Role Summary

The Senior Director for Financial Performance provides strategic oversight and leadership for the operational functions that drive the efficiency and effectiveness of the Service Center and its partner districts. This role is responsible for managing and aligning key operational areas, including internal and external Business Office services, Federal and State Grant Management, Organizational Operations and Information Systems to ensure seamless, high-quality support. The Senior Director ensures that all services are delivered with operational excellence, regulatory compliance, and a focus on continuous improvement. This position requires strong organizational management, process optimization, and strategic decision-making to enhance overall performance and meet the evolving needs of the ESC and the districts served.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in related field
• Master's Degree preferred
• Minimum 3 -5 years experience in school finance
• 3-5 years experience as a superintendent in a small district preferred
• Minimum 3-5 years experience supervising and managing staff

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Thorough knowledge of Texas school finance procedures.
• Demonstrated skill and understanding of federal and state grants, including grant submission, budget planning, and compliance reporting.
• Ability to supervise effectively.
• Ability to effectively plan, organize, and execute large projects/initiatives.
• Proficiency and understanding of Planning and Performance Management components.
• Ability to design, deliver, and facilitate high-quality professional development for adult audiences, both in person and virtually.
• Ability to connect with diverse audiences and understand complex and unique circumstances to support growth among individuals and across regions/districts.
• Ability to coach, model and provide feedback on performance.
• Highly organized; ability to manage multiple projects at once and meet deadlines.
• Attention to detail with an ability to produce high-quality work in diverse environment.
• Ability to break down complex information into comprehensive parts, ask questions, synthesize, and analyze.
• Ability to influence others to achieve outcomes, both within and outside formal management structures.
• Collaborative and results oriented.
• Demonstrates a growth mindset, desire to self-reflect, give/receive feedback and continuously improve.
• Strong sense of personal accountability; takes initiative to meet ambitious goals.
• Builds strong relationships without compromising outcomes.

Essential Functions

• Consults with Leadership team in the formulation of department goals and objectives.
• Collaborates closely with Sr. Director team to coordinate Service Center efficiency.
• Formulates and recommends improvements in departmental services.
• Work with staff to plan, implement, and evaluate programs and services based on identified needs.
• Foster collegiality, facilitate team building, promote high-level performance, and build a common vision with staff, with a strong focus on collaboration with persons from diverse cultural backgrounds.
• Provide leadership and services to districts in areas of assignment.
• Comply with federal and state laws, State Board of Education Rules and ESC Board Policy and procedures.
• Employ effective interpersonal skills and promote a positive caring climate.
• Evaluate employees' effectiveness; make sound recommendations relative to personnel development, placement, transfer, retention and dismissal.
• Demonstrate behavior that is professional, ethical, responsible and serve as a role model for the region.
• Contribute to the recommendation of sound policies directed toward program improvement.
• Keep informed of and comply with ESC policies and procedures.
• Articulate and support the ESC's mission and instructional philosophy.

All positions at ESC 3 are defined as security-sensitive. Security-sensitive positions are those which require employees to be entrusted with the certain types of data, whether electronic or in paper form. Those data elements, as defined by the ESC 3 Data Classification and Handling Policy may include, but not limited to:

• Sensitive Personal Information (SPI)
• Personally, Identifiable Information (PII)
• Protected Health Information (PHI)
• Family Educational Records (FERPA Data)
• Federal Tax Information (FTI)

It is the employees on-going responsibility to safeguard this type of data and to report any instance of lost or stolen data.