Director of Federal Programs and Community Engagement - Georgia

Position: Director of Federal Programs and Community Engagement - Georgia Connections Academy
Location: Appling

Director Of Federal Programs And Community Engagement - Georgia Connections Academy  Working from our office in Duluth, Georgia, or from your home in Georgia, the Director of Federal Programs and Community Engagement provides strategic leadership, oversight, and compliance management for all federally funded programs while driving meaningful family and community engagement initiatives. This role ensures alignment between federal program requirements, school improvement priorities, and engagement strategies that support student achievement and school culture.
The Director leads cross-functional efforts to strengthen communication, partnerships, and student/family experiences while maintaining full compliance with federal, state, and organizational expectations.
All GACA staff must be able to participate in monthly in-person activities, including but not limited to:
School and department meetings,
Student engagement opportunities,
Required training/development,
School-level events, such as state testing and graduation.

Key responsibilities include:

Supervise and evaluate Parent Engagement Specialists and the Federal Programs and Community Engagement Administrative Assistant
Facilitate regular 1:1 meetings, team meetings, and performance development conversations
Develop and manage team workflows, project management systems, calendars, and coverage plans
Monitor comp time tracking and ensure adherence to organizational expectations
Foster a collaborative, solutions-oriented, and high-performance team culture
Oversee the development, submission, and monitoring of Comprehensive Needs Assessment (CNA), School Improvement Plan (SIP), Consolidated Local Improvement Plan (CLIP), and Ongoing Progress Monitoring
Provide final review and strategic approval of all federal grant proposals and submissions
Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and Connections Academy requirements
Review and approve Time & Effort documentation
Monitor teacher certification and professional development compliance
Ensure implementation of instructional accommodations and ELPP documentation
Manage federal program budgets across the July 1–June 30 fiscal year
Collaborate with school leaders to align spending with strategic priorities
Ensure timely procurement, requisitions, and accurate documentation
Monitor program expenditures for compliance and effectiveness
Oversee Parent Square utilization to ensure clear, consistent, and compliant communication
Supervise planning and execution of District and School-level Student Engagement Opportunities (SEOs), GACA University sessions, Parent Summer Orientation, and major school and district events
Develop and implement Caretaker and Learning Coach Onboarding curriculum
Ensure consistent collection of family feedback, success stories, and engagement data
Lead initiatives to increase student and family participation in school programs
Lead Summer Caretaker/Learning Coach Orientation
Collaborate with internal teams to support branding, messaging, and content development
Contribute to school-wide communication strategies across social media and publications
Lead or present Federal Programs and Community Engagement updates at faculty meetings and strategic events
Cultivate and maintain business and community partnerships through outreach and networking (e.g., Chamber events)
Represent the school in statewide leadership initiatives and innovation forums Collaborate with external partners to support programs such as Graduation, Field trips, Career and technical education (CTAE, DECA, STEAM)
Lead and implement innovative initiatives, including PBIS/Reward Store systems, Staff incentive programs tied to student engagement, Grant-funded engagement initiatives
Ensure distribution and tracking of engagement materials (pins, lanyards, recognition items)
Drive continuous improvement through data-informed decision-making
Essential skills and competencies include:
Strategic Leadership & Vision
Compliance & Accountability
Data-Driven Decision Making
Communication & Stakeholder Engagement
Innovation & Continuous Improvement
Team Development & Coaching

Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree required;
Master's degree preferred (Education, Leadership, or related field)
Tier I or Tier II Leadership Certification required
Certification/License:
Georgia Clearance Certificate
Georgia Service Certificate in School Counseling and/or Georgia Teaching Certificate
Requirements:
Experience in Federal Programs (Title I, II, III, IV) and compliance management
Strong knowledge of school improvement planning and data analysis
Demonstrated experience in team leadership and project management

Experience with family engagement and community partnership development
Exceptional communication, organizational, and strategic planning skills

Physical Requirements:

This position requires frequent travel throughout the state of Georgia to conduct official school business. Candidates must possess a valid driver's license, maintain a clean driving record, and be comfortable with regular day trips and…