1258 Director, East Region

Posting # 1258

Posting date: January 12, 2026

Posting closes: January 30, 2026

Location: Denison Regional Office

Region: East

Overview

Our mission is to deliver  deliver high-quality, evidence-based, and strategic services to our educational partners that meet the diverse needs of Iowa’s learners (birth-21), educators, and school communities.

Iowa’s Area Education Agencies are educational partners embedded in Iowa schools. We exist to create a thriving educational landscape where all learners and educators have access to high-quality, evidence-based and strategic supports and services, collaboratively provided within districts, to help all learners achieve their full potential.

About the Agency

Northwest AEA provides special education and school improvement services to 34 public school districts and 34 accredited, non-public schools. The agency serves 45,000 students and more than 5000 educators in a 10-county area of Northwest Iowa (Lyon, Osceola, Sioux, O'Brien, Plymouth, Cherokee, Woodbury, Ida, Monona, and Crawford). 

Our headquarters is located at 5800 Discovery Blvd., Sioux City, with regional offices in Cherokee, Denison, Le Mars, Onawa, and Sioux Center.

Why Northwest AEA?

Our vision, mission, and anchors guide our actions. Staff at Northwest AEA believe that what they do inspires learning and leads to changed lives for the students, staff, and families we serve. Our work is anchored in building positive, professional relationships with stakeholders and with one another. We embrace responsiveness in how we serve so that students, staff, and families can see improved results.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Summary

Develop positive, professional relationships with area education agency (AEA), local education agency (LEA), and non-public school staff, including multi-disciplinary problem-solving teams, in order to assist them in responsive implementation of a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) that yields improved results for student learning and behavior.

Qualifications

Iowa administrator license (required)

Iowa evaluator approval (required)

Master’s degree in the field of education or related area (required)

Minimum of five (5) years of successful professional experience in a school district or educational service agency (required)

Essential Functions

Serve as the administrative first point of contact for LEA and AEA staff within a defined geographic region of the agency in order to provide timely and ongoing support to improve the performance outcomes and well-being of all learners

Lead major initiatives and change efforts

Actively engage as a member of the administrative leadership team and other agency leadership teams, as appropriate, to ensure that we adhere to our mission, vision, and anchors with fidelity

Plan, schedule, and lead small group, departmental, regional, and/or agency-wide meetings as appropriate

Demonstrate excellent written and oral communication skills, including strong presentation skills

Track record of producing positive results in previous assignments

Behave ethically and professionally

Represent Northwest AEA in a way that engenders trust and confidence in the agency, its mission, its vision, and anchors

Supervision of Staff

On a routine basis, engage in coaching, support, and feedback of staff through consistent, weekly contact

Supervise and evaluate assigned certified and classified staff

On a routine basis, review and approve staff calendars, mileage reimbursement, leave requests, professional learning requests, travel requests, and expense & travel reimbursement requests

Demonstrate values, beliefs, and attitudes that inspire agency staff to higher levels of performance

Support and mentor aspiring leaders within the AEA

Provide visionary leadership and oversight to AEA/LEA problem-solving teams to implement the diagnostic, design, and delivery cycle of Specially Designed Instruction for students experiencing learning or behavioral challenges

Responsively address issues related to weighting of students receiving special education services, special education count date, and other reports as needed

Assist the Executive Director of Special Education with General Supervision responsibilities (e.g. compliance with IDEA, Iowa Administrative Rules, etc)

Advocate for all students with diverse learning needs, especially children with IEPs, resulting in practice that is aligned with the spirit and intent of all federal and state mandates.

Collaborate with service providers and agency staff to improve student learning

Maintain confidentiality related to agency, LEA, non-public school, student, and/or family information

Make effective use of available technology to complete and disseminate appropriate documentation of activities and results.

It is the policy of Northwest Area Education Agency not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, religion, creed, age, marital status, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status in its educational programs and its employment practices. There is a grievance procedure for processing complaints of discrimination. If you have questions or a grievance related to this policy, please contact Jerome Schaefer, Equity Coordinator, 5800 Discovery Blvd., Sioux City, Iowa, 51111, 712-222-6114.