District Program Manager – GEAR UP Kentucky (Three positions)

Open Position Locations:  Anderson County Schools, Newport Independent Schools, Washington County Schools      

Location:  Works primarily in assigned GEAR UP high school. When school is not in session (summer break, winter break, etc.) or if assigned school chooses to limit in-person instruction and opt for non-traditional formats (e.g., virtual learning, hybrid in-person, and virtual formats), this position will also work from home or take a hybrid approach.
Position:  Time-limited, full-time position as a CPE Associate; funded with federal funds through September 2032
Travel:  Some in- state and overnight travel is expected to attend trainings, meetings, and conferences; may be required to attend out-of-state conferences at the discretion of the Executive Director.
Compensation:  $55,000
Retirement:  TIAA

Overview

GEAR UP Kentucky is a federal, statewide grant program coordinated by the Council, which works with students, families, and schools in low-income Kentucky communities to support college preparation and success. GEAR UP Kentucky is designed to increase the percentage of students who graduate high school and successfully transition to and through postsecondary education. In October 2025, the Council was awarded a seven-year, $35 million grant to serve at least 10,000 students in eight high-need KY school districts, the fifth GEAR UP state grant for Kentucky that has been administered through the Council. GEAR UP positions are for the term of the grant which is through September 30, 2032.

Duties and Responsibilities

The District Program Manager (DPM) is the lead professional working with school and GEAR UP staff in an assigned school district and is responsible for the oversight and implementation of all program strategies in alignment with meeting outlined goals, including timely submission of required plans, data, and reports.

The District Program Manager will establish and maintain relationships with school leaders to ensure effective implementation of services and integrate GEAR UP into school culture and community.

Budget and Team Management:

• Work with school leadership to establish GEAR UP School Site Team; schedule, facilitate, and document school site team meetings in district schools; establish and maintain implementation timelines.
• Lead the development and timely processing of district quarterly activity and expenditures plans in partnership with the local school site teams.
• Manage local project expenditures, including review and certification of reimbursement requests for direct expenditures and monitoring funds expended within GEAR UP annual district contracts based on annual allocated budget.
• Assist schools in coordinating all available resources to ensure maximum efficacy.

Management and Supervision:

• Coordinate the recruitment, interview and hiring process for College and Career Coaches per Contracted Staff Hiring Process.
• Review and monitor the activities and service delivery of College and Career Coach(es) and provide support as needed to meet objectives.
• Communicate regularly with the College and Career Coach(es) to clarify expectations, check understand, communicate changes, and resolve issues as well as introduce new products, programs, services, policies, and procedures.
• Review and approve timesheets and requests for work absences and ensure/provide coverage of scheduled classroom curricula delivery as needed.
• Monitor, assess, and support the College and Career Coach(es) capacity to implement services with program fidelity.
• Provide feedback on the performance and retention of individual College and Career Coach(es). Monitor individual data collection practices for security and compliance.
• Complete quarterly reports and data review on district progress toward objectives as part of the GEAR UP Strategic Stocktake continuous improvement process.

Services to Students, Families and Schools:

• Communicate GEAR UP vision and mission effectively to all project audiences.
• Oversee and ensure implementation fidelity of direct services to cohort students and families.
  • Implement direct services to students and families in active cohorts, including curricula delivery, workshops, student advising, student engagement and leadership programs, campus experiences, student surveys and assessments, and other activities as determined by the GEAR UP grant project and local school site team.
  • Conduct orientations and disseminate GEAR UP resources and information to create ongoing awareness of the GEAR UP program, activities, and outcomes.
  • Establish annual schedule with school and GEAR UP Student Engagement Travel Team for the delivery of whole-cohort student workshops; coordinate logistics to support delivery of workshops by Travel Team including reserving space, recruiting local volunteers and businesses, pre-event communications, etc.
  • Create and implement advising plan in collaboration with School Site Team.
  • Recruit students for participation in summer bridge programs.
  • Implement peer engagement and leadership services and programs.
  • Coordinate and promote all GEAR UP family engagement activities.
  • Utilize school/community partnerships and initiatives when appropriate.
  • Routinely communicate with families and students through both digital platforms and printed materials.
  • Attend all school staff meetings, professional development, and any other trainings deemed necessary, unless otherwise determined by School Site Team or supervisor.
  • Follow all school protocol and procedures as directed.
  • Seek documented approval and adhere to district/school policies and protocols when assisting with and organizing trips/events. These may include, but not be limited to, campus visits, job site visits, job shadowing, college and career fairs, KHEAA workshops, FAFSA Frenzy, College Application Month, GEAR UP Go Day, CERT/ACT preparation, etc.
• Provide communication, recruitment support and local coordination for school/district participation in school support services.

Communication and Information Management

• Collect and maintain accurate and complete data on delivery of all services in accordance with GEAR UP timelines, including weekly entry of service delivery data into GUSS and submission of quarterly progress reports.
• Adhere to FERPA/confidentiality expectations regarding any student/school data as outlined in GEAR UP Data Collection and Use policies and procedures.
• Maintain all work-related activities on ky.gov calendar in Microsoft Outlook and communicate schedule with direct supervisor according to agreed-upon practice.

Team Membership

• Serve as a member of the District Implementation Team.
• Serve as a member of the Postsecondary Pipeline Team.

Professional Development

• Participate in professional development opportunities, seminars, conferences, and networking opportunities as assigned.

Other

• Other duties as assigned by the Director of District Services, Executive Director, and/or leadership of the Council on Postsecondary Education.

Education and Experience

Minimum Education and Experience:

• A college degree in the area of education, psychology, sociology, guidance counseling, business management, communications, or a closely related field.
• Minimum of three years of professional experience in a related field.
• Experience working directly with students in the area of teaching, guidance counseling, college and career advising, youth development, social work, or a related field.
• Possess a valid Kentucky driver’s license and fulfill requirements to be authorized to drive a Kentucky Division of Fleet Management Vehicle.

Preferred Education/Experience:

• Work experience in a K-12 school setting and/or college access program, with direct interaction supporting students, families, and/or educators.

GEAR UP Kentucky seeks candidates who:

• Understand and commit to the mission, vision, and goals of GEAR UP Kentucky.
• Demonstrate a team-oriented mindset, ability to work collaboratively toward the success of the GEAR UP program.
• Communicate effectively and professionally in interpersonal interactions with students, families, school staff, community organizations, and postsecondary representatives.
• Produce clear, concise, and professional written communications.
• Organize multiple tasks and maintain attention to detail.
• Commit to continuous growth and receive and respond to feedback in a constructive manner.
• Work independently while adhering to established program policies, procedures, and expectations in a hybrid environment.
• Effectively engage, connect, and communicate with students.
• Build and sustain positive relationships with program partners, including families, school staff, community organizations, and postsecondary representatives.
• Coordinate and collaborate with program partners to plan and execute program activities.
• Manage time and workload to pursue and achieve established goals while making strategic adjustments as needed.
• Plan, facilitate, and document meetings with clarity and purpose.
• Proficiently use Microsoft Office including Teams & Outlook and manage multiple email accounts and platforms to coordinate communication, scheduling, and documentation.
• Maintain a valid Kentucky driver’s license and fulfill requirements to be authorized to drive a Kentucky Division of Fleet Management vehicle.

Application Information

Interested applicants should submit a letter of application specifically addressing the responsibilities and qualifications of the position, a resume, and the names, titles, and contact information for at least three professional references to CPE.HR@ky.gov.