Job Description

Summary:

Effectively administer an early learning program for young children. Provide leadership; guide and facilitate educational programs; support relationships with families and stakeholders; facilitate compliance monitoring and reporting, ensure full program enrollment; support staff in conflict resolution. Assess staff performance and encourage next level professional development. Maintain on-going high quality programming, daily monitoring of lesson plans.

Key Relationships: Executive Director, Early Learning Programs; Educational and center administrative Staff; Peer Directors; Education Program Coordinator; Executive Administrative Assistant; Program Coordinator CACFP and Quality Support; funding partners and stakeholders; community partners.

Supervisory Responsibility: Administrative Secretary, Teachers / Associates, Aides, Family Service Representative

Essential Functions of Position:

Leadership

• Guide the program with clear vision; inspire others to participate in the expansion of a vision for the program
• Communicate and implement program wide norms based on shared values
• Schedule staff to provide adequate and appropriate staff coverage as needed
• Assure and monitor active safe supervision practices at all times.
• Observe in classrooms regularly
• Conduct annual evaluations for supervisees
• Oversee and ensure all reporting requirements are being met timely. Design clear accountability systems
• Ensure that the center meets DHS licensing requirements at all times
• Supervise maintenance of clean, safe and healthy center environments, indoor and out.
• Ensure regular staff meetings, TIC (Trauma Informed Care) meetings, parent/family meetings.
• Stay current with new thinking in the field
• Prioritize learning about new opportunities for expansion and growth in the field
• Maintain relationships in the field that allow for collaboration on new projects
• Work with the Executive Director to seek and support implementation of multiple grant opportunities to support a vibrant program
• Maintain Directors credential and required Professional Development

Communication

• Communicate in a conscious and clear manner
• Ensure opportunities for input from families, educational staff and program leaders
• Disseminate and model commitment to the program and team, agency mission, philosophy and goals.

Collaboration

• Collaborate with HR and recruiting to interview and onboard new employees; assure appropriate credentialling. Support the process of selection, hiring, training, evaluation and retention of high quality staff across the program.
• Collaborate with HR to document, maintain and update personnel records on an on-going basis.
• Collaborate with the Education Program Coordinators and Training Specialist to follow up on professional development opportunities for all staff; Routinely evaluate training needs, and feedback from professional development sponsored by KenCrest
• Build and maintain positive and productive professional working relationships with community partners and stakeholders. Represent KenCrest and the work of the agency positively in the community.
• Collaborate with others to educate and advocate for policy change at the local, state and federal level

Financial Responsibility

• Manage the use of all program facilities and resources, including ordering weekly meals and center supplies.
• Ensure full and appropriate enrollment in the programs. Monitor attendance.
• Problem solves challenging fiscal dilemmas with plans for fiscal improvement.
• Oversee and update the titles, rates and program charges for staff in the HR system.

Problem-Solving and Follow-through

• Build and maintain positive, professional working relationships with employees, families, community partners and stakeholders, Model and promote effective problem-solving as needed.
• Be a voice for families and staff in meetings with funders and community partners in order to identify issues and solutions in the community.
• Participate in city-wide and state-wide planning meetings.

Data and Analytics

• Create a continuous cycle of evaluation, planning, implementing and reflection on outcomes in all program areas.
• Oversee, set goals and timelines and support implementation of program-wide accreditation efforts through National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), and PA Keystone Stars
• Maintain quality effectiveness measures in accordance with state and local requirements and the agency mission, for example, children’s learning outcomes.
• Develop and utilize Metrics to maintain quality programming.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood or related field required, Master’s preferred.
• Director’s credential required.
• Minimum of 5 years supervisory and early childhood program management experience.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Core Competencies:

• Excellent leadership, organizational and interpersonal skills
• Strong computer skills including Microsoft Office proficiency, as well as additional database management
• Experience and thorough knowledge of Head Start, Early Head Start and Pre-K Counts programs required.
• Perform at or above the expectations for satisfactory performance in this position within each core competency. The competencies are Innovation, Integrity and Trust, Job Skills/Functional Knowledge, Positive Approaches/Respect for Others, Responsiveness, Safeguards.
• Leader – Leader skills include a Strategic Mindset, Drives Vision and Purpose, Demonstrates Self-Awareness and Manages Conflict

Physical Demands:

This section describes physical actions that must an employee must be able to do to carry out the essential functions of the position. Reasonable accommodations may be provided to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Examples may include…..

• Regularly required to sit, stand and walk for periods of time
• Occasionally climb and descend steps
• Frequently talk and hear
• Frequently required to use hands and fingers to handle materials and or equipment
• Occasionally required to drive or travel from location to location for periods of up to 1 hour
• Be capable of visual and auditory scanning of the work environment to monitor the facility to ensure safe and effective operations.
• Perform physical work, including the ability to exert or lift up to 30 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 20 pounds of force frequently, and/or up to 10 pounds of force constantly to maneuver objects.

Working Conditions:

• Work requires personal and schedule flexibility to meet program needs.
• Works in and travels to early childhood programs in Philadelphia and surrounding suburbs and various KenCrest office locations