School Liaison- Division of K-12 Education Innovation and Scholar Success

Grand Valley State University
Grand Valley State University

Grand Rapids, MI, USA

Posted on Jul 12, 2026
This position serves as the primary point of contact between GVSU and an assigned portfolio of charter schools, providing integrated support to both governing boards and school leaders. This role strengthens school performance, board effectiveness, and charter contract compliance by combining deep governance expertise with data-informed school support. This position builds strong, trust-based relationships with board chairs, school leaders, and internal GVSU teams to promote healthy, high-performing schools.

This position is being recruited across three regions- West Michigan, Central Michigan, and East/Southeast Michigan. Please specify in your cover letter which region you are applying for.



Salary & Benefits:

Minimum starting salary of $74,024. Depending on region and commensurate with experience.

Comprehensive benefits package including medical, vision, dental, life insurance, generous employer retirement contributions, wellness resources and tuition waiver effective on date of hire.

PRIMARY DUTIES

  • Serve as the main point of contact between the school and charter authorizer.
  • Routinely represent GVSU at school meetings of various types including school board, academic, partnership district, celebratory, charter renewal, financial and compliance.
  • Build strong working relationships with school leaders, boards, and other partners to support coordinated problem-solving and responsive action. This includes advising and consulting with charter school board members (either individually or as a group), school management, and school leaders to help them fulfill the obligations of their school's charter contract.
  • Collect, analyze and report academic and organizational data to monitor school health and alignment with GVSU accountability expectations.
  • Collaborate with internal team members and external stakeholders to apply consistent and transparent internal procedures to address academic, fiscal or compliance weaknesses.
  • Coordinate the process of appointing charter school board members (Application, Background Check, Board Resolution, Interview, Oath of Office, Verification of Citizenship).
  • Design, schedule, and conduct or facilitate training opportunities for charter school board members and other school personnel
  • Perform other duties as required/assigned by leadership.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

  • Master’s degree in relevant discipline.

  • A minimum of five (5) years of full-time, satisfactory experience post master’s degree experience that demonstrates growth in leadership or management responsibilities in K-12 education.

  • Demonstrated understanding of the K-12 educational landscape, including the interrelationships between policy, systems, and diverse stakeholders within complex educational organizations.

  • Proven experience providing professional learning and support in multiple formats to a variety of school related audiences.

  • Experience using data and information to analyze systems, diagnose challenges, and develop strategies to help schools achieve ambitious outcomes.

  • Experience supporting schools and providing actionable feedback to improve the quality of educational programs.

  • Demonstrated commitment to advancing equitable access to high‑quality educational opportunities and improving outcomes for students in historically underserved communities.

  • Excellent interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills, with the ability to communicate with diverse audiences.

  • Experience managing sensitive issues with discretion, diplomacy, and sound judgment, and make clear, well-reasoned recommendations.

  • An exceptional track record of rapidly building positive, trusting relationships with stakeholders.

  • Ability to collaborate as part of a collegial, solutions‑oriented team that supports one another and advances shared goals.

  • Ability to work independently, take initiative, and maintain proactive, two‑way communication that keeps colleagues and stakeholders informed, aligned, and engaged.

  • Strong organizational skills, including the ability to manage multiple priorities, coordinate concurrent workstreams, track progress, and meet deadlines.

PREFERRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

  • Possesses an area of specialty knowledge demonstrated by five or more (5+) years direct experience, such as special education, board relations, school improvement, English language learning, early/middle college, etc.

  • Demonstrated understanding of the charter school movement and advancing educational opportunities and innovation through school choice.

  • Knowledge of charter school operations.

Additional Information:

  • Regional travel – This position is regional and requires regular travel to assigned schools, board meetings, and occasional internal meetings. The School Liaison must be able to drive throughout their designated region when in-person attendance is required. Regions are West, Central/East and Southeast.
  • Non-standard, flexible schedule – This role requires schedule flexibility. School meetings and internal collaborative meetings are typically scheduled during traditional work hours. Board meetings are often scheduled early in the morning, evening or weekends times, and dates/times may require rescheduling as necessary (e.g., lack of quorum, inclement weather). The position requires the ability to adjust accordingly to meet the demands of the role.
  • Physical Demands: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Must have the physical stamina to work long hours and/or engage in frequent driving conditions. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

How to Apply:

Attach your cover letter and resume. Applications missing required documents will not be considered . The system will allow you to attach these documents electronically. If you have questions about the position or the posting, please contact Sarah-Kate LaVan (lavans@gvsu.edu). If you need technical assistance, please contact Human Resources at hro@gvsu.edu.

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States and must not require sponsorship now or in the future.

Application Deadline:

Application review begins Monday July 27 and this posting may be closed at any time at the discretion of the University.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Must have the physical stamina to work long hours and/or more than 5 days per week. The requirements listed are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The information contained in this job description is for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act as amended by the ADA Amendment Act (2008), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and other applicable federal and state laws that prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability. GVSU will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. See www.gvsu.edu/equalopportunity/. TDD Callers: Call Michigan Relay Center at 711 (in State) or 1-800-833-7833 (out of State).

Grand Valley State University is an Antidiscrimination/Equal Opportunity Employer, which includes providing equal opportunity for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities. University policy extends protections to additional identities.

See more open positions at Grand Valley State University