Governmental Relations Project Manager

Governmental Relations Project Manager (Program Management Specialist II Organization: TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY

Primary Location: Texas-AustinWork Locations: Texas Education Agency 1701 NORTH CONGRESS AVENUE Austin 78701

Job: Business and Financial Operations

Employee Status: Regular

Schedule: Full-timeStandard Hours Per Week: 40.00

Travel: Yes, 10 % of the Time

State Job Code: 1671

Salary Admin Plan: B

Grade: 26

Salary (Pay Basis): 6, , Monthly)

Number of Openings: 1

Overtime Status: Exempt

Job Posting: Nov 24, 2025, 8:46:42 AM

Closing Date: Ongoing

Description

MISSION: The Texas Education Agency (TEA) will improve outcomes for all public-school students in the state by providing leadership, guidance, and support to school systems.

Core Values:

• We are Determined: We are committed and intentional in the pursuit of our main purpose, to improve outcomes for students.
• We are People-Centered: We strive to attract, develop, and retain the most committed talent, representing the diversity of Texas, each contributing to our common vision for students.
• We are Learners: We seek evidence, reflect on success and failure, and try new approaches in the pursuit of excellence for our students.
• We are Servant Leaders: Above all else, we are public servants working to improve opportunities for students and provide support to those who serve them.

New hires, re-hires, and internal hires will typically receive a starting salary between the posted minimum and the average pay of employees in their same classification. Offers will be commensurate with the candidate's experience and qualifications and will thoughtfully consider internal pay equity for agency staff who perform similar duties and have similar qualifications. The top half of the posted salary range is generally reserved for candidates who exceed the requirements and qualifications for the role. The maximum salary range is reserved for candidates that far exceed the required and preferred qualifications for the role.

Position Overview

The Governmental Relations Division plays an important role in the support of TEA's legislatively required and requested activities. This position is critical to provide support to the GR Division and their support to the Legislature, Legislative Budget Board, Office of the Governor, and internal TEA staff. Facilitation of information is important if TEA is to achieve the state's strategic vision to ensure that the 5.4 million public school students in Texas are prepared for success in college, career, or the military.

The Governmental Relations Project Manager position reports to the Deputy Director of Governmental Relations as part of a collaborative team overseen by the Chief of Governmental Relations. This role provides high-quality support for TEA's efforts to execute against the state's strategic priorities for public education. Experience working through a Legislative Session, managing fiscal note processes and analyzing policy is preferred to effectively understand and communicate the agency's programs. This role is designed for a dynamic project manager who thrives in fast-paced environments and excels at system-building, deliverable and timeline tracking, and cross-functional collaboration.

The Governmental Relations Project Manager will serve as a key member of the team by managing important division projects – ensuring timely completion of deliverables. This position involves strong use of project management, system building, cross-functional coordination, policy analysis, data compilation, and presentation skills in the form of trainings in support of TEA's legislatively required and requested duties. This role centers on leading TEA's internal fiscal noting system, coordinating across divisions to ensure timely and accurate responses to legislative requests and agency needs. This position will monitor and manage project quality to ensure that project deliverables are acceptable and fulfill the terms of the project specifications as laid out by the Governmental Relations team. Knowledge of the education landscape in Texas, including the political education landscape, and strong communications skills are preferred. A knowledge of state legislative processes as well as agency programs is preferred.

Flexible work location within the state of Texas may be considered for qualified candidates.

Please note that a resume and cover letter are required attachments for applying to this position. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Applicants who are strongly being considered for employment must submit to a national criminal history background check.

Essential Functions
Job duties are not limited to the essential functions mentioned below. You may perform other functions as assigned.

1. Manage Governmental Relations Projects: Manages Projects for Governmental Relations team and ensures timely completion of project deliverables. Utilize project management techniques and tools by tracking activities, ensuring project tasks are completed on time, monitoring and reporting deliverable progress, facilitating collaboration and communication to support project outcomes, continuously assessing and evaluating assigned projects to determine their impact, and suggesting new projects to promote positive project outcomes. Major project during Legislative Session, with some pre and post work, includes facilitating the agency's Fiscal Notes process – including reading, analyzing, and assigning bills, and monitoring program completion of requested fiscal notes. This includes creating and collaborating with agency budget team on new agency fiscal note process training and implementation. During non-session years, major projects include continuously improving Governmental Relations team trainings and tracking systems including Bill Implementation Tracker and the Legislative Briefing Book. Other projects - as assigned - throughout the year.

2. Establish, Maintain, and Utilize Relationships with Internal Agency and Legislative Staff: Acts as liaison between the Governmental Relations team and internal agency staff and with external parties, including legislative offices and education stakeholders. Serves as one of the GR liaisons between each TEA program area and the Legislature to ensure policymaking can be implemented per legislative and statutory intent. This includes developing familiarity with policies in those areas and their operational ramifications. Coordinates with the GR team to ensure accurate external communications, including but not limited to website content and timely responses to legislative inquiries.

3. Review GR and Agency Materials: Assists in the review, preparation, and refinement of materials for the Governmental Relations Division, Commissioner of Education, and agency staff for speeches and public presentations. Works within a team on special one-time and ongoing projects which may include planning and coordinating multiple presentations and disseminating agency information to appropriate stakeholders. Collaborates with the GR and Communications teams to ensure agency responses are presented with accuracy.

4. Ensure Success of GR Division Efforts: Assists in developing project plans, project management scheduling; and reviews policies, practices, and procedures for Governmental Relations Division with an eye toward division process codification and continuous process improvement of the team. Creates and develops the division's quarterly newsletter. Regularly updates the division's webpage, process tracking systems, legislative contacts and responses log, division policies, and procedures as necessary.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

• Education: Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university
• Experience: At least five (5) years of experience in project management, organizational tracking of initiatives and goals, and/or support for multidisciplinary projects

Other Qualifications

• Share the belief that all Texas students can achieve at high levels and are able to succeed in college, career, or the military
• Graduation with major coursework or work experience in education, public administration, government, public policy, or a related field is preferred
• Proven experience in project management, ideally within a government or policy-focused environment
• Experience working with or within a Fiscal Note System (FNS) or similar legislative tracking systems is highly desirable but not required
• Experience working with Texas Legislature is preferred
• Strong capabilities in system design, process improvement, and timeline management
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex policy and financial data into clear, actionable insights
• Skill in compiling, evaluating, and presenting information, as well as the ability to compose and present clear and concise communications for diverse audiences
• Ability to prioritize work streams and collaborate with a diverse group of individuals at different seniority levels, with discretion, while managing multiple projects
• Proficiency in applicable software, specifically Texas Legislature Online, SalesForce, Excel, PowerPoint, Microsoft Word, Telicon, Salesforce and project tracking tools such as Smartsheet and Microsoft Project is preferred but not required
• Knowledge of local, state, and federal laws related to public education is preferred
• General understanding of statistical and policy analysis and of legislative management processes and techniques is preferred
• Knowledge of Legislative Fiscal Note Process is preferred but not required

As an equal opportunity employer, we hire without consideration to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, disability, age or veteran status, unless an applicant is entitled to the military employment preference.

To review the Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) codes from each branch of the U.S. Armed Forces to each job classification series in the State's Position Classification Plan (provided by the State Auditor's Office), please access the Military Crosswalk (occupational specialty code) Guide and click on the military "occupational category" that corresponds with the state classification in this job posting title.

This position requires the applicant to meet Agency standards and criteria which may include passing a pre-employment criminal background check, prior to being offered employment by the Agency.

No phone calls or emails, please. Due to the high volume of applications, we do not accept telephone calls and cannot reply to all email inquiries. Only candidates selected for interview will be contacted. Please add "" and "" to your safe senders list to ensure you receive email notifications from our talent acquisition team and/or hiring division regarding your candidacy.