[Hiring] Program Associate @WestEd

Role Description

WestEd’s Center for Education Systems, more specifically the Federal Fiscal Accountability team, partners with federal, state, and local agencies to strengthen the systems used to administer federal education programs and manage public resources effectively. The team supports clients in implementing the fiscal and programmatic provisions of the Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR), Uniform Grant Guidance, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and other federal programs serving children, students, and families from infancy through adulthood.

We help educational agencies design and improve fiscal accountability systems, policies and procedures, resource allocation approaches, monitoring practices, and implementation strategies. Our work strengthens compliance, builds organizational capacity, promotes the effective coordination and use of federal, state, and local resources, and expands access to high-quality programs and services for eligible children, students, and families.

As a Program Associate, you will support Senior Program Associates, Program Managers, and Project leads in providing technical assistance and other services to state agencies, local educational agencies, and other IDEA partners. The position will contribute to resource development, policy analysis, applied research, and state- and local-level projects, including support through CIFR related to IDEA Part B and/or Part C fiscal requirements and reporting.

Core Focus Areas and Responsibilities

• Technical Assistance, Training, and Resource Development (70-80%)
  • Support technical assistance and consultation to states that aims to increase client capacity to meet IDEA program and fiscal requirements and improve outcomes for students with disabilities.
  • Assist in developing and preparing materials for technical assistance and other content-specific projects.
  • Contribute to the development and dissemination of resources, tools, and templates.
  • Write clearly for various audiences, including contributing to project resources and reports describing and summarizing our work.
  • Partner with teammates to review and summarize client materials including policy, background research, and other information.
• Project and Task Coordination (20-30%)
  • Support events and meetings by organizing calendars, meeting materials, and meeting notes.
  • Document, communicate expectations for, and track task completion by team members.
  • Contribute to team meetings for project staff within existing infrastructures.
  • Provide project coordination and support for specified tasks and streams of work within larger projects.

This position will require some travel up to 40% for on-site provision of technical assistance and meetings.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, business administration, public administration, education administration, special education, early childhood education, or related fields.
• Knowledge of federal fiscal accountability requirements and state and local finance systems, particularly as they relate to special education and early intervention programs.
• Experience administering or supporting special education, early intervention, federal education, or other publicly funded programs.
• Understanding of IDEA Part C systems, including the roles of state lead agencies, participating public agencies, early intervention service providers, and families.
• Familiarity with IDEA Part C fiscal requirements, such as payor of last resort, interagency financial responsibility, systems of payments, public and private insurance, reimbursement procedures, and fiscal monitoring.
• Ability to review, analyze, and summarize policies, procedures, budgets, fiscal documents, monitoring materials, and other complex information.
• Resourcefulness, careful attention to detail, and strong organizational skills including demonstrated use of organizational tools (e.g., Box, Salesforce, Outlook Calendar) and experience in successful project management.
• Strong oral and written communication skills including proofreading and providing constructive feedback.
• Demonstrated ability to engage in active listening and summarize conversations, decisions, and action items for internal teams and client partners.
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills, including the ability to prioritize work on multiple projects.
• High level of self-motivation and ability to work independently while seeking guidance when appropriate.
• Strong interpersonal skills including the ability to work collaboratively in a team and with client partners.

Requirements

• Experience developing and implementing state procedures for meeting federal fiscal requirements including monitoring local educational agency (LEA) and local agency (LA) compliance.
• Experience developing and providing technical assistance and professional development.
• Group facilitation skills including experience facilitating professional learning networks and communities of practice.
• Eagerness to contribute to developing new strategies for quality assurance and project coordination.
• Knowledge of improvement science, implementation science, and other frameworks for continuous improvement.
• Understanding and application of adult learning theory in professional development and facilitation.

Benefits

• 15% contribution toward retirement effective day 1 of employment and immediately 100% vested.
• Pre-tax Flexible Spending Accounts and Health Savings Account option.
• All health/welfare benefits are effective the first of the month following the hire date.
• PTO: 19 days (increases to 21 days beginning the third year of employment), 12 paid holidays.
• Life Insurance: value of 3x gross salary, max of 500k.
• Opportunities for annual merit-based performance increases + annual incentives.
• Professional development opportunities & mentorship program.