Virginia Education Association

UniServ Manager

Based in Richmond, VA

 

Date of Posting: March 5, 2026
Deadline for applying: Open Until Filled 
Position level: Management
Job Title: UniServ Manager (two open positions)
Reports To: Director of Organizing and Affiliate Support

About the Organization
The Virginia Education Association (VEA) is the largest union of public-school teachers and support professionals working for the betterment of public education for every student in the Commonwealth. VEA is the state affiliate of the National Education Association with more than 3.2 million members. Our work supports strong local associations through organizing, collective bargaining, advocacy, and leadership development. With collective bargaining now authorized at the local level in Virginia, our focus is on building durable local capacity, strong member engagement, and effective bargaining structures that reflect local priorities and state law.

Position Summary
The UniServ Manager is a Richmond, VA Headquarter-based management position responsible for overseeing operations as assigned. This position provides direct supervision, coaching, and performance management for UniServ Directors and Organizers (remote staff) while ensuring consistent, high-quality support to local affiliates engaged in collective bargaining, organizing, member advocacy, and contract implementation.

The UniServ Manager plays a critical role in aligning statewide strategy with local execution, strengthening staff effectiveness, and supporting staff who work with local leaders navigating Virginia’s collective bargaining landscape. This role requires a strong manager who can lead through complexity, balance competing needs, and support staff working with locals across multiple bargaining units and school divisions.

Core Responsibilities
Management & Staff Leadership

• Directly supervise, coach, evaluate, and support UniServ Directors and Organizers 
• Set clear expectations, priorities, and performance standards aligned with organizational goals
• Support staff professional growth through coaching, feedback, and targeted skill development
• Foster accountability, collaboration, and consistency across geographically dispersed teams
• Support and participate in regional staff meetings as well as conferences, webinars, seminars, and trainings
• Assist in the monitoring and approval of leave, travel, VISA reconciliation and other reports submitted by UniServ Directors and Organizers, in keeping with deadlines
• Serves as Staff Liaison to VEA Committee(s) as assigned

Strategy & Oversight

• Provide strategic leadership for organizing, collective bargaining, and member engagement 
• Translate statewide priorities into coordinated plans that reflect local bargaining realities
• Balance workloads, assignments, and resources to ensure effective staff capacity to meet local governance needs
• Monitor progress on organizing benchmarks, bargaining timelines, and contract outcomes

Collective Bargaining Support

• Support staff and local leaders engaged in first-time and ongoing collective bargaining under Virginia law
• Ensure staff are equipped to support local bargaining teams, campaigns, and implementation processes
• Provide guidance on grievance handling, contract enforcement, and problem-solving at the local level
• Coordinates with NEA staff assigned to work with VEA on issue organizing and collective bargaining campaigns.
• Identify patterns, challenges, and best practices across school divisions to inform statewide strategy

Local Affiliate & Leader Support

• Build and maintain strong working relationships with local association leaders and governance bodies
• Support leadership development and capacity building within local affiliates
• Assist in navigating complex or high-stakes situations, including conflict resolution and negotiations
• Serve as a visible and responsive management presence 

Coordination & Organizational Leadership

• Collaborate closely with other UniServ Manager, department directors, and statewide leadership
• Participate as a member of the management team in planning, evaluation, and continuous improvement
• Ensure consistent application of organizational policies, procedures, and agreements
• Represent the organization in meetings, trainings, and regional or statewide events as needed

Qualifications
Required

• Bachelor’s degree
• Minimum of five years of experience in labor unions, education associations, or comparable organizing and bargaining environments
• Demonstrated experience supervising and managing professional staff
• Direct experience supporting or leading collective bargaining efforts, preferably in the public sector
• Strong organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills
• Ability to manage competing priorities across multiple regions and teams
• Willingness and ability to travel extensively (40%-50%) within Virginia, including evenings and weekends
• Valid Virginia driver’s license and reliable transportation

Preferred

• Experience working in the NEA family of education unions 
• Experience supporting first-contract or newly established bargaining units
• Knowledge of Virginia’s collective bargaining statutes 
• Experience working with unionized staff and elected governance structures
• Bilingual skills a plus

Salary & Fringe Benefits
Salary is commensurate with experience and qualifications, ranging from $120,000 – $135,000. A comprehensive benefits package is provided, including health insurance, retirement benefits, paid leave, and mileage reimbursement in accordance with organizational policy.

Application Process
Please go to the VEA Careers page (www.veanea.org/careers) and submit your application to be considered. 

The Virginia Education Association is committed to building a diverse team that reflects our membership and the communities we serve. We strongly encourage applications from people of color, women, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with disabilities, and those from underrepresented backgrounds.