Specialist, New Worlds Reading Initiative Family & Community Engagement

Project Manager I

The University of Florida Lastinger Center for Learning’s mission is to improve the quality of teaching, learning, and childcare. We research, develop, and scale equitable educational innovations for adults and children that put all learners on trajectories for lifelong success. Specifically, the Center targets kindergarten readiness, 3rd grade reading proficiency, and algebra proficiency as critical milestones in children's educational trajectory that are predictive of success in school and life. The Center works at the nexus of research, practice, and policy to develop sustainable systems that leverage educational technologies and improve the implementation of research-based practices. Housed in one of the nation's elite public research universities, the Center operates as a dynamic, entrepreneurial workplace focused on executing UF's service mission to strengthen the human condition and improve the quality of life. The Lastinger Center is committed to attracting, hiring, and retaining top talent by valuing diversity of thought, skill, and experience. As an equal opportunity employer, we believe in fostering environments where team members feel included, valued for their differences, and empowered to do their best work.

Responsibilities include:

Engagement and Implementation

• Collaborate with community organizations and school districts within a designated region of Florida to organize and participate in events to promote New Worlds Reading Initiative.
• Support team members in facilitating face-to-face and virtual professional development learning experiences
• Conduct project meetings and communicate project status with customers, project team members, vendors, and supervisors.
• Assist the Engagement manager with project plans, including family engagement events, timelines, and milestones.
• Develop and deliver progress reports, proposals, requirements documentation and presentations.
• Recruit and enroll participants.
• Support the continuous development of best practices and tools for project management and execution.

Collaboration and Logistical Support

• Provide administrative and logistical support for program activities.
• Assist with events planning, set-up, and onsite coordination.
• Locate and set up locations for family literacy events, caregiver workshops, presentations, application support, and meetings.
• Meet as needed to address relevant issues with New Worlds Reading Initiative and Literacy Teams.
• Troubleshoot challenges and address them as they arise; coordinate with other project staff providing implementation support to ensure consistency and effective communication structures.
• Execute implementation components of within the project budget available: Travel, Materials, Personnel, other items necessary
• Support New Worlds Reading leadership as requested.
• Engage in workgroups and project design as deemed necessary by the New Worlds Reading team.
• Collaborate with the Business Services team in organizing and coordinating events.

Project Feedback and Evaluation

• Distribute and collect documentation from participants, such as applications, surveys, questionnaires, focus groups, etc. and other data needed to support evaluation of projects.
• Participate in program development and evaluation.
• Update program databases and conduct queries for reports.
• Conduct post project assessments and evaluations.
• Develop and deliver progress reports, proposals, requirements documentation and presentations.

Other Duties as Assigned

$61,000-$65,000

Bachelor’s degree or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

• Experience in family engagement efforts
• Proficient in a broad range of collaboration and project management software (e.g., Teams, Zoom, Google Docs, Dropbox, ClickUp)
• Strong relational, organizational, and communication skills

In order to be considered, you must upload your cover letter and resume.

Application must be submitted by 11:55 p.m. (ET) of the posting end date.