Intake Manager (Manager III)

MISSION: The Texas Education Agency (TEA) will improve outcomes for all public-school students in the state by providing leadership, guidance, and support to school systems.

Core Values

• We are Determined: We are committed and intentional in the pursuit of our main purpose, to improve outcomes for students.
• We are People-Centered: We strive to attract, develop, and retain the most committed talent, representing the diversity of Texas, each contributing to our common vision for students.
• We are Learners: We seek evidence, reflect on success and failure, and try new approaches in the pursuit of excellence for our students.
• We are Servant Leaders: Above all else, we are public servants working to improve opportunities for students and provide support to those who serve them.
  
  

New hires, re-hires, and internal hires will typically receive a starting salary between the posted minimum and the average pay of employees in their same classification. Offers will be commensurate with the candidate’s experience and qualifications and will thoughtfully consider internal pay equity for agency staff who perform similar duties and have similar qualifications. The top half of the posted salary range is generally reserved for candidates who exceed the requirements and qualifications for the role. The maximum of the salary range is reserved for candidates that far exceed the required and preferred qualifications for the role.

Position Overview

The Office of Governance (OG) strives to proactively support school systems, keep students safe, and uphold Texas education law with integrity, objectivity, and excellence. We engage with local education agencies (LEAs) to promote best practices through two core workstreams: Field Support and Compliance & Investigations. By fostering collaboration across the agency and engaging directly in the field, we advance our vision of creating a safe school environment and excellent education for every Texas public school student.

On behalf of the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) and the Commissioner of Education, the Educator Investigations Division (EID) is responsible for investigating allegations of misconduct against educators and school employees in the State of Texas, playing a critical role in protecting the safety and welfare of students. The two primary units within the division include Intake and Investigations. The Intake Unit reviews reports of misconduct, initiates the investigative process, tracks criminal-matters, ensures referrals contain sufficient factual information, and makes recommendations for case-opening in accordance with SBEC and agency policy and in the interest of student safety. The Investigations Unit investigates all reports of alleged misconduct by SBEC-certified educators and ensures due process is provided in all cases.  

The Intake Manager oversees approximately 4 investigators and is responsible for planning and coordinating the efforts of the respective unit. This includes establishing goals and objectives, developing guidelines, policies, and procedures, and supervising members of the Intake division while critically reflecting on performance to increase operational efficiency. This position will report to the Director of Intake in the Educator Investigations Division and will work under general supervision with moderate latitude for exercising initiative and independent judgement.

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

Please note that a resume, tailored cover letter, and short answer responses are required attachments for applying to this position. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Additionally, 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.

• Team Management and Supervision: exhibits strong performance management and coaching abilities in supervising a high-performing, mission-focused team; cultivates a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement; works closely with Directors of respective units to establish clear data-driven objectives and motivates team members and monitors progress against established performance metrics and competency standards to achieve collective and individual goals; actively facilitates the professional growth and development of each team member
• Case Management and Quality Assurance: ensures investigative efforts align with SBEC and agency policy, procedures, and best practices; reviews and approves investigative reports and recommendations; oversees the assigned team’s docket reviewing reports of misconduct and criminal history, tracking responsibilities, recommendations for opening investigations, and conducting of thorough administrative investigations leading to appropriate recommendations for case resolution in the interest of student safety
• Process Improvement and Optimization: continuously evaluates workflows, makes recommendations, and champions process-improvement and change management initiatives to further efficiency, accuracy, and effectiveness; reviews and analyzes historical and current case-related data to determine areas of risk, deficiencies, and trends; creates structures to standardize decision-making processes, to include establishing multi-level review approval processes, in the interest of student safety; demonstrates a commitment to continuous improvement and collaboration in order to execute the overarching mission of the agency
• Internal/External Stakeholder Collaboration: proactively initiates and maintains internal and external partnerships in an effort to reinforce the division’s initiatives thereby furthering the division’s effectiveness; responds accurately and in a timely manner to inquiries and concerns received by all stakeholders to include school administrators, attorneys, complainants, and other pertinent parties; represents the assigned team in collaboration with other TEA divisions and external agencies while ensuring leadership is apprised of status; collaborates in the development of training sessions for both internal and external stakeholders to include agency cross-divisional information sessions and statewide conferences and seminars
  
  

Qualifications

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Education: Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university
• Experience: At least four [4] years of experience in reviewing criminal histories, conducting background checks, or conducting investigations, including two [2] years of experience in a supervisory or trainer role.
• Substitutions: Education and experience may substitute for one another on a year-for-year basis.
  
  

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.
• Working knowledge of state and federal laws and regulations pertaining to background check requirements, criminal history, and administrative and criminal investigations, including Texas Edu Code, Chap. 22; and 19 Texas Admin. Code, Part 2- Chap 153, and Part 7- Chap 249. 
• Skilled in investigating allegations of child abuse, financial fraud, manipulation of a certification process, and misconduct.
• Demonstrated ability to supervise staff in investigative; this includes training and developing staff in reviewing allegations, gathering evidence, interviewing witnesses and accused individuals regarding alleged acts of misconduct, writing reports, and presenting information in an organized manner.
• Proven ability to critically reflect on performance, determine root-cause of issues, and find solutions that improve work product and efficiency.
• Strong communication (both oral and written), including skill in writing for the intended audience and training others to write reports that are factual, concise, and professionally written.
• Solid experience using a variety of software applications to perform work and develop technical solutions, including but not limited to Office 365, Adobe Acrobat, customized databases, and case management systems; willingness to independently seek training on the use of software to achieve results, improve work product, and train others on best practices.
• Willingness to seek efficiency in an office environment; stay organized and prioritize tasks to achieve goals and objectives; eager to deliver requirements to internal/external customers and contribute to the agency's priorities.
• A desire to self-reflect, give/receive feedback, and continuously improve.
• Ability to work as a contributing member of a team by establishing and maintaining positive, effective working relationships with all levels of staff.
• Must satisfy the Texas Department of Public Safety's criteria for access to the TX DPS secure website and Clearinghouse.
• Relevant experience in an administrative or regulatory environment and investigating allegations of child abuse, school misconduct, financial fraud, and licensure violations is preferred.
• Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) certification, Tx Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) license, or similar designations a plus, but not required.
  
  

As an equal opportunity employer, we hire without consideration to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, disability, age or veteran status, unless an applicant is entitled to the military employment preference.

To review the Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) codes from each branch of the U.S. Armed Forces to each job classification series in the State’s Position Classification Plan (provided by the State Auditor's Office), please access the Military Crosswalk (occupational specialty code) Guide and click on the military “occupational category” that corresponds with the state classification in this job posting title.

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.

No phone calls or emails, please. Due to the high volume of applications, we do not accept telephone calls and cannot reply to all email inquiries. Only candidates selected for interview will be contacted. Please add "capps.recruiting@cpa.texas.gov" and "@tea.texas.gov" to your safe senders list to ensure you receive email notifications from our talent acquisition team and/or hiring division regarding your candidacy.