**** ******** *** *.*. • GRAND RAPIDS, MI *****

PHONE 616-***-**** • E-MAIL ad2iff@r.postjobfree.com

JAMEL EMBREE

SUMMARY

School business leader and influential change agent with over 28+ years of demonstrated process improvement by serving as a liaison among various central office divisions securing buy-in from key stakeholders over a wide array of business operations and instructional services. Serve on multiple committees as a Cabinet member for our district Superintendent. Effective communicator with experience serving stakeholders with limited technical experience by leading efforts that determine optimal solutions.

A champion team builder with 28+ years of experience successfully leading projects comprised of cross functional departments representing more than 5000 employees district wide. Worked with various departments/divisions which include the following: Human Resources, Labor Relations, Payroll, Employee Benefits, Risk Management, Budget and Accounting, Management Information Systems, Student Data Services, Transportation, Operations and various instructional/noninstructional student services throughout the district.

Proven success providing a wide array of financial services which include the following: 5-year budget forecasting, cash management, software conversion implementations and trainings, staffing expense projections, student projections, and management of staffing. Directly responsible for over 80 million of our districts total budget.

Expertise: DBMS (Database Management Systems, Data warehouse, Project Management, Change Management, System Implementations, Vendor Management, Leadership, Budget Management, Budget Forecasting, Cash Management

PROFESSIONAL WORK EXPERIENCE

Grand Rapids Public Schools

Director of Student Data Services (Jul 2017 – September 2022)

The Director of the Student Data Services provides direction and leadership in the effective maintenance and appropriate use of student and institutional data to support student learning, school and district level decision-making, and district-level strategic planning. The Director leads department efforts around student assessments, pupil accounting, accountability reporting, district-level strategic planning, managing data sharing agreements, grants procurement, and enrollment forecasting.

Lead, supervise, and evaluate Student Data Services staff.

Lead the process of providing timely, efficient, and effective responses to the data inquiries of school- and district-level staff as well as inquiries from external individuals and entities.

Supervise the training of district staff in the appropriate and effective use of student information systems.

Lead in the development and implementation of an efficient and effective student information system that provides school- and district-level staff with ready access to accurate, relevant, and timely information.

Review, analyze, and report district-level data to district leadership staff as it pertains to pupil accounting, aggregated student data, enrollment forecasts, geographical trends, etc.

Lead in developing, maintaining, and implementing Data Sharing Agreements with external individuals and organizations in compliance with all state and federal laws pertaining to confidentiality of student and employee records. Meet periodically with the Executive Director of Human Resources and Legal Services to develop, review, and revise agreements as needed.

Work with our district counsel to ensure Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) regulations are being followed.

Serve on multiple committees as a Cabinet member for our District Superintendent.

Act as the liaison to the user community for supporting business both internal applications and those mandated by district or state authorizers.

Focused on ensuring our SDS department operates efficiently.

Help facilitate processes that improve data collections and governance procedures,

Providing feedback to and coordinating trainings for end users, and working with our Data Analyst to automate common processes

Work with various department throughout the organization ensuring the storage and retrieval of data meets the standards of all customers both internal and external.

Pitch presentations to various committees and executives in efforts to ensure organization buy in.

Manage compliance and the infrastructure for our information reporting systems (i.e. attendance, discipline, compliance, grants info) with a level of expertise in IT and the applications used to manage these systems

Grand Rapids Public Schools

Director of Human Resources Information Management (Jul 2015 – Jun 2017)

Assist in the development of an appropriate workforce plan.

Develop data resources and determine critical staffing data needs.

Serve on the districts contract negotiation team and assist with established agreements among the district and various unionized employee groups.

Calculate and report evaluation scores for district’s professional staff.

Identify ways to simplify sustainable HR processes, assist in developing documentation.

Evaluate the flow of information to/from internal and external customers.

Lead and provide support related to HR technology software.

Identify, develop, train and implement improvements in HR processes.

Implement HR strategies and solutions that support the short-term and long-term goals of the district.

Identify and coordinate HR Projects and assist in the development of ways to align HR functions with the overall organizational strategic plan.

Serve as a liaison between HR and other departments within the organizations.

Grand Rapids Public Schools

Human Resources Processes and Logistics Manager - (July 12 to Jun 2015)

Assist in the development of an appropriate workforce plan

Develop data resources, and determine critical staffing needs

Serve on the districts contract negotiation team and assist establish agreements among the district and various unionized employee groups.

Calculate and reports evaluation scores for district professional staff.

Identify ways to simplify sustainable HR processes, assist in developing documentation.

Evaluate the flow of information to/from internal and external customers.

Lead and provide support relate to Human Resource technology software.

Identify, develop, train and implement improvements in HR processes.

Implement HR strategies and solutions that support the short-term and long-term goals

Identify and coordinate HR Projects and assist in the development of ways to align HR functions with the overall organizational strategic plan.

Serve as a liaison between Human Resources and other departments within the organizations.

Grand Rapids Public Schools

Business Financial Services Specialist - (July 01 to June 12)

Assist in the development, implementation, and review of policy and procedures.

Prepare 5-year budget forecast on the district’s general operating revenue and expenditures.

Prepare annual site base budget allocation of expenditures for over 60 school buildings.

Provide solutions/options to funding issues including recommending appropriate revenue allocation methodologies.

Responsible for the district overall cash management function which includes: ACH disbursements, cash flow projections, bi-weekly payroll tax payments, and other various electronic disbursements. Also, complete short-term investing of commercial paper.

Supervise the Business Office accounting technician position.

Responsible for the day-to-day operation of our financial software. Troubleshoot problems with the financial software that may occur on a day-to-day basis.

Coordinate the districts staff projections process which enables the district to accurately project salary expense for the district in total. Currently involves staffing for over 4500 positions.

Prepare and analyze financial reports for the Board of Education, local, state and federal agencies.

Grand Rapids Public Schools

Bi-tech Conversion Team leader/Member - (June 97 to July 01)

Responsible for learning the Human Resource, Payroll and Financial subsystems components of Bi-Tech software.

Responsible for transferring data maintained on previous systems to the Bi-tech system.

Develop the chart of the accounts assuring all the features of the software operate in a correct manner. Write and update Bi-tech Procedure’s manual for the financial subsystems. Provide training to staff on the human resource, payroll, and financial subsystem.

Serve as a liaison between the business office and personnel services department. Work as a team leader teaching those who have little familiarity with the accounting and reports, to effectively utilize a more efficient process.

Provide day to day troubleshooting support to assist all staff with issues that may occur.

Responsible for the overall project management of phase three of our conversion implementation plan. Provide leadership over all tasks on project calendar and coordinate the completion of all tasks with our district software vendor.

Grand Rapids Public Schools

Special Education Financial Analyst - (Aug 93 to July 01)

Develop, analyze, and monitor budgets, revenue, expenditures, enrollment, and personnel information related to Kent Intermediate School District Center programs operated by Grand Rapids Public Schools, all non-center special education programs, and federally funded special education programs.

Work as a team leader teaching those who have little familiarity with accounting and reports, to effectively utilize the more efficient process.

Calculate all Special Education revenue, County Special ED tax revenue, State Section 52 revenue, FICA, gross pupil membership per pupil revenue, and other local educational revenue for special Education.

Reconcile Special Education student FTE reported by facilitators to the fourth Friday count received by the Kent Intermediate School District. Preparation of monthly, quarterly and annual financial reports on special education programs for federal, state, and local agencies.

Complete financial statement information for the funds in which special education financial activity is report during the year in process, which also includes providing work paper back up to supports closing year financial activity.

Compute tuition rates for Center Programs based on total number of resident and nonresident students who attend. Initiate quarterly and annual billings based on all students who attend center programs.

SKILL AND ABILITIES

Solid understanding of General Accepted Accounting Principles. Experience in personal computers use, including the following software: Microsoft products: Word (intermediate), Excel (advanced), Access (advanced), and PowerPoint. Implement and used various types of Financial, Human Resource, Payroll, and Student Systems Software. Involved in 3 software conversions. Responsible project management during phase three of the conversions. Ability to perform office tasks and interact effectively using excellent written and oral communication skills.

ORGANIZATION

Member of the Special Education Finance Committee

Member of the Special Education Advisory Committee

Member of the Michigan School Business Official Association

OTHER WORK EXPERIENCES

Grand Rapids Public Schools Varsity Tennis Coach Sept.1993 to Oct. 2010)

Kent County Juvenile Court Youth Camp Group Leader (Sept. 1991 to Sept. 1992

Grand Rapids Public Schools Youth Employment Office Case Manager (Summers 89 thru 91)

City of Grand Rapids Community Development (City Hall) Accountant I (Dec 1990 to Apr 91)

EDUCATION/CERTIFICATION

Grambling State University 1985 to 1990)

Grambling, LA 71245

Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting

Dale Carnegie Leadership for managers training January 1999

Michigan School Business Official (CFO) Chief Financial Officer Current

REFERENCE

Available upon request

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