices, strategies and trends in college access and success, community engagement and other related subjects.

Provide regular updates to team members and other Bureau staff. Utilize designated systems for tracking program progress, the collection of program evaluation data, and customer relations.

Prepare and deliver presentations/trainings, as needed.

• Contribute to and consult on community engagement materials and outreach efforts. Represent community engagement in agency initiatives. Other duties as assigned.

Candidates are encouraged to include detailed information about their relevant experience in their application, or submit a cover letter and resume in addition to their application.

If you wish to review a copy of the Position Description Questionnaire, please contact idoe.hr@iowa.gov.

Hours: 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Monday – Friday; some nights and weekends, occasional in-state and out-of-state travel

A successful candidate will bring or have the ability and desire to learn:

• Passion for accomplishing common goals in pursuit of public service;
• Ability to work collaboratively within high-performing teams
• Ability to work independently, moving projects forward with minimal supervision;
• Strong written and verbal communication skills;
• Ability to interpret and break down highly technical language, and present information in an understandable manner;
• Ability to manage complex work processes and information for compliance and impact;
• Conflict resolution and interpersonal skills; and
• Desire to work with diverse teams and stakeholders

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS:

• Experience with college access, youth development or educational program experience with or in K-12 schools or colleges.
• Experience in large-scale project implementation;
• Experience in federal grant programs
• Experience leading workshops, presentations, or classes.
• Experience with program operations relating to data, evaluation or compliance.

WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU?

• Opportunities to make a widespread difference in the lives of students, 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:

https://das.iowa.gov/sites/default/files/hr/documents/employment/Benefits_Beyond_the_Paycheck.pdf

E-Verify and Right to Work

The State of Iowa participates in E-Verify, a federal program that helps employers confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees.

Within the required timeframe, new hires will be verified through the E-Verify system to ensure authorization to work in the United States.

The State of Iowa also complies with the federal Right to Work laws, which protect employees’ rights to work without being required to join a labor organization.

For more information, please visit www.e-verify.gov

Qualifications

1) Six years of full-time work experience in the administration or operation/execution (i.e., providing consultation and/or technical assistance to stakeholders, research and analysis, or enforcement of program guidelines/policies/procedures) of a program (i.e., the provision of a service or an administrative oversight/enforcement responsibility).

2) All of the following (a and b):
a. A total of four years of education and full-time experience (as described in number one), where thirty semester hours of accredited college or university course work in any field equals one year of full-time experience; and
b. A total of two years of graduate-level education and full-time experience (as described in part a), where twenty-four semester hours of accredited graduate college or university course work in any field equals one year of full-time experience.

3) Current, continuous experience in the state executive branch that includes eighteen months of full-time work as a Program Planner 1.

For additional information, please click on this link to view the job description.