Education Program Manager

The Kansas Fire & Rescue Training Institute, a unit of Jayhawk Global, was created in 1949 by the Kansas legislature with the mission to train and credential Kansas firefighters in local jurisdictions. Housed on the Lawrence campus, the Institute serves fire departments and firefighters through a "traveling instruction service," providing hundreds of training and certification events each year in communities across the State of Kansas.

The mission of Kansas Fire & Rescue Training Institute is to provide accessible, innovative, and science and data-driven training and credentialing for fire and emergency services personnel to improve the health and safety of our communities.

Jayhawk Global is an education innovation center that advances and delivers non-traditional forms of learner engagement, including online degree programs, professional and workforce development, certifications, competency-based educational offerings, credit for prior experience, employee training, and enrichment learning. Jayhawk Global's mission is both internal, working collaboratively with all KU academic schools and departments, and external, serving all 105 Kansas counties, 50 U.S. states, and over 40 countries. The units in Jayhawk Global include: Academic & Professional Programs (including the Aerospace Short Course Program, Conferences & Non-Credit Courses, and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute), the Kansas Fire & Rescue Training Institute, the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center, and the Center for Online & Distance Learning.

This position is responsible for managing, coordinating, and/or teaching KFRTI's Fire & Rescue training programs, including Fire Officer and Instructor programs as needed, as well as all leadership programs and courses offered by Kansas Fire & Rescue Training Institute (KFRTI). Duties include reviewing and updating course curriculum on a regular basis, conducting program assessments and modifying programs if necessary, and designing and instructing online and hybrid Fire & Rescue courses to meet the needs of the Kansas fire service. This position coordinates and collaborates with other program coordinators and managers and reports to the Assistant Director of KFRTI.
KU offers great benefits to employees with up to 176 hours of paid vacation per year, 96 hours of sick leave earned per year, nine paid holidays plus one discretionary day, a retirement program, medical & dental insurance, life and disability insurance, other benefit plan options, and State of Kansas discounts offered by various vendors. KU also offers employees educational and professional development opportunities.

Tuition assistance offers up to 12 credit hours per year for employees and Employee Dependent Tuition Assistance Scholarship (EDTAS) award opportunities! Details and additional KU Benefits information available at: Tuition Assistance | KU Benefits

KU's excellence is a result of the rich tapestry of experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds of our faculty, staff, students, and colleagues from across our nation and the globe. At KU, we invest in continuous learning and growth by creating a climate where people engage in respectful dialogue and debate and support each other's success. We foster a culture of care where each person is seen, heard, and valued. When people feel a true sense of belonging, we believe they are better able to reach their full potential and achieve remarkable things.

The successful candidate must be eligible to work in the U.S. by the effective date of the appointment.

60% Program-Specific Duties (Instructor/Officer Program Manager - Instructor, Live Fire, Officer, NFA & Safety Programs)

• Manage and oversee the Instructor I and Instructor II programs, ensuring course updates, delivery, and assisting with certification processes.
• Manage and oversee the Officer I and Officer II programs, ensuring course updates, delivery, and assisting with certification processes.
• Manage and oversee the Live Fire Instructor (LFI) and Live Fire Instructor-in-Charge (LFIIC) programs, ensuring course updates, delivery, and assisting with certification processes.
• Manage, and oversee the Incident Safety Officer (ISO) program, ensuring alignment with NFPA standards and accreditation requirements.
• Manage and oversee all National Fire Academy (NFA) course deliveries throughout the state, including scheduling and serving as the primary point of contact.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for all courses within assigned areas of responsibility.
• Coordinate all assigned special projects and special event programming, to include but not limited to annual fire schools and the fire forum.
• Maintain program documentation, including correlation sheets, certification prep guides, and curriculum updates for all assigned programs.
• Ensure assigned courses are validated, updated, and meet national standards.
• Collaborate with the Certification Department to maintain program accreditation.
• Provide budgetary recommendations and manage resources within assigned areas.
• Recruit, train, and develop instructors for assigned programs.
• Coordinate and manage instructor scheduling and course coverage.

30% General Managerial Duties (Core Responsibilities for All KFRTI Managers)

• Provide leadership and management for multiple training programs.
• Supervise, mentor, and evaluate assigned coordinators and part-time staff.
• Manage payroll, travel, and administrative processes for assigned personnel.
• Oversee course scheduling, delivery logistics, and quality assurance.
• Oversee online and hybrid course development for assigned courses.
• Ensure compliance with KFRTI, University of Kansas, and accreditation standards.
• Develop, monitor, and manage budgets for assigned areas.
• Contribute to strategic planning and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Represent KFRTI at state, regional, and national meetings as assigned.
• Maintain positive partnerships with Kansas fire departments, instructors, and industry stakeholders.
• Perform other duties as assigned in support of KFRTI's mission. Provide project management and oversight of timelines, deliverables, and budget requirements for assigned projects and special events.
• Assist in the development of face-to-face, hybrid, and online curriculum when needed in collaboration with KFRTI staff and Jayhawk Global.
• Perform other duties as assigned in support of KFRTI's mission

10% Time Management & Role Expectations

• Expected to manage multiple concurrent projects and maintain strong organizational discipline.
• Provide course instruction within the area of responsibility when required, if no other instructional staff members are available.
• Maintain increased office presence to balance managerial duties with program oversight.
• Develop instructors to expand field delivery capacity, allowing greater focus on management and strategic planning.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Assistant Director or Director to support the overall mission of KFRTI.

1. Bachelor's degree plus five years related experience in public safety (fire, law enforcement, emergency management, military/homeland security, emergency medical services) or education. The five years of experience must include the following areas of responsibility outlined in Required Qualifications #2-5:
2. Five years' experience at the chief officer level or equivalent.
3. Five years' experience instructing, training, or teaching in a high school or adult setting.
4. Three years' experience developing curricula or preparing courses.
5. Two years' experience developing or teaching online and/or hybrid courses.
6. Candidate must have the following certifications, or obtain these certifications within 12 months of hire date:

• National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1041 Instructor I and II certification.
• National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1021 Officer I and II certification
• National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1403 LFI and LFIIC certification or completion of Live Fire Instructor training, e.g., International Society of Fire Service Instructors (ISFSI) live fire training.
• National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1500 Incident Safety Officer certification.

This position requires a formal degree in the cited discipline area(s) to ensure that candidates have advanced knowledge, analytical skills and professional competencies necessary to perform the duties of the position. The level of degree is commonly recognized as the standard qualification for similar roles in the public and private sector, ensuring that the university remains competitive with industry aligned practices, enhances collaboration with external partners, and supports the delivery of services and programs that meet professional and market-driven expectations

In addition to the online application, the following documents are required to be considered for this position:

• Cover letter describing how you meet the required and preferred qualifications.
• Resume
• List of three (3) professional references

Only complete applications will be considered.

Application review begins February 5, 2026 and will continue until a qualified pool of applicants are identified.

Jennifer Johnson
jennjohnson@ku.edu
785-864-9194

75,000-80,000

Thursday February 5, 2026

Monday February 23, 2026