Job Description

ABOUT US

The Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) is one of the leading school systems in Maryland and the nation. To learn more about us and our 2024 -2029 Strategic Plan, please visit our website and our careers page Join our award-winning workforce and make a difference in the lives of our students!

ABOUT THE APPLICATION PROCESS

Before you begin, please read the job posting below carefully including the Application Requirements specific to this position. Be sure your application reflects experience and education required to meet the minimum and any preferred qualifications listed. Our application guide includes detailed instructions to assist you. Once your application has been submitted, you will not be able to add documentation or make any changes.

Please note that application submission will be available only through 11:59 PM on the date prior to the indicated end date. If no end date is indicated, the posting will remain open indefinitely

Job Posting End Date:

06-30-2026

Reminder: Current permanent and temporary employees must apply through the Jobs Hub in Workday, not the external career site.

Under the direction of the Coordinator, Countywide Services, the Program Assistant, Itinerant Programming provides essential administrative and operational support to the Department of Special Education. The primary focus of this role is the management of contract staffing, vendor relations, and fiscal accuracy regarding supplemental personnel. This position ensures that specialized staffing needs across the district are identified, verified, and accurately funded to maintain a full continuum of services for students with disabilities.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

• High school diploma or GED.

Experience:

• One year of general clerical, administrative support experience creating or maintaining organizational systems.
• One year of experience with data management systems such as Google Sheets and Microsoft Excel.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

The ideal candidate for this role will also possess a combination of the additional qualifications below. If you don’t meet every one of the preferred qualifications, we still encourage you to apply, as we welcome applications from candidates with diverse backgrounds and experiences.

• Associate degree or higher from an accredited college or university.
• Experience managing vendor information and reviewing vendor invoices.
• Experience in a PreK-12 school setting interacting with a variety of stakeholders such as school administrators and front office staff.
• Experience providing customer service and building strong professional relationships.

ESSENTIAL POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES

The below list is a summary of the functions of the job, not an exhaustive or comprehensive list of all possible job responsibilities, tasks, and duties.

• Serves as the primary point of contact for external staffing vendors. Communicates on a regular basis to confirm and document start and end dates for all contract staff to ensure uninterrupted service delivery. Reviews vendor timesheets and invoices for accuracy.
• Identifies and resolves inaccuracies before approval to ensure proper management of operating or grant-funded budgets.
• Maintains a comprehensive database of contract personnel based on vendor and school data. Uses this information to provide data analysis to leadership regarding staffing trends and needs.
• Collaborates directly with school-based administrators and front office staff to confirm current position vacancies and specialized staffing needs. Works to ensure that school-level requests align with the specific requirements of specialized programming.
• Works closely with the Directors of Special Education to verify the necessity of requested positions. Supports the evaluation of staffing ratios and the effective allocation of resources across the district.

ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

The below list is a summary of the knowledge, skills, and abilities required for success in this position, not an exhaustive or comprehensive list.

Knowledge

• Familiarity with federal, state, and local funding structures (e.g., IDEA or Title I) and the specific compliance rules governing "allowable" expenditures.
• Understanding of staffing ratios and the unique requirements for specialized roles (e.g., SLPs, OTs, or Paraeducators) within a school district.
• Knowledge of Service Level Agreements (SLAs) and the legal components of vendor contracts, including renewal cycles and termination clauses.
• Understanding of data privacy laws (such as FERPA) regarding the handling of personnel and student-related information.

Skills

• Maintains complex databases and using tools like Excel or specialized HRIS to track longitudinal staffing trends.
• Performs meticulous audits of invoices and timesheets, identifying "red flag" discrepancies that could impact the operating budget.
• Translates raw data into actionable reports or visualizations for leadership to assist in district-wide resource planning.
• Serves as a liaison between external vendors and internal district directors, ensuring clear expectations for service delivery.

Abilities

• Ability to partner with school-based administrators to determine if a staffing request is a "need" versus a "want," ensuring alignment with specialized programming.
• Ability to spot minute errors in vendor billing or contract dates that could lead to overspending or lapses in service.
• Ability to manage fluctuating staffing needs and shifting priorities across multiple school sites simultaneously.
• Ability to maintain strict objectivity when verifying the necessity of positions and approving financial documents.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Working Hours

The duty day for this position is eight hours including a one-hour duty-free lunch.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

Complete applications must be submitted, and once your application has been submitted, you will not be able to add documentation or make any changes. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a completed application.

Supplemental Application Questions

This position requires applicants to provide responses to the below supplemental application questions to determine whether you meet the minimum and preferred qualifications. Please upload your responses in a separate file to the supplemental application questions section of the application.

1) Please describe your experience providing general clerical or administrative support in which you create or maintain organizational systems. Include the position(s) in which you gained this experience and any technology routinely utilized.

2) Please describe your experience with data management systems such as Google Sheets and Microsoft Excel. Include the position(s) in which you gained this experience and up to two examples that demonstrate your proficiency with these systems.

3) Please describe any experience you possess managing vendor information and reviewing vendor invoices. Include the position(s) in which you gained this experience and the typical number of vendors with whom you worked at one time.

4) Please describe up to two examples of any experience you have providing customer service and building strong professional relationships. For each, include the position(s) in which you gained this experience.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications will be included in further evaluation. Interviews will be limited to those applicants who, in addition to meeting the basic requirements, have experience and education which most closely match the position qualifications and the needs of the school system.

Applicants may be required to complete a skills assessment prior to or during the interview process.

EMPLOYMENT INFORMATION

Compensation

This is a 12-month per year position in the Howard County Education Association, Educational Support Professionals (HCEA-ESP) employee unit. The current salary range for this position is Grade 20 on the Technical Central Office and School Based salary scale, $43,736 - $92,770. Step placement will be in accordance with the salary procedures of the Howard County Public School System and the HCEA-ESP Master Agreement which considers relevant prior experience. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, this position is exempt from overtime.

Retirement

Membership in the Maryland State Retirement Agency (MSRA) pension plan is a mandatory condition of employment for all employees who meet the eligibility and membership criteria defined in the State Personnel and Pensions Article and the Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR). A qualifying employee cannot reject membership, nor can an ineligible employee elect membership. The annual contribution to the pension plan will be 7% of an employee’s annual salary.

Benefits

HCPSS offers a comprehensive benefits package for eligible employees. Information about additional benefits such as paid time off can be found in the negotiated agreement for employees in this bargaining unit.

Pre-Employment Requirements

Professional references will be contacted prior to any offer of employment. Recommended candidates will be required to provide references from current and recent supervisors.

All employees, regular and temporary, must be fingerprinted, have a criminal background investigation completed, and successfully complete the Maryland Employment History Review, pursuant to Section 6-113.2 of the Education Article, Annotated Code of Maryland. In addition, some positions will require completion of a physical examination and/or drug testing.

Anyone offered employment is required to provide proper identification and documentation of eligibility for employment in the United States. HCPSS participates in E-Verify and does not offer employee sponsorship.

For questions regarding this posting, please contact Sandy Saval at sandy_saval@hcpss.org

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

To request an accommodation during the application or interview process due to a documented disability, please email humanresources@hcpss.org

HCPSS celebrates diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees and applicants and prohibits discrimination, harassment, and retaliation of any kind. HCPSS is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all employees in providing them with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions at HCPSS are based on organizational needs, job requirements and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion or belief, national, social or ethnic origin, sex (including pregnancy), age, physical, mental or sensory disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital, civil union or domestic partnership status, veteran status or present military service, family medical history or genetic information, family or parental status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.