Program Manager (GEAR UP)

Title: Program Manager, Operations and Grants Development (GEAR UP)

Department: Postsecondary Readiness

Reports To: Director, Gear Up, Postsecondary Readiness 

The School District of Philadelphia is committed to becoming the fastest improving District in the country and  transforming the educational opportunities it offers to our city’s more than 200,000 students. The District seeks  leaders who have a passion for working with schools and communities who are committed to ensuring all  students achieve. Serving a population as diverse as ours requires creativity, commitment and vision. Will you  join us?  

Job Summary 

Coordinates and monitors Prekindergarten Head Start (PKHS), ELECT/CTC, Family Literacy related service  components under the aegis of the Office of Early Childhood Education. Ensures that all mandated  federal/state rules and regulations regarding enrollment are adhered to. Oversees the single application  process for both prekindergarten programs. Acts as a resource person to community-based partner agencies  regarding prekindergarten enrollment. Provides support to itinerant and site-based District personnel as well as  for staff from various community-based partner or contracted agencies on using the data management system  for enrollment. Coordinates and monitors menu of services and supports and related service components  under the aegis of the Office of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment. Coordinates and provides direction  for Professional Development offered to the schools based on their needs and requests for support. Oversees  programmatic and budget activities for grant-funded programs. Assists the Assistant Superintendent in  achieving programmatic effectiveness in the operational aspects while maintaining compliance with all  applicable federal, state and local guidelines. Provides leadership for and directly participates in all operational  phases from initial project design through summative evaluation, with a particular emphasis on delivery of  support to schools. Acts as a resource person for menu of supports for itinerant and site-based District  personnel as well as for staff from various community-based partner or contracted agencies. Coordinates,  plans and provides direction to staff engaged in training and the provision of technical assistance for  prevention, intervention and behavioral health services. Oversees the response to behavioral health  emergencies/crises and the aftermath of traumas that affect school communities. Develops and implements  strategies that supports a positive school climate and promotes the social, emotional, behavioral, and cognitive 

programs and services to families and ensures compliance with the State’s mandated Student Assistance  Process (SAP). Assists the Deputy Chief, Specialized Services in achieving programmatic effectiveness in the  operational aspects while maintaining compliance with all applicable federal, state and local guidelines. For the  Office of the Board of Education performs a wide array of functions in support of the Board and its individual  members. Manage several of these functions including the oversight and coordination of Board meetings,  oversight and coordination of constituent outreach to the Board and oversight and coordination of the work of  the Student Board Representatives. Plans and implements new and innovative approaches to this work and  will ensure all activities are implemented with fidelity and that the programs are welcoming to the public and in  compliance with Board policies and procedures. Collaborates on the development and implementation of policy  in the Board of Education office and across the School District of Philadelphia. Coordinates, plans and  provides direction to staff in the integration of environmental, capital and condition assessment into the  computerized maintenance management system (CMMS). Manages the operation and maintenance of the  organization’s bus and non-bus fleet. Oversees compliance of all applicable local, state and federal  regulations, and provides reporting as it relates to the fleet. Develops and implements vehicle and equipment  preventive maintenance programs. Manages fleet department budgets. Manages in-house staffs under Fleet  Management unit, including foremen, mechanics and other support staffs. Develops and maintains outside  vendor and service provider relationships. Provides input to strategic decisions that affect the Department of  Transportation Services or Facilities. Must be capable of resolving escalated issues arising from operations  and requiring coordination with other departments. Coordinates and implements the District’s family  engagement strategy, developing programs and strategies that support meaningful district-wide engagement  and partnership among schools and families. Manages and oversees through subordinate staff, day-to-day  activities in cultivating deep expertise in local community issues and ensuring that families have the  information, services and support they need to help their children to be successful. Oversees day-to-day  operation of McKinney-Vento programming ensuring successful implementation of goals as related to grant  application with Pennsylvania Department of Education. Leads the planning, development, and implementation  of a comprehensive HIV/STD prevention program that strengthens the instruction and delivery of sexual health  education, increases access to and use of key health services in schools and the community, and establishes  safe and supportive environments in homes and schools. Connects Opportunity Network providers with  community organizations, partners and supports to best support students increasing extracurricular  opportunities for students and enhancing their experience in the programs. Identifies, procure and deliver  technical assistance to the Opportunity Network providers in the areas of operational, social-emotional,  instructional and community engagement. Assists with contractual responsibility monitoring of both School  District and provider roles and responsibilities in key aspects of contract compliance. Provides support in  achieving programmatic effectiveness in the operational aspects while maintaining compliance with all  applicable federal, state and local guidelines. Assists with the coordination and development of programs,  services, and operations of the Multilingual Family Support Unit, with focus on language access, multilingual  family engagement, and community partnerships. Oversees subordinate staff, as they cultivate expertise on  issues of transition to life in the United States. Supports office leadership with planning, training and managing  access to District-wide information systems. Works with leadership to maintain documentation of specialized  access and develops access profiles. Works across offices to create training schedules and to support  functional users in learning about District core systems while coordinating and maintaining training records. Develops systems to capture District practices and works with offices to implement systems to manage user  profiles and access in District core systems. Handles enterprise information, including confidential and  sensitive data and/or systems logs professionally and securely. Manages the delivery of professional  development for Student Support Services staff. Leads and manages 1:1 student and staff device initiatives  under the direction of the Office of Educational Technology. The Program Manager oversees the District’s 1:1  device program and communicates with schools and offices to ensure inventory records are current and that schools and offices remain 1:1 as students and staff move in and out of the District. The Program Manager will  need to communicate with office leads as well as principals and be able to provide inventory management  support and training. The Program Manager oversees the coordination of Board member projects and  committees for the Board of Education (“Board”). Oversees and manages key short term and long term  projects that are aligned to Board priorities. Plans and implements new and innovative approaches to community engaged projects and initiatives. Serves as the primary point of contact between the Board’s  Advisory groups and coordinates all programmatic activities. Performs a wide array of functions in support of  the Board and its individual members. Manage several of these functions including the oversight and  coordination of Board meetings, oversight and coordination of Board logistics, and oversight and coordination  of administrative duties related to the Office of the Board of Education. Plans and implements new and development of students in order to maximize opportunities for learning. Builds effective systems that enhance innovative approaches to this work and will ensure all activities are implemented with fidelity and that the  programs are welcoming to the public and in compliance with Board policies and procedures. Collaborates on  the development and implementation of policy in the Board of Education office and across the School District  of Philadelphia. Oversees and manages the work of the Student Board Representatives and the Parent and  Community Advisory Council. The Program Manager will plan and implement new and innovative approaches  to community engaged projects and initiatives. Serves as the primary point of contact between the Board’s  Advisory groups and coordinates all programmatic activities. 

GEAR UP Specialty 

• Monitors the provision of GEAR UP services to program participants; maintains appropriate records and files on all program activities to maintain compliance with federal and state guidelines; generates annual reports  for funding as well as internal data and reports on the programs and services provided by GEAR UP; submits  reports in accordance with predetermined timelines. 

• Assesses the propriety of program expenditures and participates in budget planning for GEAR UP; serves as a liaison between GEAR UP partners and the School District. 

• Responsible for the development and implementation of collaborative structures and partnerships at a designated GEAR UP school and its feeder middle schools. 

• Convener of the College Readiness Collaborative Community partnership and steering committee, ensuring  the alignment of all partner contributions to District.

• Responsible for the development of a common agenda through the creation of Annual Action Plans as defined by the GEAR UP goals and informed by the needs of the School District of Philadelphia.

• Supports the use of a common system of measurement and college readiness metrics as outlined by the Office of Research and Evaluation, ensuring partner contributions are complimentary, and eliminating duplication of resources. 

• Oversees the implementation of interventions and activities, ensuring collaborative partners interact with target population. 

• Acts as member of school leadership team, serving as subject matter expert in college readiness, guiding the  determination of needed resources. 

• Leads bi-monthly joint planning College Readiness Collaborative Community meetings at the school.

• Responsible for ensuring the accumulation of and entry of all participant data into Data Management system.