Finance and Data Operations Manager (Program Management Specialist II)

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 Finance and Data Operations Manager is a key member of the Strategy, Operations & Reporting team within the TEA Student Assessment Division. This role is responsible for leading financial forecasting and management for the division’s ~$120M operating budget, as well as any additional funding that may come through the state legislature. The Manager develops and maintains budget workbooks, forecasting tools, and data infrastructure to support assessment spending and ensure financial health.

This position manages vendor contracts and operations, serving as a subject matter expert on variable-pricing contract management and partnering with vendors to ensure accurate invoicing, compliance, and documentation. The Manager coordinates quarterly invoicing cycles, validates submissions, and supports contract modifications and negotiations. The Manager collects, analyzes, and reports key performance indicators to evaluate strategic trends and operational effectiveness. This role will design and maintain dashboards, datasets, and reports, ensuring transparency and accessibility for public information requests and legislative inquiries and estimates. Finally, the Manager drives strategic assessment and continuous improvement by recommending and implementing process enhancements, providing customized analysis for operating decisions, and supporting division leaders in communicating actionable insights to stakeholders.

This position reports directly to the Principal Director of Strategy, Operations, & Reporting and has moderate latitude for initiative and independent judgment.

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

Please note that a resume, tailored cover letter, and short answer responses 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. Division Financial Forecasting & Management: Lead the development and maintenance of dynamic budget workbooks to estimate financial inflow and outflow across assessment contracts. Design and support administrative operations and budget tracking for the division, ensuring quality assurance, compliance with agency procedures, and timely financial health assessments. Serve as point of contact for internal finance team in regard to assessment-related funding, promoting clear lines of communication and data.
2. Vendor Contract Management & Operations: Coordinate with assessment vendors to ensure process timelines, deliverables, and contract compliance. Manage quarterly invoicing cycles, validate submissions, and maintain documentation for contract modifications and negotiations (as-needed). Serve as a subject matter expert on contract terms and partner with vendors to ensure accurate invoicing and spending documentation.
3. Reporting, Data Analysis, & Transparency: Collect, analyze, and report key performance indicators to evaluate strategic trends and operational effectiveness. Design, develop, and maintain dashboards, datasets, and reports for recurring and ad hoc analysis. Ensure documentation is clear and accessible for public information requests and legislative inquiries estimates, and drive continuous improvement in data request workflows.
4. Continuous Improvement & Actionable Insights: Recommend and implement process and strategy improvements across division(s). Refine operational processes, provide customized analysis for operating decisions, and support directors and/or initiative leads in communicating data and strategy externally. Develop presentations and resources to share actionable insights with stakeholders.

• Minimum Qualifications
• • Education: Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university
• • Experience: At least five (5) years of experience in finance, analytics, and/or related work
• • Substitutions: An advanced degree may substitute for two years of required experience

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 
• Desire to make an impact in K-12 public education
• Exceptional attention to detail; produces high-quality work in dynamic environments
• Advanced Excel skills with experience in financial modeling, budget management, and data analysis
• Analytical thinker; able to turn ambiguity into actionable, value-added plans
• Highly organized; excellent written and verbal communication; strong project and time management
• Passion for working with data and making decisions based on quantitative reasoning
• Proven track record of successful implementation across multiple concurrent projects
• Self-starter with an outcomes-based approach; fast learner who thrives in high-performing settings
• Committed to self-reflection, feedback, and continuous improvement
• Working knowledge of SQL, PowerBI, and other data visualization tools (preferred)
• Previous project management experience (preferred)

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 "capps.recruiting@cpa.texas.gov" and "@tea.texas.gov" to your safe senders list to ensure you receive email notifications from our talent acquisition team and/or hiring division regarding your candidacy.