“Position management” may not win the award for Most Exciting Phrase anytime soon, but it’s a vital concept in education — and has a real impact on employees. In this episode of Field Trip, we delve into the importance and mechanisms of position management (and position vacancies) in school districts. Dr. Sundie Dahlkamp, the Executive Director of Human Resource Services at Pearland Independent School District, and Frontline Education’s Mitch Welch explore the concept of position management and control, focusing on creativity, flexibility, effective communication, and strategic decision-making, all while ensuring accountability on the expenditure.

The conversation highlights the necessity of balancing management and control in human resources and the role of technology in facilitating effective communication and information visibility. Mitch and Sundie also tackle:

• Financial accountability and why position management is crucial for school districts to justify expenditures, especially when such a high percentage of the budget is allocated to employee salaries.

• Strategic forecasting in HR and why the ability to project future needs based on enrollment trends is vital for sustainable school district management.

• The balance between the central office and building administrators. There’s a delicate balance to maintain between position control at the central office level and creative management by individual supervisors and principals.

00:00 - Introduction

01:09 - Defining Position Management and Control

04:53 - The Importance of Effective Dating System

07:31 - Balancing Management and Control

08:55 - Using Technology for Communication

10:00 - Conclusion and Preview of Next Episode

10:23 - Closing

• Blog: Effective Dating & Conditional Workflows in Position Management

• Infographic: Position Management & Control in School Districts

• eBook: Position Management Playbook for School Districts

• Case Study: A Better HR System to Serve Employees: Why Whitehall-Coplay School District uses Frontline to manage recruiting and hiring, onboarding, employee records, benefits, position management, professional learning, employee absences, and time tracking.