Engagement Specialist

At the State of Ohio, we take care of the team that cares for Ohioans. We provide a variety of quality, competitive benefits to eligible full-time and part-time employees*. For a list of all the State of Ohio Benefits, visit our Total Rewards website! Our benefits package includes:

• Medical Coverage


• Free Dental, Vision and Basic Life Insurance premiums after completion of eligibility period


• Paid time off, including vacation, personal, sick leave and 11 paid holidays per year


• Childbirth, Adoption, and Foster Care leave


• Education and Development Opportunities (Employee Development Funds, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, and more)


• Public Retirement Systems (such as OPERS, STRS, SERS, and HPRS) & Optional Deferred Compensation (Ohio Deferred Compensation)

*Benefits eligibility is dependent on a number of factors. The Agency Contact listed above will be able to provide specific benefits information for this position.

Ohio is a Disability Inclusion State and strives to be a model employer of individuals with disabilities. The State of Ohio is committed to providing access and inclusion and reasonable accommodation in its services, activities, programs and employment opportunities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other applicable laws.

The final candidate selected for this position will be required to undergo a criminal background check as well as other investigative reviews.  Criminal convictions do not necessarily preclude an applicant from consideration for a position, unless restricted under state or federal law or federal restrictions.  An individual assessment of an applicant's prior criminal convictions will be made before excluding an applicant from consideration.

The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer that values diversity and seeks talented individuals from diverse backgrounds. Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status or any other legally protected class.   Questions or concerns about this should be directed to the Office of Human Resources ([email protected]).

The State of Ohio is a drug-free workplace which prohibits the use of marijuana (recreational marijuana/non-medical cannabis). Please note, this position may be subject to additional restrictions pursuant to the State of Ohio Drug-Free Workplace Policy (HR-39), and as outlined in the posting.

72 months experience performing any combination of the following:

·         Previous employment in an educational setting or family serving agency

·         Providing engagement supports and opportunities to students and families

·         Facilitating or coordinating stakeholder engagement groups across multiple department levels

·         Project planning and implementation

Preferred Qualifications\: 

·         Excellent interpersonal, networking and team-building skills

·         Strong communication skills (written, verbal, other)

·         Facilitating work groups across multiple department levels 

·         Strong relationship building skills

·         Strong customer service skills

·         Experience with development of tools and technical assistance related to program operations.  

·         Working knowledge of state and federal laws and government

The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce is a diverse team of passionate, education-focused professionals responsible for overseeing and enhancing the quality of education for each of Ohio’s 1.7 million students. The Department provides the resources and supports essential to raising student achievement and accelerating learning opportunities, advancing the connectivity between K-12 and postsecondary learning, creating programs to support and expand workforce experiences, and ensuring students have the necessary supports to be ready each day to learn.

As the governing body responsible for overseeing and enhancing the quality of education within the State of Ohio, the Department of Education and Workforce is dedicated to promoting educational excellence and ensuring equal access to learning opportunities for all students. The Department is committed to collaborating with schools, districts, educators, students, families, businesses, nonprofits and all stakeholders to achieve our educational goals.

Serves as an unclassified employee pursuant to Section 3301.13 ORC and performs the following educational and/or research duties\:  

·        Provides customer-focused specialized program assistance;  

·        Work as part of an interdisciplinary team to expand programs and systems that promote and support student, family, and stakeholder engagement and school partnerships. 

·        Collaborates with other state agencies and entities that focus on student, family, and stakeholder engagement, such as family engagement centers or other organizations. 

·        Coordinates initiatives such as student voice groups, family voice groups, stakeholder engagement groups, and other similar projects and provides meaningful, goal-oriented experiences with measured outcomes. 

·        Establishes and maintains collaboration with internal and external stakeholders (e.g., participate in work groups, facilitate collaboration events, provide feedback).  

·        Participates in workgroups and advisory groups as needed as they relate to student, family, and stakeholder engagement. 

·        Provide technical assistance, supports, or resources on how schools can engage students, families, and stakeholders at the local level or how community organizations can partner with schools in these areas.  

·        Research and develop resources and materials for students, families, and stakeholders around how to engage and partner with schools to promote attendance and academic engagement and partnership, including supporting online tools helping families with school selection and choice. 

·        Reviews changing state and federal laws, best practices, and educational data and research and recommends policy changes as needed to direct supervisor. 

·        Facilitate presentations and professional development as requested on topics such as engagement and partnerships among students, families, schools, and stakeholders.  

·        Collects data as requested on how the Department is impacting family engagement and school partnerships.  

·        Performs other duties as assigned.