Department of Education

The Arizona Department of Education is a service organization committed to raising academic outcomes and empowering parents.

School Safety Program Specialist

Job Location:

Address:  School Safety Unit
Phoenix, AZ 85007

Posting Details:

Salary: $62,000 - $65,000 

Grade: 21

Closing Date: 03/12/25

Job Summary:

• The School Safety unit assists educators in supporting the physical, emotional, and mental health and safety of students. The Unit includes five primary program areas: The School Safety Program; the Stronger Connections Grant; Project AWARE (Advancing Wellness and Resiliency in Education); Project Bright Futures; and School Preparedness.
• The School Safety Program (SSP) supports, promotes, and enhances safe and effective learning environments for all students by supporting the costs of placing school resource officers, school safety officers, juvenile probation officers, school counselors and social workers on school campuses in accordance with Arizona Revised Statute 15-154. The SSP currently funds positions at 1000 schools across Arizona.
• Under the direction of the School Safety Grant Director, the position of Program Specialist assists with the annual design, development, and monitoring of program applications in the Arizona Department of Education’s Grants Management Enterprise (GME) system.
• Occasional in-state and rare out-of-state travel is required for this position.

The Arizona Department of Education currently utilizes a hybrid work environment, with up to two days of remote work (contingent upon business needs). Candidates should apply with an ability and willingness to work in-office up to five days per week as business needs necessitate.

Job Duties:

• Participate as a member of the SSP Team to help design, develop, approve, and monitor grant applications in the Arizona Department of Education Grants Management Enterprise (GME).
• Review grant applications to help ensure programmatic and fiscal compliance.
• Engage in a high degree of collaboration with the SSP Team to identify, develop, and implement processes and procedures to optimize the administration of the grants in GME.
• Collaborate with the Director and Deputy Associate Superintendent to analyze and report on utilization of funding provided to grantees to help ensure state and federal grant fiscal requirements and optimization of funding.
• In collaboration with the SSP Team, identify technical assistance needs and develop and provide supports and professional development to grantees to help improve their administration of the grant and compliance with the program.
• Attend internal unit/team meetings as required.
• Attend internal and external stakeholder and partner meetings as required.
• Other duties as assigned as related to the position.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities (KSAs):

Knowledge in:
• Statutes and policies that regulate grants and use of public funds, including the Uniform System of Financial Record Keeping (USFR), the Education Department General Education Regulations (EDGAR), the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), and Arizona Revised Statutes.
• Principles and practices of grant administration with special reference to fiscal management, budgetary control, and federal and state grant reporting.
• State laws and State Board of Education policy governing the School Safety Program.
• Project management, practices, and procedures.
• A bachelor’s degree in a related field, or equivalent experience to substitute for the degree, is required.

Skills in:
• Strong interpersonal, presentation, oral, and written communication skills.
• Strong organizational skills.
• Budgeting and finance skills.
• Analysis, interpretation, and communication of data.
• Systems thinking.
• Problem solving techniques, to include root-cause analysis.
• Intermediate computer techniques; in particular, skilled in the use of Microsoft Office software with expertise in Microsoft Excel.
• Customer service techniques.

Ability to:
• Operate successfully in a team environment while also being a self-starter.
• Plan and organize work to meet deadlines.
• Express ideas and information clearly, concisely, both orally and in writing.
• Provide strong customer service and technical support to internal and external customers.
• Understand, interpret, and implement state and federal rules and regulations.
• Create and maintain accurate files, records, and spreadsheets.
• Ability to travel