Kentucky Education Association

UniServ Director

Based in Northern Kentucky

 

POSITION TITLE: UniServ Director
DEPARTMENT: Affiliate Relations
IMMEDIATE SUPERVISOR: Assistant Executive Director for Affiliate Relations
EMPLOYEE GROUP: KEASO Bargaining Unit
LOCATION: KEA Field Area, Northern Kentucky 
HOURS/STATUS: Full Time / Permanent
SALARY: Negotiated contract between KEASO and KEA
CLOSING DATE: April 29, 2026

Summary of Position:
The UniServ Director assists local affiliates and individual KEA members in organizational and program development designed to: increase and maintain association membership; implement the mission, vision and strategic goals of the Association by supporting the articulated programmatic priorities; strengthen and improve the welfare of members; and enhance the public education climate for members and for their students. 

KEA Mission and Vision:
KEA is the preeminent voice for quality public education. We unite, organize and empower our members to advocate for themselves and to ensure a quality public education for every Kentucky student.

Association Values:

• Advocacy: uses effective, meaningful communication and action to promote the interests of school employees and public education
• Collective Action: works together to achieve common goals
• Integrity: demonstrates sincerity, trustworthiness and reliability
• Professionalism: directs sound judgment, empathy, and high standards
• Respect: consistently values individuals and their contributions
• Unity: lays the foundation for a strong association through shared vision

Essential Position Responsibilities:
Membership Recruitment and Retention: Develop and/or implement programs and activities to increase and maintain KEA membership. 

Support Organizational and Local District Goals: Coordinate and advocate for KEA/NEA programs and priorities with locals and the members in those locals. Develop and/or implement political action, community/public relations, legislative support, and professional development activities and programs. Improve and maintain the organizational health of KEA locals through leadership training and development, internal communications, business management, and conflict resolution. Work with locals in development and implementation of their political action plans. Support and assist the elected leaders and representatives in carrying out the full range of their activities. Assist local associations in developing and implementing programs of member advocacy with particular emphasis on leadership development, negotiations, contract administration/grievance processing, organizing, public relations, human relations, legislative and political action, instruction and professional development and member rights activity.

Advocate for Member Rights: Advocate for the rights of KEA members through collective bargaining, grievance processing, and other means. Develop and/or implement programs in member’s rights and human relations. Assist and represent members in dispute resolution and other employment related concerns. 

Operations Management: Maintain regular office hours at assigned work location. Attend meetings of locals, districts, and the state Association, as appropriate. Provide for regular two-way communications between the state, national, and local association membership.

Education & Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree required, advanced degree desired
• Demonstrated experience in member and issue organizing, membership promotion and development, and political action required

Behavioral Competencies:
Action Oriented: Consistently maintains high levels of activity or productivity; sustains long working hours when necessary, works with vigor, effectiveness and determination over a sustained period.

• Balances information gathering and analysis activities with an urgency to take action
• Develops and implements strategic plans for new projects and redirects activity on plans that aren’t working
• Sets challenging performance standards for self and team
• Tackles problems or conflicts head-on; doesn't procrastinate
• Takes the initiative to identify and solve work-related problems
• Values planning, but will take quick, decisive action when an opportunity presents itself

Adaptability: Adapts well to changes in assignments and priorities; adapts behavior or work methods in response to new information, changing conditions, or unexpected obstacles; approaches change positively and adjusts behaviors accordingly.

• Acknowledges new information and adjusts responses accordingly
• Adjusts timelines, results and expectations appropriately to changing needs
• Identifies ways to incorporate new practices into existing framework
• Overcomes obstacles to achieve results
• Persists towards solutions and goals in changing circumstances
• Remains flexible and open to new ideas and encourages others to value change
• Thinks and acts effectively under pressure
• Understands changes in work tasks, situations, and environment as well as the basis for change

Building Trust: Interacts with others in a way that gives them confidence in one’s motives and representations and those of the organization. Is seen as direct and truthful; keeps confidences, promises, and commitments.

• Adheres to a set of core values that are represented in decisions and actions
• Avoids situations and actions considered inappropriate or which present a conflict of interest
• Demonstrates honesty; keeps commitments; behaves in a consistent manner
• Follows through on agreed-upon actions
• Gives proper credit to others
• Operates with transparency; has no hidden agenda
• Places confidence in colleagues, staff members and clients
• Shares information accurately, completely and appropriately
• Tells the truth and does the right thing, even when it is difficult
• Treats sensitive or confidential information appropriately

Communication: Clearly conveys and receives information and ideas through a variety of media to individuals or groups in a manner that engages the listener, helps them understand and retain the message, and invites response and feedback. Keeps others informed as appropriate; demonstrates good written, oral, and listening skills.

• Listens actively and asks appropriate questions
• Clearly and effectively conveys information verbally and in writing
• Ensures that regular communication occurs based on the needs of the work, the individual, management or the situation
• Identifies and uses effective communication channels and methods (e.g., presentations, electronic dissemination, social media)
• Models open, non-defensive, direct, and thoughtful communication
• Uses analogies, visuals, and other techniques to tailor communications to specific audiences
• Utilizes skill in presenting information, analysis, ideas and positions in a clear, succinct, accurate, convincing manner, as is appropriate with the audience

Conflict Management: Uses appropriate interpersonal styles and techniques to reduce tension and/or conflict between two or more people; able to size up situations quickly; able to identify common interests; facilitates resolution.

• Expresses disagreements in a way that does not attack or disparage others
• Facilitates the development of creative solutions to conflict
• Helps uncover underlying and unstated issues causing the conflict
• Identifies and takes steps to prevent potential situations that could result in unpleasant confrontations
• Knows when to compromise and when to stand firm

Cultural Competence: Cultivates opportunities through diverse people; respects and relates well to people from varied backgrounds, understands diverse worldviews, and is sensitive to group differences; sees diversity as an opportunity, challenges bias and intolerance.

• Demonstrates behaviors, attitudes, policies and structures that enable them to work effectively cross-culturally
• Has the capacity to value diversity, conduct self-assessment, manage the dynamics of difference, acquire and institutionalize cultural knowledge and adapt to diversity
• Identifies and understands the needs and help-seeking behaviors of individual members
• Respects and relates well to people from varied backgrounds

Developing others: Helps plan and support the development of individuals’ skills and abilities so that they can fulfill role responsibilities more effectively.

• Encourages members to use all available resources to complete their association activities
• Ensures that members understand their own role and the role of their organization
• Expresses confidence in others' ability to be successful
• Gives people assignments that will help develop their abilities
• Recognizes and reinforces people's developmental efforts and improvements
• Regularly assesses member and local leader skills and knowledge to determine training and development needs
• Shares information, advice, and suggestions to help others to be more successful; provides effective coaching
• Uses innovative approaches to provide a variety of learning opportunities to develop critical skills 

Influence: Uses appropriate interpersonal skills and techniques to gain acceptance for ideas or solutions. Uses influencing strategies to gain genuine agreements; seeks to persuade rather than force solutions or impose decisions or regulations.

• Demonstrates ability to influence others when appropriate
• Maintains an awareness of goals and objectives and navigates solutions towards desired ends, while maintaining relationships and supporting consensus
• Uses all available information appropriately to guide decisions and negotiations to meet objectives, while acting with integrity

Member focus: Make members and their needs a primary focus of one’s actions; gains member trust and respect; meets or exceeds member expectations.

• Balances interests of a variety of members
• Conveys a positive attitude when interacting with members
• Engages the member as a partner in leadership development and attaining association goals
• Establishes and maintains credibility with the public, members and colleagues
• Makes use of specialized knowledge to assist members in resolving problems
• Understands members and takes a proactive approach to meeting their needs in an effective and timely manner

Planning and Organizing: Organizes work, sets priorities, and determines resources requirements; determines necessary sequence of activities needed to achieve goals in a complete and timely manner.

• Anticipates problems and mitigates risks
• Consults with supervisor to determine priorities if necessary
• Implements or utilizes strategic plans on a daily basis
• Maintains a high level of energy and commitment to juggle multiple tasks and priorities
• Negotiates adjustments in timelines and/or scope of work, when appropriate
• Organizes work, sets priorities, and determines resource requirements
• Provides work-in-progress status updates proactively and informs others when work is completed
• Recognizes and addresses the interdependences of activities and resources
• Sets, commits to, and maintains high standards for quality work and responsiveness; readily re-adjusts priorities to respond to pressing and changing demands
• Takes advantage of available resources to complete work efficiently
• Uses time effectively and prevents distractions from interfering with work completion

Teamwork: Participates as an active and contributing member of a team to achieve team goals. Works cooperatively with other team members, involves others, shares information as appropriate, and shares credit for team accomplishments.

• Fosters a working atmosphere conducive to collaborative efforts
• Identifies areas of personal expertise and seeks out opportunities to lend expertise to working groups to maximize outcomes
• Listens to constructive feedback and incorporates suggestions to achieve collective objectives
• Participates willingly and effectively on team assignments and projects
• Solicits input from team members
• Works collaboratively together with others to achieve group goals and objectives

Technical Competencies:
Coaching/Mentorship: Helps members to acquire the awareness, confidence, and resources necessary to fulfill their potential within the association.

• Acts as a role model and example to others
• Assists, supports, and encourages others in identifying difficulties, prioritizing tasks, defining goals (i.e., developing a local organizing plan) and producing positive results
• Employs and encourages a feedback process
• Identifies and demonstrates supportive coaching behavior
• Identifies effective strategies for modifying behaviors and attitudes
• Recognizes and encourages performance excellence
• Shares expertise and provides informal advice

Ethics Knowledge: Possesses a clear understanding of the boundaries of acceptable activity within one’s role and acts to ensure that the organization’s interactions with members and others remain above reproach.

• Integrates federal and state statutes, regulations, policies and procedures with the purpose of recognizing ethical issues for which advice should be sought and knows what action to take including contacting ethics advisors and proper parties
• Maintains a comprehensive working knowledge of related statutes, regulations, policies, and procedures affecting assigned areas
• Understands and applies knowledge of, and promotes compliance with, appropriate statues, regulations, policies, and procedures

Facilitation: Impartially guides individuals or a group with an overall goal of reaching consensus, solving problems or accomplishing tasks.

• Effectively distinguishes process from content
• Encourages divergent viewpoints to ensure final solutions are varied
• Establishes clear goals and purpose that outline the objectives
• Evokes participation and creativity from others
• Exhibits behaviors and techniques that enhance the quality of group processes
• Guides a group with an overall goal of reaching consensus, solving problems or accomplishing tasks
• Interjects and diverts group to the goals of the session

Labor Relations: Understands and demonstrates knowledge of laws, rules, regulations, case law, principles, and practices related to school employees in Kentucky.

• Applies knowledge of consensus building, negotiation, coalition building, mediation, and other non-adversarial problem solving approaches to resolve problems between members and school management
• Provides support and assistance on school employee employment matters such as work schedules, time and leave, performance evaluations, etc.
• Identifies, evaluates, and recommends options to school employees and management, when possible, to solve complex problems and issues.
• Assesses member circumstances, offers appropriate advice and assists in preparation of grievances, evaluation appeals, written responses to disciplinary action and requests legal assistance as appropriate
• When working with a bargaining local, reviews, translates, and negotiates union proposals, counter proposals, and settlement agreements

Project Management: Completes procedures, documents, forms, reports and/or budgets that are essential to the day-to-day operations of a group, project, or program.

• Adheres to policies and procedures, including timeframes, for all milestones and requirements
• Answers and/or researches project-related questions
• Completes project documents and tasks
• Keeps managers aware of the status of projects being managed, including timeframes and document requirements, and key operational issues through formal and informal communications (e.g., status reports, e-mails, updates at meetings)
• Ensures that individual projects are progressing on time, on budget, and on target
• Develops a plan to ensure quality and manages project activities in a way that allows for an appropriate level of control based on role within a project
• Evaluates performance by reviewing progress toward goals and operational plans and makes adjustments as needed
• Identifies and analyzes environmental influences impacting a project
• Identifies key stakeholders in a project
• Maintains an awareness of potential high-risk practices and situations, and appropriately identifies, responds and alerts others to risks and issues as they develop

Training Program Administration: Promotes individual and organizational development through planning, designing, and managing employee development and training programs/services.

• Continuously improves training programs
• Disseminates program information
• Evaluates effectiveness of training programs
• Identifies and deploys program delivery strategies and methodologies
• Manage equipment and materials
• Manage facilities/training spaces
• Schedule programs, staff, and participants

Other Requirements:

• Support for KEA’s mission, vision, and values and willingness to organize member activities, develop individual leaders, and implement programs as directed by the organization in furtherance of those goals. 
• Demonstrated understanding of the patterns, trends and best practices regarding education policy
• Demonstrated understanding of issue organizing and relational organizing 
• Demonstrated ability to efficiently use technology including working knowledge of basic office software (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), internet, email 
• Willingness and ability to access and properly use NEA/KEA online member database and information systems
• Willingness and ability to learn new technology
• Willingness and ability to work nights and weekends and the ability to travel are essential
• Valid Kentucky driver’s license
• Ability to stoop, bend, reach, and carry light materials

Locations: KEA has offices statewide. Location will be specified in the job posting.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of the work being performed by people assigned to this job. They are not an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities associated with it.

To Apply:
Send résumé and references to: hr@kea.org.

Questions should be directed to hr@kea.org.