Education Program Consultant - School Finance (Special Education)

**In addition to completing the application, applicants are encouraged to submit an up-to-date cover letter and resume.**

Description

Iowa Department of Education’s mission is creating excellence in education through leadership and service. To accomplish our mission, we need talented, passionate people working together to make this a reality.

The Education Program Consultant -School Finance (Special Education) will be an integral member of the School Business Operations (SBO) bureau, providing technical assistance and guidance to school districts regarding multiple aspects of school finance.

Your Responsibilities

As the Education Program Consultant - School Finance (Special Education), you will guide, support, and work with your co-workers to:

• Collaborate with bureau staff to design and maintain fiscal reports as a resource for internal staff, school districts, AEAs, and other stakeholders.
• Provide technical assistance and guidance to school districts on State and Federal law/regulations as related to special education school finance.
• Update and test bureau data collections to ensure continued alignment with Iowa Code and Administrative rule and readiness for field collection. Data collections include Tuition-in-Billing (TIB), Special Education Supplement (SES), and Special Education Administrative Costs applications.
• Maintain professional competency through review of publications, professional development, and staying current with statutory and industry changes.
• Participate in professional activities of Bureau, Division, Department, and national and state organizations. This work includes regular participation in bureau and division meetings, school business operations activities, assigned work teams, and other duties as assigned.

A successful candidate will bring, or have the ability and desire to learn:

• Ability to interpret and break down highly technical and regulatory language, and present information in an understandable manner
• Strategic and analytical mindset
• Conflict resolution and interpersonal skills
• Ability to work in complex situations and meet deadlines
• Ability to manage self in relation to prioritization and time management
• Collect, analyze, and review fiscal data
• Passion for pursuing common goals in pursuit of public service
• Desire to work with diverse teams and stakeholders
• Creation and manipulation of spreadsheets including experience with formulas and functions
• Strong written and verbal communication skills

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS:

• Experience completing Tuition-in-Billing (TIB), Special Education Supplement (SES), and Special Education Administrative Costs applications
• Strong communication, mathematical, and analytical skills.
• Specific experience in the business office of a public school district or area education agency
• Preference will also be given to candidates with proficiency in spreadsheets, governmental accounting experience, or experience interpreting code and regulation
• Authorization as a school business official (SBO)
• Special education program billing experience

WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU?

• Employee discounts from a variety of vendors
• Talented and passionate work colleagues that will help you learn and grow
• Competitive salary and benefits package
• Collaborative, positive work environment
• Opportunities to make a widespread difference in the lives of children, their families, and Iowa communities

If you wish to review a copy of the Position Description Questionnaire, please contact [email protected].

Hours: 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Monday – Friday with some in and out of state travel, nights and weekends. Flexible start and end times may be available. Partial remote work schedule may be available.

Minimum Qualification Requirements

Applicants must meet at least one of the following minimum requirements to qualify for positions in this job classification:

• Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Master’s degree, possession of a valid Iowa Teaching Certificate, and three academic years of teaching and/or administrative experience in PK-12 and/or a post-secondary educational institution.
• Professional experience in a major technical program area utilized by the Iowa Department of Education or Board of Educational Examiners.
• Professional finance, accounting, or auditing experience including the preparation or analysis of financial statements;
• A combination of a total of five years of post-graduate education and full-time experience (as described in number one), where twenty-four semester hours of accredited post-graduate college or university course work equals one year of full-time experience.
• Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university and five years of full-time post-graduate work experience in any one or a combination of the following areas:
• Professional personnel administration including such areas as job analysis, performance appraisal systems, selection devices, or labor relations;
• Professional administrative experience in an educational setting;
• Possession of a School Business Official Authorization from the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners and seven years of full-time professional experience in finance, accounting, or auditing, including the preparation or analysis of financial statements.
• Professional training, teaching, or counseling experience in an educational setting;

For additional information, please click on this link to view the job description.