Senior Advisor, School Programs (Director VI)

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.

Core Values: 
• We are Determined: We are committed and intentional in the pursuit of our main purpose, to improve outcomes for students. 
• We are People-Centered: We strive to attract, develop, and retain the most committed talent, representing the diversity of Texas, each contributing to our common vision for students.
• We are Learners: We seek evidence, reflect on success and failure, and try new approaches in the pursuit of excellence for our students.
• We are Servant Leaders: Above all else, we are public servants working to improve opportunities for students and provide support to those who serve them.

New hires, re-hires, and internal hires will typically receive a starting salary between the posted minimum and the average pay of employees in their same classification. Offers will be commensurate with the candidate’s experience and qualifications and will thoughtfully consider internal pay equity for agency staff who perform similar duties and have similar qualifications. The top half of the posted salary range is generally reserved for candidates who exceed the requirements and qualifications for the role. The maximum salary range is reserved for candidates that far exceed the required and preferred qualifications for the role.

This is a 10-day posting, which will close on June 3, at 11:59pm.

Position Overview: The Senior Advisor, School Programs reports to the Deputy Commissioner within the Office of School Programs, which provides foundational support for the education of PK-12 students in Texas.

The Senior Advisor sets and executes the policy strategy, legislative and rulemaking activities on behalf of the Office, as well as oversees the team responsible for interagency coordination. The Senior Advisor serves as a key leader within the agency and collaborates and interacts regularly with senior stakeholders within the agency and in the field, including elected officials, districts, and other stakeholders in support of student outcomes.

The nature of this role requires seasonal presence in Austin during State Board of Education (SBOE) meetings and legislative session, as well as additional dates as requested.

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

Please note that a resume, tailored cover letter, and short answer responses 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. Policy, Legislation, and Rulemaking Activities: Develop, lead, and implement the agency’s policy strategy across school programs. Provide policy guidance, consultative support, and lead rulemaking activities on behalf of the office. Serve as the agency’s key subject matter resource witness for the legislature. Coordinate legislative session work, including development of resource and briefing documents, respond to legislative requests, preparation of bill analyses and fiscal estimates, and attends committee meetings as a resource witness. Lead implementation efforts for newly passed legislation following each legislative session. Coordinate rulemaking activities on behalf of the office. Establish relationships with State Board of Education (SBOE) members, prepare SBOE items, and represent the office at SBOE meetings. Provide internal direction and support on officewide structures for information preparation and sharing related to policy, legislation and rulemaking.
2. Interagency Leadership and Oversight: Oversee TEA’s strategic direction that supports planning and stakeholder alignment, including institutions of higher education, workforce partners, governmental agencies, and task force assignments. This work includes representing TEA on the following interagency efforts related to Early Childhood (Texas Quad Agency Child Care Initiative, Governor’s Task Force on the Governance of Early Childhood Education and Care, Texas Early Childhood Interagency Work Group, Texas Early Childhood Integrated Data System), College, Career, and Military Preparation (Tri-Agency Workforce Initiative), as well as other interagency efforts as needed. Manage TEA’s designated liaison of interagency groups, and represents TEA in senior executive forums, boards and committees. Provide internal direction on officewide structures for information preparation and sharing related to interagency work.
3. Team Management: Develop and manage a highly engaged and detail-oriented team. Ensure team members have clear priorities and plans that are aligned to division, office and agency goals. Manage effective office operations and administrative processes. Ensure teams and individuals are supported, engaged, and retained. Support effective communication with external stakeholders and facilitate effective internal collaboration and information-sharing.

Minimum Qualifications
• Education: Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university
• Experience: At least eight (8) years of experience in state-level policy, legislation, rulemaking, large-scale system leadership, supervisory and/or administrative roles. Demonstrated experience managing through multiple layers of leadership in a complex organization, using lateral influence, with accountability for strategic direction, performance, and talent development required.
• Substitutions: An advanced degree may substitute for two years of required experience

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 
• Experience in education policy preferred
• Exceptional personnel management skills, including skill in vision-setting and coaching
• Experience authentically engaging stakeholders and leveraging feedback for continuous improvement
• Ability to create and engage in a collaborative, results-oriented team environment
• Data-driven decision maker with the ability to structure ambiguity into actionable, value-added plans
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Superior project and time management ability
• Ability to handle multiple and shifting priorities and juggle competing priorities and drive team towards results
• Demonstrated understanding of the processes and challenges of school districts, charter schools and educational service centers and practices to create system-level change
• A track record of performance and successful implementation across multiple concurrent projects
• A desire to self-reflect, give/receive feedback and continuously improve 

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

To review the Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) codes from each branch of the U.S. Armed Forces to each job classification series in the State’s Position Classification Plan (provided by the State Auditor's Office), please access the Military Crosswalk (occupational specialty code) Guide and click on the military “occupational category” that corresponds with the state classification in this job posting title.

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 Employment at TEA page.

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. Please add "[email protected]" and "@tea.texas.gov" to your safe senders list to ensure you receive email notifications from our talent acquisition team and/or hiring division regarding your candidacy.