Special Education Project Manager

The Lansing School District serves over 10,000 PreK-12 students across 25 school buildings in the increasingly diverse urban community of Lansing, MI. We are unique compared to other districts because of the wide variety of exciting and innovative educational options from which families and staff members can choose. All of Lansing School District’s team members are dedicated to our mission to provide an excellent education to all students in a safe and nurturing environment.

In pursuit of this mission, the Special Education Department is hiring a Special Education Project Manager. This individual will support the Senior Director of Special Education in managing financial and staffing operations for the special education department. This role includes budgeting, compliance monitoring, process development, staff training, and data analysis to ensure operational efficiency and alignment with laws and regulations.

• Bachelor’s degree in business or a related field.

• Previous experience in the public school system and special education, including roles involving compliance with IDEA and MARSE.
• Experience supervising and evaluating support personnel, with a focus on creating a positive work environment.
• Proven experience in preparing and analyzing budgets, financial reports, and staffing documentation.
• Background in managing or coordinating processes related to Medicaid billing, Worksheet B, or other educational financial systems.
• Experience providing training and professional development to staff in areas such as budgeting, compliance, and staffing.

• Strong understanding of laws, policies, and regulations related to special education, including IDEA and MARSE.
• Proficiency in data analysis, including interpreting and presenting financial and staffing data.
• Advanced organizational skills with the ability to develop and monitor internal processes and procedures.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills for effectively collaborating with diverse stakeholders.
• Diplomacy and emotional intelligence for managing relationships with district staff, administration, and external partners.
• Detail-oriented and capable of producing accurate work products, especially in statistical and tabular formats.
• Competence in multitasking, time management, and problem-solving in a dynamic environment.
• Familiarity with educational finance systems and tools, as well as administrative regulations supporting board policies.

• Prepare budgets, requisitions, analyses, and special education reports to respond to both external and internal requests.
• Train and evaluate department employees as required in processes related to budget and staffing.
• Assist in the preparation and verification of documents for the count windows.
• Develop and monitor internal processes and procedures as they relate to the finances, staffing, and compliance in the special education department.
• Develop and maintain a system to process and monitor financial transactions in the special education department.
• Attend meetings and conferences related to finance and staffing for the special education department.
• Implement and maintain administrative regulations to support board policies related to finance and human resources for the special education department.
• Provide for the education and training of district staff on Medicaid and Worksheet B processes.

• Perform any other related duties as assigned by the Senior Director of Special Education.

• Regularly required to stand, walk, sit, talk, and hear.
• Sitting for extended periods of time.
• Occasionally required to reach with hands and arms and to stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.
• Occasionally required to lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.
• Regularly required to use close vision, distance vision, and peripheral vision.

At Lansing School District, we champion diversity, equity, and inclusion, providing equal opportunities to all qualified applicants regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or sexual orientation. We foster a rich environment for professional growth and student experiences by valuing diverse perspectives. As an equal opportunity employer, we invite passionate individuals dedicated to educational excellence to apply for our positions.

We value internal mobility and list "Strong Internal Candidate" when considering an internal candidate before posting a job. We still encourage all candidates to apply.

Complete the attached online application at your earliest convenience. If selected, we will contact you to set up an interview. While we strive to provide prompt feedback, the high volume of applicants may limit our ability to do so. All of our jobs will be posted for at least 10 days (unless otherwise noted), but we will review applications on a rolling basis.

External candidates interested in multiple positions within the same department need only apply to one posting and can indicate other roles of interest in the final question. We will consider your application for various roles based on your qualifications.

Internal candidates should apply using their SSO email address and submit separate applications for each role of interest.

Thank you for your interest in joining our mission-driven team. We look forward to meeting you!

This job description is intended to outline the general responsibilities and qualifications for the position. It is not an exhaustive list of duties, and the Lansing School District reserves the right to modify job responsibilities as needed. Due to the evolving needs of the District, additional job responsibilities may be assigned (depending on funding sources).