State and Federal Resource Specialist

State and Federal Resource Specialist

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Job Description - State and Federal Resource Specialist (260003XL)

The Education Secretariat is committed to equity and valuing the unique and diverse characteristics and experiences of every member of its workforce. We encourage an authentic workplace where colleagues show up as their full selves and where collaboration, innovation, and connections are key to realizing our mission that all children, youth, and families thrive socially, academically, and economically. We seek teammates committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive work environment where everyone is valued and engaged.

We encourage you to apply and identify your strengths in these areas.

The Federal Grants Office within the Planning and Research Unit supports school districts and partner organizations in strengthening the strategic use of resources to improve student outcomes. The office advances this work primarily through the administration, implementation, oversight and monitoring of a portfolio of state and federal funding programs, including federal grant programs (Titles IA, IIA, IIIA, and IVA under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the Carl

D. Perkins Career and Technical Education grant programs, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act programs, and state issued earmarks. The Federal Grants office provides program implementation technical assistance and policy guidance to ensure funds are used effectively and in compliance with applicable federal and state requirements.

• Coordinate and implement state-level equitable services for ESEA Title VIII Programs (Title IIA, Title IIIA, and Title IVA)
• Assist with the coordination of DESE program offices to administer the state level equitable services for non-public schools.
• Help determine whether education service providers (the vendors that will be providing support to non-public schools) meet qualifications of a pre-approved service agreement.
• Provide orientation, technical assistance, and monitor education service providers once they are on the pre-approved service list.
• Coordinate and create the private school application for state-level equitable services implementation.
• Assist with the organization, outreach, and application for state-level equitable services for federal grant programs.
• Review and request revision of all private school applications for equitable services.
• Coordinate review and scoring of all eligible applications for equitable services.
• Create and maintain the state-level equitable services tracker to confirm expenditures, private school set-asides, approved providers, etc.
• Review and suggest approval of any invoices from approved equitable service providers.
• Serve as a liaison and general resource regarding statutory and regulatory requirements in coordination with DESE’s ESEA Ombudsman for DESE staff, private school officials, and others on matters such as allowable and unallowable costs, obtaining contractual and/or goods and services, and other matters related to ESEA state-level equitable services.
• Coordinate and establish regular meetings with state-level private school stakeholders.
• Coordinate and administer biennial Private School Needs Assessment.
• Coordinate and administer the annual end of year program evaluation for participating private schools.

• Build or update any associated applications in GEM$ for dissemination of grant earmarks to school districts.
• Accurately review and approve state earmarks issued as grants and contracts in a timely manner.
• Liaise with DESE’s Procurement Office to establish earmark contracts with municipalities.
• Establish ongoing feedback loops with municipalities and districts for successful completion of earmark expenditures.

• In collaboration with Grants Management and DESE GEM$ administrators, establish routines and processes that will ensure program offices are producing funding applications that have appropriate, consistent functionality and observe DESE conventions and policies for grantmaking.
• Create and/or supplement technical assistance for internal and external use for GEM$ features, especially as new features are introduced and legacy features are updated.
• Assist in responding to TEAMS GEM$ Chat requests for help by DESE staff and file JIRA tickets with the vendor, LINQ, for bugs, errors, or clarifications.
• Coordinate soliciting and acting on feedback from district GEM$ users for new policies, functionality, and support features.
• Monitor changes to state and/or federal law or policy that may require updates, revisions, or additions in GEM$, particularly for federal entitlement grants.

• In collaboration with Assistant Director of Federal Grant Programs:
• Plan for and build updated tools required for school wide consolidated budgets…