Job Details

To apply for the position please submit an application on Edjoin at https://www.edjoin.org/Home/JobPosting/2010619.

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION
MANAGER, PROJECT ASCEND

DEFINITION
Project ASCEND (Achieving Success through Community, Education, and Nurturing Development) is a four year grant-funded program which screens and evaluates 12 - 17 year olds in danger of becoming justice impacted for misdemeanors, and makes recommendations regarding the appropriateness of their placement in community-based treatment programs (diversion programs). Under the direction of the Director of School Safety, the Manager, Project ASCEND acts as a key liaison between county law enforcement, juvenile departments, community-based organizations, and diversion program providers, working collaboratively to gather data, assess needs, and provide support to identify suitable programs for youth involved in substance use, delinquent behavior, and other high-risk activities. Further, the Manager, Project ASCEND coordinates and facilitates training for all partners. This includes organizing educational sessions for law enforcement, mental health professionals, diversion program providers, and community-based organizations to ensure alignment in strategies and to promote the use of best practices in serving justice contacted youth. The Manager, Project ASCEND works closely with community-based organizations and county-wide law enforcement agencies.

SUPERVISION EXERCISED
Supervise and evaluate the performance of assigned personnel.

EXAMPLES OF IMPORTANT AND ESSENTIAL DUTIES
Build and maintain relationships with community partners to enhance available services and ensure a seamless referral process for justice-contacted youth.
Coordinate and attend regular meetings with community partners, diversion program providers, juvenile court personnel, parole officers, and community-based organizations.
Track referrals and maintain an effective tracking and referral process for participants.
Gather, analyze, and present data on the outcomes of youth placements and program effectiveness to recommend improvements or adjustments to current interventions.
Provide regular reports to the Director of School Safety on the status of youth placements, program performance, and any emerging issues or needs in the community.
Develop and maintain a process to monitor grant compliance.
Maintain a positive, proactive relationship with departments and funding agencies to ensure full grant compliance and process efficiency.
Assist staff in grant implementation, including instruction on internal procedures and funding agency compliance, assistance with all issues of financial, personnel, payroll, purchasing, and administration of funded awards, and instruction on cost-sharing documentation.
Provide a full spectrum of assistance to faculty and staff in the planning, writing, program design, budget development, and evaluation of grants.
Create, design, and implement processes and procedures related to grants management and proposal development.
Serve as a liaison with funding source programs and contract officers, resource developers nationally, and with community organizations.
Create and write materials to support program sustainability, including grant reporting and proposals.
Maintain accurate and timely records of grant projects, maintain a database and physical files, and coordinate the grant calendar to ensure the integrity of data and grantor relationship history.
Assist with the preparation of grant-related material for Cabinet and Board of Education presentations.
Perform other related job duties as assigned.

JOB RELATED AND ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS

Knowledge of:
Issues around un-housed and justice impacted youth and their families.
Trends and best practices in youth diversion, rehabilitation, and prevention, applying this knowledge to enhance program offerings and training.
The juvenile corrections system and court proceedings.
Thorough understanding of local, state, and federal funding sources and the ability to locate potential sources for funding.
Grants and funding priorities and sources.
Thorough understanding of grant funding policies and procedures and applicable local, state, and federal regulations.
Pertinent federal, state, and local laws, codes, and regulations.
Principles of budgeting and contract administration.
Diverse, equitable, and inclusive practices in educational programs, business, and personnel.
Principles of supervision, training, and performance evaluation.
Principles and procedures of record keeping.
Principles and practices of data collection and analytics, and report preparation.
Modern office practices, methods, and computer equipment.

Skills and Ability to:
Utilize and develop community resources to support the needs of adjudicated justice-impacted youth.
Familiarity with legal frameworks, policies, and programs related to juvenile justice, mental health services, substance abuse, and diversion programs.
Sensitivity and understanding of the diverse cultural and socio-economic backgrounds of youth and families, and the ability to apply this knowledge in service delivery.
Establish, maintain, and foster positive and harmonious working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to communicate clearly and effectively with diverse groups, including youth, families, community partners, and government agencies.
Ability to develop, organize, and conduct meetings and training sessions for various partners, ensuring consistent and effective strategies are implemented across organizations.
Design and implement high-quality programs, projects, and events.
Proficient in collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data related to youth outcomes and program performance, with the ability to generate clear, actionable reports for continuous program improvement.
Prepare comprehensive narrative reports.
Prepare and maintain accurate and complete records.
Supervise and evaluate the performance of assigned personnel.
Work independently with little direction.
Read, learn, interpret, and apply complex federal, state, and district regulations.
Protect sensitive and confidential personal information that may be needed for some grants, such as employee salaries or upcoming projects.
Use technology to develop systems, communicate, monitor progress, and complete reporting.
Proficient in Google Suite and Microsoft Office Suite, with advanced skills in spreadsheet management, including complex formulas for budgeting and data analysis.
Be courteous and maintain a neat and clean appearance, and demeanor at all times.
Responsibility:
Working under limited supervision using standardized practices and/or methods; leading, guiding, and/or coordinating others; directing the use of budgeted funds within a work unit. Utilization of resources from other work units is often required to perform the job's functions. There is a continual opportunity to impact the organization`s services.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
Any combination equivalent to experience and training that would provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities would be qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge, skills, and abilities would be:
Education:
A Bachelor's Degree or 4 years work equivalency from accredited college or university with major course work in Education, Social Work, Data Analytics, Healthcare, Political Science, or a related field applicable to the position is required. A Master's degree in a related field is preferred.
Experience:
Five (5) years of experience in education, non-governmental agencies, or law enforcement, with a focus in juvenile justice, delinquency prevention, mental health, and/or substance use prevention.
License or Certificate:
Possession of, or ability to obtain, an appropriate valid California driver`s license and appropriate
vehicle operation insurance.

Qualification Requirements:
To perform a job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed in the job description are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or abilities required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Essential duties require the following physical skills and work environment:
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, stand, walk, kneel, crouch, stoop, squat, twist, reach and lift up to 30 pounds with the assistance of others.
Ability to frequently travel in personal automobiles to school sites and throughout the community.

Approval Date: October 15, 2024