Strategic Initiatives Operations Manager, Leadership and Instructional Foundations for Texas (Project Manager III)

Texas Education Agency; Austin (TX); Hybrid; USD 61,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare benefits

Pension/ERS

Paid holidays

Professional development

Job summary

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) seeks a Project Manager for the LIFT Operations team in Austin, TX. The role coordinates day-to-day operations for grants, contracts, budgets, and strategic initiatives to drive high-quality support for school districts.

You'll develop plans, monitor progress, manage vendor relationships, and ensure projects finish on time, within scope and budget, while pursuing continuous process improvements across TEA initiatives.

Qualifications

• Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university.
• Degree fields include Business Administration, Public Administration, Public Policy, Education, Organizational Leadership, or Social Science.
• At least four years of project management experience with emphasis in grant, budget, and contract management.
• Advanced degree may substitute for two years of required experience.

Responsibilities

• Budget and Contract Management: develop budget tools, monitor expenditures, and ensure contract alignment.
• Grant Management: oversee grant plans, milestones, and compliance across programs.
• Operational Support for Strategic Initiatives: manage plans, deliverables, schedules, and risk.
• Performance Management: track metrics, dashboards, and process improvements.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: coordinate with teams, vendors, and stakeholders for timely delivery.

Skills

Budget management

Contract management

Grant management

Project coordination

Stakeholder communication

Education

Bachelor's degree

Fields listed: Business Administration, Public Administration, Public Policy, Education, Organizational Leadership, or Social Science

Job description

Job ID 108092

Location Austin

Other Recruiting Location Austin;Texas

Number of Openings 1

State Job Code(s) 1560

Close Date 11/30/2026

Company Texas Education Agency

Full/Part Time Full-Time

Regular/Temporary Regular

Salary Admin Plan(s) B

Salary Admin Grade(s) 24

Salary Range $5425.33 - 7155.75 per Month

Agency Information

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) oversees primary and secondary public education in Texas and is committed to improving outcomes for all public school students by providing leadership, guidance, and support to school systems across the state.

Core Values

• We are Determined: We are committed and intentional in pursuing our primary purpose of improving outcomes for students.
• We are People-Centered: We strive to attract, develop, and retain committed talent that reflects the diversity of Texas, with each individual contributing to our shared vision for students.
• We are Learners: We seek evidence, reflect on outcomes, and continuously improve in pursuit of excellence for students.
• We are Servant Leaders: We are public servants committed to improving opportunities for students and supporting those who serve them.

Job Description

Leadership and Instructional Foundations for Texas (LIFT) is a three-year program designed to support Texas school systems in building the instructional and systems-level capacity needed to deliver high-quality learning experiences for all students. LIFT brings together the highest leverage components of Strong Foundations, Texas Instructional Leadership, and Texas Lesson Study, providing comprehensive support for districts to adopt High Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM) and implement Bluebonnet Learning over multiple years.

The LIFT Operations team provides leadership and direction in the planning, execution, monitoring, and continuous improvement of LIFT initiatives. The team develops and implements project management and operational tools, including project plans, workplans, processes, dashboards, budget trackers, and invoice management systems to support effective project execution and decision-making. Through collaboration with internal content and program teams, external vendors, and agency stakeholders, the team ensures LIFT initiatives are strategically planned, effectively coordinated, and continuously improved to deliver high-quality supports.

The LIFT Operations team is seeking a Project Manager who is responsible for managing the day-to-day operational, administrative, and project management functions of assigned workstreams, grants, contracts, and strategic initiatives. The Project Manager will develop and maintain project plans, coordinate timelines and deliverables, manage budgets and vendor relationships, monitor project progress and performance metrics, and identify opportunities to improve processes and operational efficiencies. The Project Manager will work across teams to ensure alignment, mitigate risks, support implementation, and ensure projects are completed on time, within scope, and within budget while supporting continuous improvement of operational systems and processes.

This position reports to the Deputy Director, Leadership and Instructional Foundations for Texas Operations and Supports within the LIFT team.

This position requires up to 10% travel, based on business needs, to support program initiatives, collaboration, and operational priorities.

Flexible work location within the state of Texas may be considered for qualified candidates.

Applicants who are strongly being considered for employment must submit to a national criminal history background check.

Essential Functions

Job duties are not limited to the essential functions mentioned below. You may perform other functions as assigned.

• 1. Budget and Contract Management: develop and maintain budget tracking tools and project reporting systems; support budget forecasting, monitor expenditures, track contract performance, review vendor invoices for alignment with contract deliverables, and coordinate budget revisions or amendments; monitor project financial status and identify risks, issues, and opportunities for improved efficiency while supporting compliance with contractual requirements
• 2. Grant Management: develop, coordinate, and monitor project plans and timelines supporting the full lifecycle of LIFT grants, including planning, stakeholder coordination, approvals, implementation tracking, compliance monitoring, and status reporting; support Grant Leads in ensuring milestones, deliverables, and agency requirements are met
• 3. Operational Support for Strategic Initiatives: manage project plans, schedules, deliverables, and action tracking for assigned strategic initiatives; coordinate day-to-day project activities, monitor progress against milestones, identify and elevate risks, maintain project documentation, and support teams in meeting deliverables; recommend process improvements that increase efficiency and support successful project execution
• 4. Performance Management and Continuous Improvement: monitor project performance metrics, maintain reporting tools and dashboards, gather stakeholder feedback, analyze project outcomes, and recommend improvements to project management, contract management, knowledge management, and operational processes; support implementation of approved process improvements
• 5. Cross-Functional Collaboration and Program Impact: coordinate with LIFT team members, agency divisions, vendors, and stakeholders to support successful execution of workstream goals and performance metrics; facilitate communication, track dependencies, and support alignment of project activities to ensure timely completion of deliverables and a positive experience for participating school districts

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

Education: Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university

Degree fields: Business Administration, Public Administration, Public Policy, Education, Organizational Leadership, or Social Science

Experience: At least four [4] years of experience in project management with an emphasis in grant management and/or budget and contract management

Substitution: An advanced degree may substitute for two years of required experience

Other Qualifications

• Share the belief that all Texas students can achieve at high levels and are able to succeed in college, career, or the military
• Certified Texas Contract Manager (CTCM) certification must be obtained within first six (6) months of employment
• Ability to work as a contributing member of a team and foster positive and effective working relationships with a variety of individuals (including executive leadership) and groups, internal and external to TEA
• A desire to self-reflect, give/receive feedback and continuously improve

New hires, rehires, and internal hires will typically receive a starting salary between the posted minimum and the average pay of employees within the same classification. Offers are based on the candidate's experience and qualifications and consider internal pay equity across employees performing similar work.

The top half of the posted salary range is generally reserved for candidates whose qualifications exceed the role's requirements. The maximum of the range is typically reserved for candidates who significantly exceed the required and preferred qualifications.

Benefits

TEA employees receive a comprehensive benefits package through the State of Texas and the Employee Retirement System of Texas (ERS), supporting health, financial security, and work-life balance.

Benefits include:

• Retirement through ERS and employer-paid health insurance for eligible employees
• Optional dental, vision, and dependent coverage
• Paid state holidays, vacation leave, sick leave, and longevity pay
• Wellness programs, employee assistance programs, and professional development opportunities
• Eligibility for the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program

To learn more about benefits available to State of Texas employees, please review the State of Texas Employee Benefits brochure and visit the TEA Compensation and Benefits page .

Military/Veteran Information

Applicants eligible for Military Employment Preference (MEP) will be considered in accordance with applicable state and federal laws and regulations.

To claim Military Employment Preference, applicants must:

• Select the applicable Military Employment Preference category in the employment application.
• Upload supporting documentation verifying eligibility in the Attachments section of the application before submitting the application.

Important: Self-identifying as eligible for Military Employment Preference does not by itself establish eligibility. Supporting documentation is required for TEA to verify eligibility before Military Employment Preference can be applied during the selection process. Applicants who do not submit sufficient documentation may not be considered eligible for Military Employment Preference. This requirement is consistent with TEA's Military Employment Preference procedures.

For information about eligibility requirements, required supporting documentation, and instructions for claiming Military Employment Preference, please review the Military Employment Preference page, which outlines eligible categories, documentation requirements, and the eligibility verification process.

To explore how military experience may align with this role, applicants may review Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) codes within the State's Position Classification Plan. Please refer to the Military Crosswalk and select the occupational category that most closely corresponds with the classification listed in this job posting.

Additional Information

TEA is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal and state nondiscrimination laws. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or veteran status.

TEA does not sponsor or assume sponsorship of employment visas.

This position requires the applicant to meet Agency standards and criteria which may include passing a pre-employment criminal background check, prior to being offered employment by the Agency.

To learn more about working at TEA, including hiring timelines, process details, and candidate resources, please visit the Careers at TEA page .

Due to the high volume of applications, we are unable to accept phone calls or respond to all email inquiries. Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

To help ensure you receive updates regarding your application, please add [e-mail] and @tea.texas.gov to your safe sender's list.