Project Associate Manager of STEP-CTE (Secondary Transitions and Education Pathways in Career and Technical Education) Lab

Job Title

Project Associate Manager

Job Description

This part-time position will be part of a multi-year, $3.1 million grant, "Career Development Opportunities in Florida's Leon County Schools," a joint effort between the University of Michigan, Florida State University, the Institute for Education Sciences, and Leon County Schools (Florida). The position is primarily to support coordination and implementation of a new initiative focused on developing high school students' soft skills as they transition into college and the workforce.

Starting in the 2026-2027 school year, the research team is partnering with Leon County Schools to implement Florida Ready to Work, an interactive online program that aims to develop students' soft skills (sometimes referred to by other terms like "professionalism skills" or "college and career readiness skills"). In addition to the online modules, select students will participate in a limited number of in-person activities to supplement the standards in the online modules.

The Project Associate Manager will play an essential role in the implementation of this project, serving as liaison between school leadership, research team, and members of our advisory board, which includes representatives from the district's high schools. The Project Associate Manager will play a key role in coordinating dates, times, and logistical details of the project, supporting implementation of the in-person activities, and ensuring that the school and district perspective is incorporated into the research team's plans. While this is not primarily a research role, there may also be opportunities to participate in data collection through classroom observations and interviews/focus groups with key stakeholders.

The Florida Ready to Work initiative is part of a broader project, currently in its second year, that includes a comprehensive examination of Leon County School's approach to career development. Researchers have conducted a deep exploration of career development opportunities (including career and technical education, or CTE, courses) across the district's high schools, undertaking mixed methods research to examine how schools and district leaders make decisions about their program offerings and how key stakeholders (e.g., students, parents, teachers, counselors, school leaders, and community and workforce leaders) consider the goals of career development opportunities and their strengths and weaknesses. More information about the project, including recent findings, can be seen on our website.

The position will have the opportunity to work in a mixed methods research team with a wide range of expertise, with key personnel including Dr. Walter Ecton at the University of Michigan and Dr. Stacey Rutledge, Dr. Christine Mokher, and Dr. Erica Harbatkin, all at Florida State University. Additionally, the position will work closely with school personnel and district leaders in Leon County Schools for project implementation and coordination.

Responsibilities

• Serve as liaison between participating schools in Leon County Schools and the University of Michigan and Florida State University research team, supporting communication and open dialogue.
• Aid the research team and district leadership in building enthusiasm and buy-in for the Florida Ready to Work project among school leaders, teachers, and students, and supporting efforts to reach high rates of participation.
• Support with logistical details of the project implementation, including scheduling dates and times, locations, and other logistical details.
• Being present during project implementation days to support project implementation, ensure the project plan is followed, help troubleshoot any issues that may arise during implementation days, and make note of any challenges.
• Provide input and feedback on the development of the project implementation plan.
• Support the University of Michigan and Florida State University research team in sharing research findings in ways that will allow for maximum impact for Leon County Schools and its students.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree
• Strong communication skills
• Demonstrated organizational skills and ability to manage multiple tasks and timelines across partner organizations
• Experience in working in educational settings
• Ability to pass a background check with Leon County Schools
• Access to regular transportation and be present on Leon County Schools campuses

Desired Qualifications

• Knowledge about Leon County Schools and local context
• Prior experience in K-12 teaching and/or administration
• Experience managing large projects
• Interest in and/or experience working with students considering their transitions into college and the workforce
• Advanced degree and/or prior research experience

Modes of Work

Hybrid. Most internal team meetings will take place virtually. During implementation of the Florida Ready to Work program, the Project Associate Manager will need to be on-site in Leon County Schools (Tallahassee, Florida) on a regular basis.

Additional Information

Salary range: $30,000 for 50% appointment (FTR: $60,000)

TERM LIMIT: 12 months, with the possibility to renew for a second year.

This position does require the ability to be in-person at Leon County Schools (Tallahassee, Florida) sites on a regular basis and will require the ability to travel to schools. We will work with the Project Associate Manager to develop a work schedule that best fits the needs of both the project and the selected candidate.

Background Screening

The University of Michigan conducts background checks on all job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer and may use a third party administrator to conduct background checks. Background checks will be performed in compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

Application Deadline

Job openings are posted for a minimum of seven calendar days. The review and selection process may begin as early as the eighth day after posting. This opening may be removed from posting boards and filled any time after the minimum posting period has ended.

U-M EEO Statement

The University of Michigan is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.