| Job Description: |
The University of Florida Lastinger Center for Learning’s mission is to improve the quality of teaching, learning, and childcare. We research, develop, and scale equitable educational innovations for adults and children that put all learners on trajectories for lifelong success. Specifically, the Center targets kindergarten readiness, 3rd grade reading proficiency, and algebra proficiency as critical milestones in children's educational trajectory that are predictive of success in school and life. The Center works at the nexus of research, practice, and policy to develop sustainable systems that leverage educational technologies and improve the implementation of research-based practices. Housed in one of the nation's elite public research universities, the Center operates as a dynamic, entrepreneurial workplace focused on executing against UF's service mission to strengthen the human condition and improve the quality of life. The Lastinger Center is committed to attracting, hiring, and retaining a dynamic and diverse team.
Hybrid Work Location Policy
Lastinger Center for Learning supports and promotes a healthy work-life balance. To achieve this, the Lastinger Center offers a flexible, hybrid work schedule that aligns with the university’s Flexibility in the Workplace Policy. Allowing employees to stagger arrival and departure times as necessary and to vary the number of workdays in the office so long as an employee’s FTE commitment is fulfilled within the university workweek. This policy also allows for occasional, incidental remote work based on individual circumstances.
New Worlds Reading Initiative
In 2021, the Florida Legislature created the New Worlds Reading Initiative (NWRI), Florida’s first statewide book distribution program, to provide at-home literacy support for students reading below grade level. Under the initiative, a high-quality, hardcopy book is delivered monthly to eligible students. Their parents are provided resources to help improve their student’s reading skills and instill a love of reading. The Department of Education has designated the Lastinger Center as the Administrator for the program, responsible for fulfilling all the requirements of the initiative. The qualified candidate will have extensive experience and knowledge of the Florida and national landscape of K-12 education, preferably at both the school and school district levels; experience in management/coordination of multiple tasks and projects within a cohesive system; experience working with data and technology systems; quantitative data analysis skills; strong relational, organizational, and communication skills. This position is located in Florida and is time limited.
Under the supervision of the Associate Director for the New Worlds Reading Initiative (NWRI), the Regional Partners Project Manager will lead the development, implementation, and ongoing management and coordination of the NWRI Regional Partners Program. The Regional Partners Project Manager will be responsible for ensuring project coordination and implementation alignment with university, departmental, and state goals.
The New Worlds Reading Initiative Regional Partners Program will facilitate project components related to the Regional Partners Program from the original concept through final implementation. The NWRI Regional Partners Project Manager will work in collaboration with project stakeholders to define the annual project scope, goals, and deliverables working towards initiative needs and statutory
requirements. They will develop detailed work plans, resource plans, project estimates, and status reports as needed, ensure adherence to quality standards, UF policies, procedures, and best practices, and review project deliverables. The Project Manager will submit quarterly project performance accountability reports tracking project performance to assure proper alignment, accountability, and compliance.
The qualified candidate will have extensive experience and knowledge of the Florida and national landscape of K-12 education, preferably at both the school and school district levels; experience in management/coordination of multiple tasks and projects within a cohesive system; experience working directly in communities with and collaborating the work of local organizations/nonprofits; strong relational, organizational, and communication skills. This position is located in Florida and is time limited.
Responsibilities will include:
Project Management and Coordination
- Translate initiative objectives into projects with clearly defined scope, timing, deliverables, resources, and key measures of success
- Create and maintain project plans, including timelines and milestones
- Effectively set and communicate project expectations to team members and partner organizations
- Lead project and program meetings, develop and deliver progress reports, proposals, requirements documentation, and presentations
- Establish and maintain relationships with key partners to understand their needs, ensure alignment on objectives, and ensure ongoing buy-in across all project and program activities
- Proactively manage and communicate ongoing changes in project and program scope, identify potential crises, and develop contingency plans
- Lead the development of best practices and tools for program management and execution
- Ensure all program data and reports are collected from partners on schedule and meeting required content and format
- Create and revise programs and policies
- Drive and execute strategies for operational efficiencies
Data Collection, Reporting, and Program Evaluation
- Establish data collection processes and protocols to be utilized throughout the duration of the program
- Compile data and other information from all partner organizations in the program
- Contribute to data reporting procedures for reports and other analysis both internally and to external stakeholders (legislature, funders, etc.)
- Develop program analysis and reporting metrics to monitor overall program efficacy and Objectives and Key Results (OKRs)
- Provide, in collaboration with the data and research teams, data collection, data management, data analysis and reporting, and decision management tool design and development.
- Create recommendations to identify successful and unsuccessful project elements
Partner Recruitment, Selection, and Support
- Engage in market and literature research to understand how to effectively engage and support nonprofit and community organizations in service of a common goal
- Consult disaggregated data to identify gaps and target regions/organizations for recruitment and engagement
- Develop, in collaboration with the team, a recruitment strategy that specifically targets organizations that serve regions across the state, with a particular focus on the most hard-to-reach communities in the state
- Connect directly with organizations to determine the needs and inform the design of the program and subsequent adjustments and additions
- Develop, in collaboration with the team, all content, guidance, templates, and tools for partners in the program and provide onboarding, training, and technical assistance to partners in using them throughout the duration of the program
- Ensure partners are adequately supported with appropriate information, messaging, and marketing tool kits to optimize their work in the communities
Support
- Logistical support for community literacy events, family literacy workshops, professional development events, site visits, workshops, and meetings
- Troubleshoot challenges and address them as they arise; coordinate with other project staff providing implementation support to ensure consistency and effective communication structures
- Support executive leadership as requested
Other Duties as Assigned
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