Early Childhood Integrated Data System Product Manager (Program Management Specialist II)

Job Description

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.

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 salary range is reserved for candidates that far exceed the required and preferred qualifications for the role.

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.

This position is funded through December 30, 2025, with grant funds. Continuation of the position beyond that date is contingent upon available funding.

Position Overview : The Early Childhood Integrated Data System Product Manager in the Early Childhood Education Division will be responsible for leading a major, cross-agency effort to support state and local early childhood goals and priorities by bringing together data across siloed systems.

TEA, in partnership with the Early Childhood Interagency Workgroup member agencies and with funding from the federal Office of Early Childhood Development, is looking to build on previous data integration efforts, like the Texas Ready Communities, Ready Schools, Ready Students (TXR3) dashboard, by creating new and innovative solutions to help agencies use data to better support Texas's 1.

8 million children ages birth to five and their families. Delivering these solutions will require collaboration across multiple, cross-functional state agency teams and engagement with users of these systems as well as learning from states that have developed and launched their own Early Childhood Integrated Data Systems (ECIDS).

The Product Manager will play a critical role in ensuring the successful development and launch of user-friendly technology solutions by deeply understanding program strategy and user needs, developing and building stakeholder buy-in for and aligning product strategy and roadmap, indirectly leading and influencing a cross-functional and cross-agency team, and serving as lead project manager for the solution.

They will work under minimal supervision with extensive latitude for the use of initiative and use strong independent judgement.

They will guide and oversee the work of contractors.

The Product Manager will report to the Operations Manager for Early Childhood Education in the Office of School Programs.

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

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

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. Product Strategy and Development : Oversee the entire product delivery life cycle for ECIDS, through developing and communicating the product vision, strategy, roadmap, and success metrics, aligned to overall program strategy and grounded in user and market research;

Prepare and / or oversee creation of product development artifacts and use product strategy and data analysis to scope and prioritize development tasks into delivery plans

2. Collaboration and Teamwork : Collaborate with cross-functional agency program and technology teams to translate product strategy, roadmap, and user stories into detailed requirements and prototypes;

Engage stakeholders to understand needs, interests, and concerns; Establish the environment necessary to operate as a high-performing cross-functional team to bring solutions from concept to reality

3. Project Management : Work with cross-functional, cross-agency team and vendors to translate product roadmap and user stories into technical requirements, develop a design plan, and develop and maintain a data governance plan based on identified business cases;

Set and manage ongoing project plan defining activities and milestones and provide ongoing project updates to stakeholders

4. Vendor Management : Lead competitive procurement process(es) to select outside vendors; Collaborate with outside vendors to deliver products, evaluate vendors' software to ensure it meets the needs of users, program staff, and stakeholders, and communicate feedback to constructively resolve issues that impact a user's experience with the product

Qualifications :

Minimum Qualifications

• Education : Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university
• Experience : At least two (2) years of experience in project management, web-based technology product management or a related field with a passion for public education.

Experience within state agency environment preferred.

Substitutions : Each additional year of related experience above the required minimum may substitute for education 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
• Previous experience or strong interest in early childhood care and education (ex : child care, public school prekindergarten, IDEA Part B 619 / Part C) preferred
• Direct experience leading large-scale projects
• Fluency with human-centered and agile software-development processes preferred
• Demonstrated ability to lead teams, establish effective relationships, and work collaboratively with individuals in technical roles
• Ability to communicate, collaborate, and educate key stakeholders and leaders
• Ability to prioritize and manage multiple projects simultaneously
• A desire to self-reflect, give / receive feedback and continuously improve

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 " redacted " and " redacted " to your safe senders list to ensure you receive email notifications from our talent acquisition team and / or hiring division regarding your candidacy.