PROGRAM SPECIALIST IV-DOE - 48003563

Requisition No: 848725 

Agency: Department of Education

Working Title: PROGRAM SPECIALIST IV-DOE - 48003563

 Pay Plan: Career Service

Position Number: 48003563 

Salary:  $49,584.67 - $59,502.00 

Posting Closing Date: 03/28/2025 

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Florida Department of Education

Division of Public Schools

Bureau of Schools Improvement

Location: Tallahassee Turlington Building

Position Title: Program Specialist IV-DOE

Salary Range: $49,584.67 - $59,502.00

CANDIDATES ARE TYPICALLY HIRED AT THE MINIMUM SALARY

This advertisement may be used to fill multiple vacancies up to six months.

APPLICATION INFORMATION & HIRING REQUIREMENTS

Application Information:

• Your Candidate Profile (application) must be complete in its entirety.
• Work History (in easy to review chronological order) Consists of:
  • Any position held by a State of Florida Agency
  • Any position held by a Florida University
  • All periods of employment from high school graduation
  • All periods of current or prior unemployment
  • Gaps 3 months or more must be accounted for*
  • Any Education
  • Any Volunteer Experience
  • Your resume and application must match
• Gaps 3 months or more must be addressed – you will need to account for and explain any gaps in employment including unemployment. You can either list these in your application under Period of Employment or attach a word document listing your gaps.
• It is unacceptable to use the statement “See Resume” in place of entering work history. Your candidate profile will be converted to your official application.
• Include supervisor names and phone numbers for reference checks or the contact information for your Human Resources office to verify current or former employment.
• Experience, education, training, knowledge, skills and/or abilities as well as responses to pre-qualifying questions must be verifiable to meet the minimum qualifications.  

Hiring Information and Requirements:

• The Bureau of Personnel Management reviews every application for prior State of Florida and Florida University work history in the People First system.

• If claiming Veteran’s Preference, the candidate MUST attach supporting documentation such as the DD214 and your VA Letter that reflects level of disability if applicable. Applicable to career service positions only.
• If claiming Right to First Interview, the candidate MUST attach a copy of your official layoff letter when applying. This only applies to employees laid off from Career Service positions. Applicable to career service positions only.

If you are missing any of the items above, your packet may be held up at the final review step.

NOTE: Responses to qualifying questions must be clearly supported by the state application and any omission, falsification, or misrepresentation in the answering of the qualifying questions will be cause for immediate elimination from the selection process.

OFFICE CONTACT:

For any questions regarding this vacancy, please contact BSI at 850-245-0762 or Senior Education Program Director Heather McCoy at 850-245-0983.

JOB DESCRIPTION:

Program Specialist IV acts as a grant specialist role in the Bureau of School Improvement under the K-12 Public School Division.

The duties of this position include, but are not limited to, the following: The employee acquires and maintains a deep understanding of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 and the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), and of state and federal statutes, rules, guidelines, and requirements related to the administration of programs and services in the Bureau of School Improvement (BSI). Assists with the creation of reports and special projects for department leadership, legislative staff, and the public; and provides technical assistance to stakeholders related to the policies and programs of, and services provided by BSI and the regional teams

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

Program Specialist IV responsibilities include:

• Acquiring and maintaining a working knowledge of FDOE contracts and grants procedures, communicating them orally and in writing to ensure common understanding among the BSI team.
• Managing School Improvement grant processes and responding to questions regarding expenditures and facilitating amendments if needed; monitoring the fiscal agent and contractors to ensure fidelity of implementation and that deliverables are met.
• Managing the Unfied School Improvement Grant (UniSIG) and Turnaround School Supplemental Services Allocation (TSSSA) award processes, including providing training and technical assistance to district applicants and reviewers through workshops, webinars, guidance materials, emails and FAQs; writing and disseminating all associated communications; ensuring all phases of the competition run smoothly and result in an awarded cohort within the necessary timeframe.
• Managing the implementation of UniSIG and TSSSA after awards are granted, including communication with grantees and technical support regarding timelines, requirements and deliverables; reviewing and approving or requesting revisions to deliverables; ensuring all steps involved in the annual renewal and planning process for grantees are completed and recorded by the stated deadlines; facilitating amendments, annual closeouts and carryover requests;
• Maintaining a working knowledge of statutes, rules, regulations, non-regulatory guidelines, technical assistance papers and reports, USED program directives, state board rules, and other requirements related to the administration of School Improvement grants; ensuring all related materials and communications produced by BSI are aligned to federal and state policy and guidance
• Providing data and reports as needed for FDOE leadership, external evaluators, state and federal auditors
• Managing the implementation of the National Blue Ribbon Schools program through oversight of the nomination process and communication with the US Department of Education to meet federal requirements and timelines
• Assists with monitoring procedures consistent with the requirements of federal law, regulations and state statutes and
• Participating in team meetings, retreats, conference calls; and attending related local, state and national conferences.

WHO WE’RE LOOKING FOR:

The ideal incumbent has a working knowledge and understanding of state rules and regulations regarding personnel management—someone who excels in working under tight timeframes with competing deadlines. Organizational skills and the ability to multitask are key to completing the duties and responsibilities of this position. Since this position travels and presents at conferences as well as provides training on a needed basis, the prospective applicant needs to be able to travel and is comfortable presenting to people and training new staff.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Required Licensure/Registration/Certification/Experience or Education:

• Ability to travel (minimal travel required)
• Ability to communicate effectively including verbal and written communication with internal and external constituents.
• Ability to provide work samples of writing skills for grammar, editing and communication review upon request.  
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office software, including Outlook, Word, Powerpoint, and Excel

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Preferences will be given to applicants who:

• Applicants who meet both the professional and educational experience.
• Experience with collaborating with school districts.
• Experience or knowledge of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 and state and federal laws, regulations, policies, and procedures.
• Experience with managing the Unfied School Improvement Grant (UniSIG) and Turnaround School Supplemental Services Allocation (TSSSA

EDUCATIONAL SUBSITITUIONS:

SB 1310: Substitution of Work Experience for Postsecondary Education Requirements.

• An associates degree from an accredited college or University in (Education or Political Science) or;
• A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or University in (Education or Political Science)

Related work experience may not substitute for any licensure, certification, or registration required by an agency and indicated in the advertised job description.

Our Organization and Mission:

The Bureau of School Improvement (BSI) under the K-12 Division of Public Schools serves schools identified by the United States Department of Education (USED) and the Florida Department of Education (FDOE) as needing technical and programmatic support to achieve academic standards.

We here in BSI serve districts and schools as collaborative partners to support continuous improvement and improved outcomes for all students by:

• Providing monitoring and support to low performing schools.
• Building positive relationships, effective communication, and a growth mindset among all stakeholders.
• Supporting an equitable learning environment focused on improving student outcomes and closing the achievement gap.
• Coaching for standards-aligned learning and evidence-based interventions.
• Utilizing various data for purposeful planning and problem solving.

The Bureau of School Improvement (BSI) oversees the support for Comprehensive Support & Improvement (CS&I) graded and ungraded schools. BSI’s mission is to serve as a partner in supporting improved outcomes for all students through strategic problem solving, capacity building, and the implementation of sustainable systems in three essential areas:

• Transformational Leadership.
• Standards-based Planning, Instruction, and Learning and
• Positive Culture and Environment.

You can find out more on our website at Bureau of School Improvement (fldoe.org).

WORKING FOR THE STATE OF FLORIDA HAS BENEFITS!

For a more complete list of benefits, visit www.mybenefits.myflorida.com.

LEAVE INFORMATION:

• • Annual Leave - All full-time Career Service employees filling established positions earn annual leave in varying increments dependent upon years of creditable service. Employees with up to 5 years of creditable service earn 8.667 hours per month, with 5 to 10 years earn 10.833 hours per month and those with over 10 years of service earn 13 hours per month. Employees in Senior Management Service and Selected Exempt Service positions are credited with 176 hours of annual leave upon appointment. In subsequent years, the annual allotment is credited on the anniversary date of the initial appointment.
  • Sick Leave -. Career Service employees earn 8.667 hours of sick leave credits per month

BACKGROUND SCREENING REQUIREMENT

It is the policy of the Florida Department of Education that applicants for employment/volunteer undergo Level 2 background screening in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 435, Florida Statutes, as a condition of employment or being permitted to serve as a volunteer. You will be required to provide your Social Security Number to conduct required verifications. No applicant for a designated position will be employed, contracted or permitted to volunteer until the level 2 screening results are received, reviewed, and approved by the Department. Level 2 background screening shall include, but not be limited to, finger printing for all purposes and checks under this requirement, statewide criminal and juvenile records checks through the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, federal criminal records check through the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and local criminal records checks through local law enforcement.

SELECTIVE SERVICE SYSTEM (SSS) AND REQUIREMENT

Male applicants born on or after October 1, 1962, will not be eligible for hire or promotion in the Other Personal Services (OPS) or Career Service, or appointment in the Selected Exempt Service (SES) or Senior Management Service (SMS) unless they are registered with the Selective Service System (SSS) before their 26th birthday, or have a Letter of Registration Exemption from the SSS. Verification of Selective Service registration will be conducted prior to hire. 

For more information, please visit the Selective Service website.

If you experience problems applying online, please call the People First Service Center at (877) 562-7287

The State of Florida is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action Employer, and does not tolerate discrimination or violence in the workplace.

Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center (1-866-663-4735). Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.

The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act.

VETERANS’ PREFERENCE.  Pursuant to Chapter 295, Florida Statutes, candidates eligible for Veterans’ Preference will receive preference in employment for Career Service vacancies and are encouraged to apply.  Certain service members may be eligible to receive waivers for postsecondary educational requirements.  Candidates claiming Veterans’ Preference must attach supporting documentation with each submission that includes character of service (for example, DD Form 214 Member Copy #4) along with any other documentation as required by Rule 55A-7, Florida Administrative Code.  Veterans’ Preference documentation requirements are available by clicking here.  All documentation is due by the close of the vacancy announcement.