Credential Services Manager

Credential Services Manager

This role will be supporting the Bay Area and the Central Valley region. Aspire Public Schools operates a network of high-performing, college preparatory charter schools serving TK-12 scholars in communities across California. Founded in 1998—in an effort to transform the inequitable racial, social, and gender outcomes that our communities persist through—Aspire is one of the largest and most forward-thinking open-enrollment public charter school systems in the nation. Our purpose is to prepare our scholars for success in college, career, and life. At Aspire, we set a foundation for our scholars to gain knowledge, skills, and power to access and make choices for their families and post-secondary lives. Every day, our community of students, families, teachers and staff comes together to learn, work, and play in an environment grounded in our values of Bienestar (Well-Being), Culture of Belonging, Community Partnership, Agency & Self-Determination, and Joy.

JOB SUMMARY The Credential Services Manager, with strong problem-solving and system-building skills, oversees the Credential Analyst(s) and is responsible for proactively providing solutions that ensures compliance of teachers' credentials and other school-based educators' authorizations across our schools. Partners with Human Resource teams to attract high performing educators and works closely with Regional Leaders, Principals and Teachers to provide timely and digestible information that prompts decision and action. Ability to collaborate with all levels of employees and across functional departments to achieve department goals and objectives.

Essential Functions

• Lead, build and manage an agile credentialing system and process at Aspire to support the organization's strategies and goals. Leverage technology to streamline existing processes and tools
• Hire, develop and retain high quality, productive Credential Analysts, and establish priorities for the team
• Manage and improve credentialing operations and drive improvement in school site satisfaction through operational efficiencies and client service
• Build strong collaborative partnerships with Regional Leaders, Principals, Teachers and Human Resource teams in support of credential strategies and goals, and be adept at communicating with finesse when needed
• Provide training workshops and orientation sessions for incoming candidates, current educators, and school leaders on policies and procedural changes affecting credentials, certificates, permits
• Identify, review, maintain and evaluate the proper credentialing qualifications required of teacher and educator candidates, current educators and school leaders, and provide creative solutions to keep us compliant
• Advise teachers, teachers-in-residency and current educators regarding requirements of state and federal educational credentials, permits, educational courses, upcoming examination dates, and updates from the Commission on Teacher Credentialing or Department of Education
• Ensure timely submission of recommendations to the Commission on Teacher Credentials for issuance of credentials, certificates, permits for Aspire teammates as needed
• Serve as a liaison to university credential agencies, the Commission on Teacher Credentialing and the California Department of Education
• Attend credentialing workshops at state and county levels to maintain and share knowledge of credentialing laws
• Assist regional teams in preparing for audits
• Periodic travel to regions for relationship building, training and audits
• Demonstrate knowledge of, and support Aspire Public Schools' mission, vision, value statements, standards, policies and procedures, operating instructions, confidentiality standards, and the code of ethical behavior

Additional:

• Demonstrate knowledge of, and support, the Aspire Public Schools mission, vision, value statements including antiracism, policies and procedures, operating instructions, confidentiality standards, and the code of ethical behavior
• Actively seeks to improve and simplify Aspire's approach to particular job functions
• Comfortable with utilization of technology in a remote environment
• Perform other related duties as required and assigned.

Qualifications

Competencies:

• Excellent critical thinking and problem solving skills; good judgment and resourceful.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to communicate in an articulate and sensitive manner with Regional Leaders, Principals and teachers.
• High attention to detail, organization and follow-up with a demonstrated ability to successfully handle multiple projects concurrently.
• Positive, customer service oriented with relationship building skills, and professional integrity.
• Strong excel, software and technology skills.
• Ability to read, understand, and apply instructions, policies, laws, and regulations related to the credential process and) requirements, recruitment and personnel matters.
• Knowledge and experience with California credentialing requirements, laws, and compliance regulations.
• Strong desire to have a positive impact on public education.

Maintain security of confidential information, accurate, and updated employee records.

Minimum educational level:

• Bachelor's degree in Education, Teaching or related field preferred.

Experience required:

• Excellent critical thinking and problem solving skills; good judgment and resourceful.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to communicate in an articulate and sensitive manner with Regional Leaders, Principals and teachers.
• Minimum of 3 year experience in building systems and processes across organizations.
• Minimum of 5 years of credentialing experience.
• Minimum of 3 years of progressive management experience.
• Experience or strong interest in K-12 public education and/or within charter school; former teacher or background in public education is a plus

Physical requirements:

• Stand, walk or bend over, kneel, crouch, reach overhead, grasp, push, and pull. Move, lift and/or carry up to 30 pounds to shoulder height
• Repetitive use of hands (i.e. fine manipulation, simple grasping, and power grasping)
• Demonstrate normal depth perception
• Sitting, walking or standing for extended periods of time
• Dexterity of hands and fingers to operate a computer keyboard, operate standard office equipment, and use a telephone
• See and read a computer screen and printed matter with or without vision aids
• Hear and understand speech at normal levels and on the telephone with or without auditory aides

Work authorization requirements:

• Clear the Department of Justice background screening
• Authorized to work in the United States
• Provide health (TB) clearance (most update every four years)

Work Environment The work environment characteristics are representative of those in a normal office, classroom/school setting which one might encounter while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Work indoors in a standard office environment, computer lab, and/or classroom environment
• Work is performed in indoor and outdoor environments
• Exposure to dust, oils, and cleaning chemicals
• Some exposure to childhood and other diseases in a school environment
• May be required to work outside of typical work days and office hours to meet operational deadlines

Compensation: Aspire Public Schools' salary range for the Credential Services Manager role is $91,638-$117,637. Aspire offers its employees a competitive salary and benefits, including paid time off, up to 100% core health benefits coverage on select plans, life insurance/long-term disability, participation in a CA state retirement plan, tuition reimbursement plan, and adoption assistance program. Aspire Public Schools is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability, marital status, veteran status, or any other occupationally irrelevant criteria. Aspire promotes affirmative action for minorities, women, disabled persons, and veterans.