Operations Program Associate

The Department of Public Instruction (DPI) is committed to ensuring every child graduates ready for further education and the workforce. We must align our efforts, so students are learning the skills and knowledge necessary to become contributing members of our communities. To build on our long-standing commitment to public education, we strive to recruit and retain quality employees who are willing to talk openly and commit to helping us increase the diversity of our organization. Our employees are vital to the success of our students, schools and communities. For more information about DPI, please go to http://www.dpi.wi.gov.

Click this video to learn more about the benefits of working at DPI! We are a workplace focused on equity and inclusivity. Staff enjoy flexible work schedules and access to an exceptional employee assistance program that offers tools to help promote wellness.

The Community Nutrition Team within the Division for Finance and Management is seeking applicants for an Operations Program Associate position. In this position, you will have the opportunity to collaborate with dedicated team members to provide administrative and technical support to nutrition program operators located in childcare centers, family day care homes, at-risk afterschool programs, outside of school hours care centers, emergency shelters, and adult care centers throughout the state. If you are looking for a career where no two days are the same, and you get to help people every day, than please apply!

This position is responsible for work requiring a substantial degree of program knowledge, excellent oral, written, electronic communication skills and independent judgment related to the federal nutrition programs administered by the Community Nutrition Team. It has responsibility assisting with a variety of grant management activities, and provides complex administrative, budget, coordinative and technical assistance to the Director, Public Instruction Supervisor, Coordinator, and other team members relative to communications/information management; program data collection, writing, editing, and reporting; administrative responsibilities; and compliance with federal/state regulatory and policy materials.

Starting salary will be $21.23 per hour (approximately $44,159 per year). For current and eligible former State employees, compensation will be set in accordance with the State Compensation Plan effective at time of hire. This position is in pay schedule 02, range 11. A one-year probationary period will be required.

This position offers excellent benefits. The State of Wisconsin is a qualifying employer for the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.

This position has the option to work remotely up to 4 days a week with a requirement that the employee is expected to have access to secure high speed internet. Remote work flexibility will be discussed in more detail during the interview process.

The position is headquartered at 125 S. Webster Street in Madison, WI, and employees are required to report there on their first day of employment. In addition, the employee may need to report to their headquarter location as operational needs require. Reimbursement for traveling to or from the employee’s headquarters is not provided (e.g., mileage, meals, parking, lodging, etc.).

A criminal background check will be conducted prior to an offer of hire.

Applicants must be legally entitled to work in the United States (i.e., a citizen or national of the U.S., without DPI sponsorship). The Department of Public Instruction does not sponsor visas, either at time of hire or at any later time.

Please address the following in your resume and/or letter of qualifications.

A minimally qualified applicant must have experience with all the below:

• Managing multiple tasks and meeting deadlines by using workload management skills (e.g., time management, prioritization, organization, productivity, etc.)
• Proofreading a document in a professional or educational setting (reviewing for grammar/spelling, accuracy, etc.)
• Responding to internal or external requests and inquiries (e.g., answering phones, responding to emails or other written communications, etc.)
• Coordinating workflow (i.e., series of activities) within a team

Well-qualified applicants will also have experience:

• Using Microsoft Office Suite (e.g., Word, Power Point, Outlook, Excel) or similar
• Using software to design, format, or edit webpages for accessibility
• Knowledge of USDA Child Nutrition Programs

Applying is easy! Click “Apply for Job” to start your application process. Sign into your account or click “Register Now” to create an account before applying for the job. Follow the steps outlined in the application process and submit your application.

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Each time you apply for a state job; you should update and tailor your resume and letter of qualifications. You should clearly describe your education, training, and experience related to the items listed in the “Qualifications” section of the job announcement. These qualifications should be addressed in your resume and expanded upon in your letter of qualifications. This will allow a fuller assessment regarding your qualifications and those required for the job applying for.

Your resume should include the following:

• Your educational background including any course work that relates to the position in which you are applying.
• Your employment history, including experiences and/or duties and a summary of accomplishments and skills learned or used.
• Any training or experience, including volunteer work or internships, you have related specifically to the “Qualifications” section of the assessment.
• Spell out any acronyms and/or abbreviations the first time used.

Your letter of qualifications should include:

• Additional information regarding your past work experience, including volunteer work and internships, or coursework you have taken.
• Highlights of your most relevant skills and experiences as they related to the specific job you are applying for.
• Specific examples that clearly demonstrates your level of expertise.

What not to include in your resume or letter of qualifications:

Your application materials should not include any information that is not job-related, such as race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, creed, disability, or genetic information. Further, do not include any self-identifying information such as photos, social security numbers, political affiliation, citizen status or conviction records. This document is not a letter of recommendation that someone else wrote about you.

Application materials will be evaluated, and the most qualified applicants will be invited to participate in the next step of the process. References will be requested from top candidates once interviews have taken place.

If you are a veteran with a 30% or greater service-related disability and are not currently employed in a permanent position with Wisconsin State Government, please send a letter of qualifications, resume, DD-214 and documentation of your service-connected disability rating (dated within 12 months) to the contact listed below.

The State of Wisconsin is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer seeking a diverse and talented workforce. Veterans, women, people of color, LGBTQIA , and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply. We provide reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants and employees with disabilities.

Questions? Please contact the recruiter at:

Amanda Edl

Human Resources Specialist-Senior

Department of Public Instruction

Phone: (608) 266-2813

Email: Amanda.Edl@dpi.wi.gov

The deadline for this announcement is 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, February 8. 2024.