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Consultant (Legislative and Legal Support)

State Education Resource Center See More Job Openings by This Employer

Waterbury, CT

October 30, 2024 Administrative Assistant

Job Description

Position Type:
Educational Consultants

Date Posted:
10/30/2024

Location:
Waterbury, CT

The State Education Resource Center (SERC), a quasi-public agency serving the State of Connecticut, is seeking candidates for a full-time position as a Consultant to support SERC's consultant and legal teams, designing and delivering professional learning and supporting SERC's compliance with contracts, legislative obligations and other internal legal matters. This position reports directly to the Executive Director.

SERC's mission is to provide resources, professional learning, and a centralized library to educators, families, and community members in collaboration with the CT State Board of Education and other partners. SERC believes that all students have the right to access opportunities and experiences that reflect and respect their differences and abilities. Research indicates that educational outcomes for students of color, students who are English learners, and students with disabilities continue to lag the outcomes of other students. SERC's consultants and staff, in collaboration with our partners in school districts and organizations, build the capacity of educators, service providers, and families to meet the diverse needs of our student population.

General Summary

SERC Consultants are instructional leaders who design, deliver, and evaluate high-quality professional learning, supporting the application of learning, systems change, and capacity-building for educators and school leaders. SERC consultants serve as agency liaisons to the CT State Department of Education and Local Education Agencies (LEAs). Through collaborative internal and external partnerships, consultants operationalize SERC's vision of Equity-Excellence Education by applying a lens of equity and 21^st - century skills to all programming, technical assistance, and materials development. The candidate will support and coordinate SERC's multiple internal and external professional learning initiatives that uphold research-based, data-focused, and outcomes-driven best practices in schools, communities, and organizations.

Essential Job Functions

Applicants must have:

Experience planning and coordinating professional learning programs that are accessible, inclusive, and culturally relevant. Working knowledge of standards for professional learning is vital.
Experience in facilitation of multi-tiered systems of support, and effective strategies meeting the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse learners in general education settings.
Excellent oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
Demonstrated experience applying state statutes to a variety of situations including procurement and ethics.
An understanding of the state legislative process, and the capacity to develop policies and procedures.
Strong analytical writing and organizational skills.

Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

Responsibilities

SERC Legislative and Legal Support Consultant will manage and coordinate various responsibilities in partnership with peers, state agencies, school districts, colleges, universities, community organizations, legal representatives, and state legislators. They include, but are not limited to:

Building collaborative relationships with internal and external partners.
Assisting school administrators with district-level and school-level strategic programming supporting academic achievement.
Coordinating and providing internal coaching and other types of educational and instructional support according to legislative requirements of the agency.
Maintaining an understanding of current state and national trends related to education.
Participating in the definition and development of agency policies, procedures and programs.
Providing counsel and guidance on legal and legislative matters.
Ensuring that the agency conducts its business in compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
Providing counsel and advice relating to non-profit law and board governance.
Identifying intersectionality (race, language, culture, and ethnicity) within all aspects of education and schooling as a link to promote seamless connections and ensure coherence with the agency's vision of Equity. Excellence. Education.
Demonstrating a proven commitment to work in culturally diverse and inclusive settings.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Knowledge of:

Project development and management skills; strong interpersonal skills to work with various external stakeholders to support the agency's work; strong attention to detail; ability to work effectively and efficiently with an internal team of consultants.
Systems change, implementation fidelity and professional development.
Professional learning standards, adult learning, and differentiated learning models.
Effective delivery of professional learning to achieve intended outcomes.
CT statutes and the legislative process.
Contract negotiation and preparation.

Skill in:

Using quantitative and qualitative student, educator, and system data to plan, inform and guide program development.
Providing high-quality customer service and collaborative communication that is culturally responsive and accessible for multiple stakeholders, internal and external, to implement professional learning.
Using technology to advance professional development and technical assistance.
Communicating professionally and effectively, as well as a keen attention to detail.
Reading, writing and analyzing legal documents.

Ability to:

Communicate and market professional learning opportunities, services, products, resources, or programs.
Develop funding sources and collaborate with funders to develop and implement
effective professional learning that meets agreed-upon outcomes.
Learn independently, conduct research, synthesize and apply information from a variety of resources.
Successfully work in a cross-functional environment daily to achieve and exceed desired goals.
Work in culturally diverse and inclusive settings.
Be a transformational agent of change, remaining neutral and constructive when faced with partners' concerns.

The ideal applicants must have demonstrated effectiveness in a collaborative, highly team-oriented environment yet possess initiative, self-motivation, and the ability to manage multiple priorities independently and work with minimal supervision.

Supervisory Responsibility

This position has no supervisory responsibilities.

Work Environment

The Consultant operates in a professional or virtual office environment. Appropriate business attire is required. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers and phones. Off-site requirements are specific to workshops, training, or school and community work.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that an employee must meet to perform the essential functions of this job successfully.

While performing the functions of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and listen. The employee is frequently required to stand, be mobile; use hands or fingers; handle or feel; reach with hands and arms, and lift/carry items. The capacity to drive and the availability of a car are preferred.

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work

This is a full-time, exempt position. Days and hours of work are Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Occasionally, weekend or after-hours work might be necessary.

Education and Experience

A master’s degree in education or a related field and a Juris Doctor degree and CT bar admission are required. Experience working in law or policy development AND public schools or programs is preferred.

Salary Range

*$87,500
*Salary is non – negotiable; all new hires will start at the beginning of the range.

This position will remain open until filled. A thorough, updated resume and at least three professional references must be submitted with the application package to be considered. Apply online at: www.ctserc.org (select Employment under the About tab).All new hires will start at the beginning of the salary range, which is non-negotiable, as indicated in the vacancy announcement. Additionally, Connecticut’s Teachers Retirement System benefits are not available to SERC employees hired on or after July 1^st, 2022 (in accordance with PA 23-204).

SERC is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer and strongly encourages the application of individuals from racially, culturally, and linguistically diverse backgrounds and from persons with disabilities.

Attachment(s):

Vacancy Announcement - Consultant for Legislative and Legal Support.pdf

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