WIDA State Relations Specialist

University of Wisconsin Madison
$75,000 ANNUAL (12 months)
life insurance, paid time off, remote work
United States, Wisconsin, Madison
21 North Park Street (Show on map)
Mar 29, 2025
Job Summary: The WIDA State Relations Specialist position is located within the Consortium and State Relations department and will report to the Assistant Director of State Relations. This position will be responsible for providing support to state educational agencies regarding assessments, standards, and provide English/ Multilingual policy consultation and technical assistance. In addition, the State Relations Specialist will serve on WIDA Subcommittees as a subject matter expert. This position will be eligible for fully remote work as assigned by the University of Wisconsin-Madison. A successful candidate will have the ability to work from home or an alternate office location as the position's Headquarters Location. This means that business travel and travel back to UW-Madison's campus would be compensated and eligible for reimbursement. More information and expectations of remote work can be found in the following UW Remote Work Policy (UW-5087). We will be happy to discuss and answer any questions you may have related to remote work during the interview process. Responsibilities: Provides management information, data analyses, and policy reports to inform strategic planning, decision-making, and resource allocation for a unit. Provides advice and performance management support for unit leadership. 20% Tracks sources of information relevant to policy development affecting the higher education sector 5% Designs and develops policy analyses and briefing papers for unit leadership 20% Reviews, monitors, and evaluates policies and data analyses to present as evidence-based support for unit bids, applications, and decision-making 5% Works with business intelligence/analyst function in computing services to develop data visualization and business intelligence capability 15% Provides project support for, and further enhancement of, unit initiatives 15% Assists in establishing guidelines and procedures to ensure adequacy, quality, and reliability of information sources 10% Serves as a point of contact and subject matter expert among internal and external stakeholder groups 10% Maintains internal and external partnerships to build relationships and represent the interests of the unit, serving as lead on identified subcommittees Institutional Statement on Diversity: Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals. The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world. For more information on diversity and inclusion on campus, please visit: Diversity and Inclusion Education: Required Master's Degree Education, Public Policy, or related field Qualifications: Required: - Minimum 3 years of experience working in a State Education Agency (SEA). - Knowledge of Federal and State policies and educational standards for pre-K-12 systems, specifically related to assessments and accommodations. - Familiarity with the US Department of Education Title I and III guidelines. - Experience researching, preparing, and implementing development plans for new products or services. - Understanding of the characteristics and needs of major education audiences including teachers, state education officials, local education officials, and federal-level education policymakers. Preferred: - Experience conducting research to prepare policy briefs, papers and/or long reports. - Experience in data analysis and reporting. Work Type: Full Time: 100% It is anticipated this position will be remote and requires work be performed at an offsite, non-campus work location. Appointment Type, Duration: Ongoing/Renewable Salary: Minimum $75,000 ANNUAL (12 months) Depending on Qualifications This position offers a comprehensive benefits package, including generous paid time off, competitively priced health/dental/vision/life insurance, tax-advantaged savings accounts, and participation in the nationally recognized Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) pension fund. For a summary of benefits, please visit: https://hr.wisc.edu/benefits/ https://www.wisconsin.edu/ohrwd/benefits/download/fasl.pdf. Additional Information: What is WIDA? For over 20 years, WIDA has provided a trusted, comprehensive approach to supporting, teaching, and assessing multilingual learners. We are an educational services organization that advances language development and academic achievement for multilingual children in early childhood and grades K-12. In short, we provide educators around the world with high-quality language standards, assessments, professional learning, and research. We are proud to be a part of the Wisconsin Center for Education Research (WCER) within UW-Madison's nationally ranked School of Education. Visit https://wida.wisc.edu/about/careers and watch our Introduction to WIDA video to see why WIDA is an incredible place to work! WIDA operates in a Windows-based environment and a Dell PC laptop will be issued for use in this role. Software and virtual connection tools that are critical to our work dictate that WIDA staff work on a PC. How to Apply: Please click on the "Apply Now" button to start the application process. As part of the application process, you will be required to submit: - A cover letter describing how your experience and qualifications meet the requirements of this position. - A current resume or CV. - A list of at least three professional references, including contact information. A successful applicant will be responsible for ensuring eligibility for employment in the United States on or before the effective date of the appointment. Contact: Kelly Krahenbuhl humanresources@wida.us Relay Access (WTRS): 7-1-1. See RELAY_SERVICE for further information. Official Title: Policy and Planning Analyst I(AD018) Department(s): A17-SCHOOL OF EDUCATION/WCER Employment Class: Academic Staff-Renewable Job Number: 312547-AS The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, including but not limited to, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, or status as a protected veteran and other bases as defined by federal regulations and UW System policies. We promote excellence through diversity and encourage all qualified individuals to apply. For more information regarding applicant and employee rights and to view federal and state required postings, click here If you need to request an accommodation because of a disability, you can find information about how to make a request at the following website: https://employeedisabilities.wisc.edu/disability-accommodation-information-for-applicants/ Employment may require a criminal background check. It may also require you and your references to answer questions regarding sexual violence and sexual harassment. The University of Wisconsin System will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing, except that the identity of the successful candidate will be released. See Wis. Stat. sec. 19.36(7). The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report contains current campus safety and disciplinary policies, crime statistics for the previous 3 calendar years, and on-campus student housing fire safety policies and fire statistics for the previous 3 calendar years. UW-Madison will provide a paper copy upon request; please contact the University of Wisconsin Police Department.