The Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) is the State Education Agency for the District of Columbia charged with raising the quality of education for all DC residents. OSSE is focused on sustaining, accelerating, and deepening the progress being made for the District’s 90,000+ students. OSSE serves as the District’s liaison to the U.S. Department of Education and works closely with the District’s 470+ early childhood facilities, 250+ schools, 60+ local education agencies (including DCPS and charter organizations), and community-based organizations to provide critical programming and resources to our stakeholders. 

The position is located within the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE), Division of Early Learning (DEL). The mission of the Division of Early Learning is to provide leadership and coordination to ensure that all District of Columbia children, from birth to kindergarten entrance, have access to high quality early childhood development programs and are well prepared for school. The primary purpose of this position is to lead grant and budget management responsibilities for the division.   

The Program Manager serves as a lead of Grant Fiscal Management team. The incumbent will ensure proper programmatic and fiscal administration of all DEL grants and budget processes to include grant program development and oversight functions, partnering with the programs on designing, building and monitoring grants, knowledge of federal requirements related to DEL grants, work closely with the Directors and Program leads to carry out complex program management grant initiatives, conduct grantee site visits and performance evaluations, facilitate competitive grant award processes, grant notice of awards and amendments, and other grant requirements, budget formulation, budget tracking, reprogramming requests, journal entry oversight, fiscal year closing, accruals, internal and federal financial reporting, etc.  The Program Manager will conduct detailed analyses of complex functions and work processes of broad administrative or technical programs and makes recommendations for improvement in the effectiveness and efficiency of work operations. 

Specific functions of the Program Manager include: 

• Plans, organizes and supervises the operation of a program(s) and its activities in accordance with the mission and goals of an agency; develops new programs to support the strategic direction of the agency; advises and consults with administration/division managers; meets with appropriate staff to identify and resolve problems or conflicts; makes or recommends final decisions regarding policy, operations, and administrative procedures of the program. 
• Establishes and manages long- and short-term program goals; develops, analyzes, and evaluates new or modified program/management policies, regulations, goals, or objectives. 
• Develops and analyzes program reports; directs the preparation of monthly and annual reports; directs the gathering and analysis of information and reports necessary to document and evaluate processes. 
• Directs the work of, and monitors subordinates to improve performance; evaluates and advises on organization, methods, and procedures. 
• Directs the allocation of resources to achieve timely outcomes and measurable goals within budget; adjusts plans and programs to meet emerging or new programs, while continuing to address major program priorities. 
• Serves as a liaison between the agency and/or division, community agencies, citizen groups, developers, property managers, committees and commissions, federal, state and local agencies, authorities and task forces concerning agency program needs, new programs, policies and procedures and to facilitate progress on specific projects. 
• Performs other related duties, as assigned. 

Key qualifications for the role include: 

• Expert knowledge of principles and practices of grant management, grant administration, budgeting, training and personnel management. 
• Knowledge of Federal, State, and local rules and regulations pertaining to assigned agency, division, program, and grants 
• Knowledge of agency program goals and objectives, the sequence and timing of key program events and milestones, and methods of evaluating the worth of program accomplishments. 
• Knowledge of relationships with other programs and key administrative support functions within the employing agency. 
• Ability to plan, organize, and direct team study work and to negotiate effectively with management to accept and implement recommendations. 
• Ability to present facts clearly and concisely orally and in writing; and make group presentations. 
• Possess a high level of strategic thinking about the division’s overall grants portfolio, identify potential opportunities and challenges before they arise, and working with the programmatic directors/managers to proactively develop solutions and troubleshoot potential challenges with independent problem solving abilities 

Our ideal candidate will also have a strong background and skills in: 

• Mastery in designing, building, and monitoring grants and knowing the federal requirements related to them  
• Strategic acumen to work on grants and division for several programs 
• Mastery knowledge of theory, industry trends and initiatives, laws and regulations related to program area of assignment. 
• Mastery knowledge of the principles, practices or techniques of program development, implementation, management and evaluation. 
• Expert knowledge of and skill in the application of a wide range of qualitative and/or quantitative methods for the assessment and improvement of program effectiveness. 
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (i.e., Excel, Access, PowerPoint). 

Interested applicants should register for the OSSE Hiring Fair.