SPEND - Manager, Field Engagement and Implementation

Strategic Public Education National Data (SPEND) Initiative

Modernizing America’s Education Finance Data Infrastructure

Manager, Field Engagement and Implementation

Location: Remote (U.S.-based)

Role Type: Full-time | Senior Individual Contributor (no direct reports)

Salary Range: $115,000 to $135,000 annually, commensurate with experience

Management: Reports to the Director of State Partnerships and Field Engagement (reporting to the Executive Director during an initial leadership leave period); partners closely with the Executive Director and Managing Director of Systems and Analytics

About the SPEND Initiative

Accurate and comparable education finance data is the essential foundation for effective governance and robust research. The Strategic Public Education National Data (SPEND) Initiative is a new, non-partisan collaborative project fiscally sponsored by Education Resource Strategies (ERS). Our mission is to build and sustain a public-interest data infrastructure that guarantees the accuracy, comparability, and timeliness of education finance data. We aim to provide a stable, objective data foundation—a modern "ground truth" that serves the needs of state leaders and the broader education field. SPEND was launched in 2026 with secured three-year general operating funding. This stable financial foundation allows our team to focus on the long-term technical modernization of the nation’s education finance data infrastructure.

Why Work at SPEND?

• Preserve and Upgrade National Data Infrastructure: Your work directly contributes to sustaining the longitudinal school finance datasets that underpin billions of dollars in funding and decades of research on resource allocation and system effectiveness.
• Execute Technical Modernization: Transition the national data infrastructure from fragmented legacy reporting to automated, high-quality systems, establishing an objective foundation for fiscal data collection and transparency.
• Join a Mission-Focused Team with Institutional Stability: Contribute as a foundational member of a new initiative supported by a multi-year general operating grant and the established operational infrastructure of ERS.

Role Overview

We are looking for a Manager, Field Engagement and Implementation to serve as a hands-on project manager and versatile problem solver who is ready to roll up their sleeves and get things done.

You will manage our state and district pilot projects, bridging our technical and leadership teams to keep everything running smoothly. You are the kind of person who can take a rough outline of a problem, build out a solid 85% to 90% solution on your own, and then collaborate with the team to finalize it and bring it across the finish line.

SPEND operates with the speed and agility of an early-stage startup, while staying deeply committed to our nonprofit mission. We focus on real-world impact, move quickly, and prioritize aggressively. We value sustainable, highly focused work and efficient, streamlined processes.

Key Responsibilities

1. State & District Partnerships

• Lead project management for state agency pilots and district partnerships, keeping external milestones on track.
• Connect the dots between our partners, technical team, and external organizations, anticipating roadblocks before they happen.
• Navigate the administrative side of working with public agencies, such as tracking Data Sharing Agreements (DSAs) and managing data handoffs.
• Organize and run partner meetings, working groups, and webinars (including planning agendas, communicating with participants, and managing logistics).

2. Troubleshooting & Problem Solving

• Act as the first line of support when projects hit a snag, whether that means untangling an issue with a data file, exploring dashboard questions with state and district staff, or sharing technical bugs with engineering.
• Work closely with our technical leads to turn partner feedback into helpful improvements for our data tools.
• Help draft grant reporting sections, partner updates, and other written materials to support the organization's growth.

3. Independent Execution

• Take ownership of ambiguous tasks and proactively bring thoughtful solutions and drafts to the team.
• Ensure high quality and accuracy across data, schedules, and written materials.
• Adapt to new needs as SPEND grows, stepping in to handle whatever is necessary to keep our work moving forward.

Why This Role Matters

The Manager, Field Engagement and Implementation helps turn SPEND’s technical goals into reality. By managing projects, solving problems, and keeping our work on track, you ensure that our new data tools actually reach and help the public sector leaders who need them.

Qualifications

Meeting every preferred qualification is not required to advance in our search. Alignment with our mission, objective values, and technical impact is critical.

Required

• Experience: 4 to 7 years of professional experience managing projects, partnerships, or operations in a fast-paced environment (such as an ed-tech startup, public agency data team, or consulting organization).
• Independent problem solving: A track record of taking complex, open-ended projects and running with them independently.
• Attention to detail: High standards for accuracy in data, communication, and project planning.
• Data comfort: You feel confident looking at data sheets, understanding how data is organized, and communicating with technical teams.
• Relationship building: Strong communication skills and empathy for working with state agency staff, district administrators, and partner organizations.
• Flexibility: Ability to adapt when priorities shift and make smart tradeoffs to hit important deadlines.

• Prior experience at an education consulting firm, in education finance, or with government agencies.
• Familiarity with public sector contracts, data privacy agreements, or nonprofit grant reporting.

Compensation and Transparency

The salary range for this role is $115,000 to $135,000 annually, commensurate with experience. Because we are a fully remote team, geography is not a factor in salary; however, all team members must be U.S.-based.

In modeling our commitment to openness and transparency, it’s important to note that starting salaries aren’t typically at or near the top of this range. This is to create opportunities for team members to earn raises throughout their tenure in the role.

ERS equivalent job tier for benefits purposes: Level III

Application Process

To apply, please submit:

1. Your Resume.
2. Short-answer responses to the required prompts.
3. No cover letter is required.

About Our Fiscal Sponsor: Education Resource Strategies (ERS)

ERS is a national non-profit consulting firm that partners with school system leaders to transform how they use resources so that every student can learn and thrive.

ERS is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, ancestry, pregnancy, or military service.