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Equality Florida is the state's largest civil rights organization dedicated to securing full equality for Florida’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) community. We're changing Florida through lobbying, grassroots organizing, education, and coalition building — so that no one suffers harassment or discrimination on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity or expression.

Since our founding in 1997, we’ve become one of the largest statewide LGBTQ groups in the country with more than 400,000 supporters, more than 15,000 volunteers, and staff located in major Florida cities to organize and support our work.

Safe and Healthy Schools Framework and Position Summary:

What We’ve Done and our Department’s Core Values:

The Equality Florida Safe and Healthy Schools Program has been implementing systemic change in Florida school districts as a driving force for nearly a decade. Since 2015 the department’s trajectory has been shaping school districts toward taking full ownership of LGBTQ students’ needs and resilience.

The main goal of the Safe and Healthy Schools Program is to counter the bullying, harassment, social isolation and bigotry that dramatically increase risk factors for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning (LGBTQ) youth. The department has opened doors and forged ongoing partnerships and relationships for the benefit of LGBTQ students and their families across the state of Florida, positively impacting the majority of Florida’s K-12 student population. Our department’s core values are persistence, patience and professionalism, and we are fully inspired to ensure LGBTQ youth have access to safe, fair, and affirming schools.

Position Summary:

Under the direction of the Safe and Healthy Schools Director, our Safe and Healthy Schools Manager will deepen the systems presently in place and continue to operationalize LGBTQ policies, programs, procedures and practices across Florida to end LGBTQ bias where it begins, in our schools.The program's power lies in its ability to affect large-scale, systemic change across entire school districts, initiating positive change across Florida and all over the country.

1. Applicants must have some or all of the the following professional experiences:

• Knowledge of education-related issues and prior experience within the K-12 school system as a classroom teacher;
• Substantive pedagogy pertaining to LGBTQ youth and building positive and inclusive school or classroom environments; and 
• Extensive experience in providing training and professional development.

1. The position is full-time, and applicants must live in Florida or be willing to relocate. We are also prioritizing applicants who are based in Central Florida, inclusive but limited to Orange, Osceola, or Seminole county. The role requires significant travel (about 7-10 days a month).

1. The salary for this position ranges from $62,000-$68,000 with exact salary depending on experience. We also offer benefits including full medical and dental coverage, generous paid time off, and retirement benefits. The new Safe and Healthy Schools Regional Manager is expected to start no later than March 27th, 2026. 

Responsibilities and Key Outcomes:

School District Support and Best Practices Implementation

• Collaborating on a regular basis with senior level school district leadership and local community partners in specifically assigned districts. Managing all goals, plans and programming to ensure they successfully create safe and affirming school environments.

• Ensuring that within specific school districts assigned, you are managing cross-departmental work to promote the well-being of youth through principles of intersectionality, i.e., providing a consistent, ongoing safety net for students who are targets of multiple, intersecting forms of oppression including anti-LGBTQ bias and racism.

• Developing and implementing LGBTQ cultural competency training for staff and support personnel in the assigned districts you are supporting. Additionally, working with school districts to ensure the provided training is specific to the audience and in-line with the district’s needs. Training will include an emphasis on the intersectional identities of students, particularly transgender and nonbinary youth.

• Supporting Gender and Sexuality Alliance/Gay-Straight Student Alliance Clubs so they are supported, active and resourced in your assigned districts.

• Working with districts that have created outside LGBTQ stakeholder coalitions, or seeding coalitions if they do not currently exist.

• Supporting the pressing needs of parents and families by helping them to navigate school-based issues that arise.

Professional Learning and Events

• Hosting local convenings to better understand and strategize around the issues or barriers that education leaders are facing.

• Developing and implementing ongoing webinars and virtual professional development designed to support school-based education and mental health staff. 

Statewide Consultation and Advocacy

• Provide assistance to the Safe and Healthy Schools team to ensure the program’s success across Florida through strategic planning and navigating external conflict.

• Leading a coalition of stakeholders to advocate for the rights of students and their families at school board meetings or other decision-maker convenings.

• Provide assistance to the department by providing professional development, or other assigned tasks not formally assigned to your role, as needed.

Who You Are & Keys to Success

• Strong logistical and planning skills: Comfortable and experienced in supporting or co-hosting events of various scale, with an understanding of the logistical requirements of a successful conference, event, summit, or symposium. These abilities also translate into having excellent written and oral communication skills, along with being a tenacious and tactful problem solver.

• Knowledge and commitment to equity principles: Recognizes ways that race and other identities intersect in the work, especially with communities we serve. Comfortable talking about identities such as race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, class, ability, or gender in plain, specific terms. Is able to share this knowledge through professional development to audiences with a wide variety of understanding You have an inherent ability to build strong personal relationships.

• Entrepreneurial and resourceful: Consistently overcomes challenges and leverages resources to creatively solve problems. Proposes solutions to issues without much guidance (but isn’t afraid to ask questions). Is nimble as strategy and priorities change. Proactively asks for help, anticipates problems, and course-corrects where needed. Can demonstrate assertive diplomacy when navigating senior level individuals and organizations. 

• Attentive, empathetic leadership: Enthusiasm for meeting and engaging with people. Empathizes with the communities we serve. Able to put people at ease, especially when there are lines of difference. Is able to navigate highly complex and political spaces with grace and ease. Listens closely to understand needs or concerns and takes steps based on that input. You respond to people in a timely manner. Takes pride in providing clear, helpful information. Has a strong work ethic.

What Else You Should Know/How to Apply

Equality Florida is an equal opportunity employer and we value having staff who come from communities that are most impacted by our issue. We strongly encourage people of color, transgender/nonbinary people, and bilingual individuals to apply for this role.

To apply, complete this application. Please address cover letters to Geanny Ruiz, Safe Schools Director, Equality Florida. The application closes on Sunday, February 22nd. Please note that we are not able to respond directly to every applicant. Should your qualifications match our requirements for the open position we will be in touch with you. If there is not a match, we will retain your materials for future reference. Thank you.