Instructional Materials Review and Approval (IMRA) Publisher Experience Lead (Education Specialist V) - Internal Vacancy

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) oversees primary and secondary public education in Texas and is committed to improving outcomes for all public school students by providing leadership, guidance, and support to school systems across the state.  

Core Values

• We are Determined: We are committed and intentional in pursuing our primary purpose of improving outcomes for students.
• We are People-Centered: We strive to attract, develop, and retain committed talent that reflects the diversity of Texas, with each individual contributing to our shared vision for students.
• We are Learners: We seek evidence, reflect on outcomes, and continuously improve in pursuit of excellence for students.
• We are Servant Leaders: We are public servants committed to improving opportunities for students and supporting those who serve them. 

This is a 10-day internal posting.  We are only accepting applications from current Texas Education Agency (TEA) employees. External applicants will not be considered.

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) Instructional Materials Review and Approval (IMRA) team plans and executes reviews to identify high-quality instructional materials, supports publishers engaged in the review process, and prepares and publishes reports and other information to support districts in making local adoption decisions.

The IMRA Publisher Experience Lead serves as a key individual contributor within the IMRA Team, part of the Division of District Operations, Technology, and Sustainability Supports (DOTSS) within the Office of School Programs (OSP). This role reports to the Deputy Director, IMRA Systems, Strategy, and Partnerships.

The IMRA Publisher Experience Lead performs highly advanced (senior-level) consultative, technical assistance, training, and stakeholder engagement work related to publisher participation in the IMRA process. The position is responsible for designing, maintaining, and continuously improving publisher-facing systems, resources, communications, and training structures that support successful participation in instructional materials reviews.

This role develops and maintains the Publisher Handbook, guidance materials, training resources, communication templates, knowledge bases, and support systems that help publishers navigate IMRA requirements and timelines. The position analyzes publisher feedback, identifies trends and pain points, and develops scalable solutions that improve clarity, consistency, efficiency, and stakeholder satisfaction across the review process.

The IMRA Publisher Experience Lead collaborates extensively with IMRA leadership, operations staff, vendors, Education Service Centers (ESCs), and publishers to ensure communications, training, and guidance materials accurately reflect program requirements and support successful implementation. The role works under limited supervision with extensive latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment. This position does not supervise staff but provides subject matter expertise and leadership in publisher engagement, communication systems, and stakeholder experience improvement.

This position requires up to 10% travel, based on business needs, to support program initiatives, collaboration, and operational priorities.

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

Please note that a resume is a required attachment 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 - Publisher Experience Strategy, Resources, and Systems: Lead the design, development, implementation, and continuous improvement of publisher-facing resources, systems, and tools that support participation in the IMRA process. This includes developing and maintaining the Publisher Handbook, submission guidance, process documentation, timelines, templates, checklists, knowledge bases, and other reference materials. Evaluate publisher support systems and identify opportunities to improve usability, consistency, accessibility, and effectiveness. Establish and maintain governance processes to ensure resources remain accurate, current, and aligned with statutory requirements, operational procedures, and program priorities. Develop scalable solutions that reduce confusion, improve publisher readiness, and increase overall efficiency across IMRA review cycles.
2 - Training, Technical Assistance, and Stakeholder Support: Lead the planning and coordination of publisher training programs, office hours, orientation sessions, webinars, and other learning opportunities that support successful participation in the IMRA process. Establish content requirements and guidance for vendor-developed training curricula, presentations, job aids, videos, and supporting materials. Review, provide feedback on, and approve training materials to ensure they are accurate, accessible, consistent, and aligned with IMRA requirements and program expectations. Coordinate training delivery and provide advanced technical assistance to publishers, internal staff, vendors, and other stakeholders. Use stakeholder feedback and emerging trends to recommend improvements to training content and support structures.
3 - Communications Management and Stakeholder Engagement: Develop, manage, and maintain publisher communication systems, including communication plans, messaging frameworks, templates, announcements, FAQs, help desk content, and stakeholder engagement processes. Standardize communications across the IMRA process to ensure publishers receive accurate, timely, and consistent information regardless of point of contact. Collaborate with IMRA leadership, operations staff, vendors, and other stakeholders to coordinate communications and ensure alignment across teams. Support planning and execution of publisher-facing communications related to Request for Instructional Materials (RFIM) releases, training opportunities, review milestones, system updates, deadlines, and program changes.
4 - Publisher Feedback Analysis and Continuous Improvement: Collect, analyze, and synthesize publisher feedback from surveys, office hours, help desk interactions, training sessions, and other stakeholder engagement activities. Identify trends, recurring questions, process pain points, and opportunities to improve user experience, communication effectiveness, and operational efficiency. Develop recommendations for enhancements to publisher support systems, tools, training, resources, and processes. 
Create reports, dashboards, presentations, and summaries that inform decision-making and support continuous improvement efforts across the IMRA program
5 - Cross-Functional Collaboration and Program Support: Collaborate with IMRA leadership, operations staff, vendors, ESCs, technology partners, and other agency teams to ensure alignment between publisher-facing resources and program operations. Support development and implementation of agency initiatives, process improvements, system enhancements, and stakeholder engagement efforts related to instructional materials review and approval activities. Participate in project planning, process design, and organizational improvement efforts that strengthen publisher support and increase program effectiveness.
 

Minimum Qualifications

Education: Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university
Experience: At least five (5) years of experience in analyzing stakeholder feedback, identifying process improvement opportunities, and implementing solutions that improve user understanding, operational efficiency, and customer satisfaction
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 
• Experience working directly with publishers, school systems, education service centers, state education agencies, or other education-focused organizations is preferred 
• Developing and maintaining training programs, guidance documents, handbooks, or technical assistance resources 
• Designing stakeholder communication systems and support structures 
• Managing help desk, ticketing, FAQ, or customer support processes 
• Analyzing stakeholder feedback and using data to improve services and processes 
• Working with publishers, educational service providers, school systems, or education agencies 
• Leading cross-functional projects involving multiple stakeholders and competing priorities 
• Supporting large-scale implementation initiatives requiring extensive stakeholder communication and training
   

New hires, rehires, and internal hires will typically receive a starting salary between the posted minimum and the average pay of employees within the same classification. Offers are based on the candidate's experience and qualifications and consider internal pay equity across employees performing similar work.

The top half of the posted salary range is generally reserved for candidates whose qualifications exceed the role's requirements. The maximum of the range is typically reserved for candidates who significantly exceed the required and preferred qualifications.

TEA employees receive a comprehensive benefits package through the State of Texas and the Employee Retirement System of Texas (ERS), supporting health, financial security, and work-life balance.
Benefits include:

• Retirement through ERS and employer-paid health insurance for eligible employees
• Optional dental, vision, and dependent coverage
• Paid state holidays, vacation leave, sick leave, and longevity pay
• Wellness programs, employee assistance programs, and professional development opportunities
• Eligibility for the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program

To learn more about benefits available to State of Texas employees, please review the State of Texas Employee Benefits brochure and visit the TEA Compensation and Benefits page.

Applicants eligible for Military Employment Preference will be considered in accordance with applicable state and federal laws and regulations.

To explore how military experience may align with this role, applicants may review Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) codes within the State's Position Classification Plan. Please refer to the Military Crosswalk and select the occupational category that most closely corresponds with the classification listed in this job posting.

TEA is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal and state nondiscrimination laws. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or veteran status.

TEA does not sponsor or assume sponsorship of employment visas.

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.

To learn more about working at TEA, including hiring timelines, process details, and candidate resources, please visit the Careers at TEA page.

Due to the high volume of applications, we are unable to accept phone calls or respond to all email inquiries. Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

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