Job Description

Position Summary:

The Instructional Leader oversees and monitors the effectiveness of teaching practices and classroom management strategies, and helps to facilitate positive interactions with children. Keeps abreast of trends in the industry and shares information with teachers and management. Serves as the program expert in curriculum design and implementation. Performs duties in a manner that fosters the achievement of the organization's mission.

Essential Functions of the Job:

Instructional Development and Implementation

• Provides instructional leadership to ensure the highest standards of effective curriculum delivery and implementation, and classroom management;
• Plans, implements, and evaluates instructional programs with teachers, including learning objectives, instructional strategies, and assessment techniques;
• Reviews and monitors curriculum and lesson plan development and implementation;
• Oversees the planning and implementation of age-appropriate educational programs at the site level;
• Monitors children’s progress to ensure activities are meeting the students' educational and developmental needs;
• Reviews individual child observations, assessments, and family conference forms to ensure adherence to the Intentional Teaching cycle and developmentally appropriate practice;
• Oversees the implementation of all Support Plans
• Attends and participates in all Support Plan meetings with families, staff, and outside agencies, to include proper documentation;

Compliance and Monitoring

• Ensures that the site consistently meets the Office of Early Childhood (OEC) and National Association for the Education of Youth and Children (NAEYC) health and safety standards;
• Follows defined State and YWCA Hartford Region protocols for reporting suspected child abuse or neglect, including documentation, notification of OEC, NAEYC, and Department of Children and Families (DCF) when applicable;
• Monitors and ensures compliance with and ongoing achievement of state licensing, NAEYC accreditation, and school readiness standards;
• Ensures staff adherence to the YWCA Hartford Region’s Positive Guidance Policy and the Atypical Behavior process;
• Ensures that staff are utilizing the Name-to-Face Accountability to ensure the safety and well-being of children;
• Monitors the consistent application of YWCA Hartford Region’s defined policies and procedures;

Coaching and Mentoring

• Provides guidance and assistance to staff in the delivery of high-quality programs and services;
• Oversees program staff and performs monthly observation and evaluation, including documenting and tracking of evaluations;
• Provides performance feedback within 24 hours, including identifying performance improvement needs and working with the Site Managers to create corrective actions and/or staff development plans;
• Confers with staff regarding professional growth and works with them to develop and accomplish goals;
• Addresses and supports teachers with professional development opportunities, including college registration, applying for resources, and seeking out grant and financial aid opportunities;
• Assists in planning and providing effective staff development activities;
• Prioritizes the needs of teachers and develops credible and trusting relationships;
• Provides prompt and attentive support while quickly and effectively helping staff find solutions to problems related to their development;
• Clearly and effectively communicates information to teachers;
• Demonstrates diplomacy by approaching others about sensitive issues in non-threatening ways and fosters an environment conducive to open and transparent communication, and utilizes the Sanctuary Training Model;
• Attends Sanctuary Training and other job-related trainings and seminars, and researches ways to keep up with the latest information and best practices within the field; and
• Other duties as assigned.

License or Certifications:

• CPR/First Aid certification or certification within two months of employment required.

Schedule:

• The Instructional Leader is a full-time, benefit-eligible hourly position. Standard hours of operation are Monday–Friday, 8:30 am – 5:00 pm. The work schedule and hours will be defined by the Department Head or direct supervisor. Due to the nature of the work, some weekend and evening hours may be required.

Key Competencies:

• Seeks to cultivate and develop professional working relationships with key stakeholders, i.e., staff, volunteers, interns, board members, etc.;
• Demonstrated skill in understanding others;
• Engages in (or commits to) personal and professional development;
• Demonstrates a willingness to examine one’s assumptions and attitudes;
• Maintains productive work relationships while considering multiple perspectives;
• Demonstrates awareness of one’s and others’ life experiences and their relevance in the workplace;
• Experience resolving conflicts effectively; and
• Promotes a respectful work environment in which concerns are addressed effectively.

Skills

• Approachability: Listens; allows adequate time for interactions, creates a supportive communication environment;
• Assertiveness: Communicates directly and honestly, while demonstrating respect for others;
• Collaboration: Team-centered and willing to work in a collaborative and team-based environment;
• Composure: Responds to information in a self-controlled manner;
• Conflict Management: Identifies sources of conflict and methods of management, and chooses appropriate techniques to resolve issues;
• Customer Focus: Builds effective relationships with customers, identifies customer expectations, tries to see issues from their point of view, and offers practical solutions to concerns;
• Emotional Intelligence: Recognizes and values the differences and uniqueness of others. Empathetically and respectfully accepts these differences and works cooperatively and sincerely to optimize the contributions of all individuals;
• Ethics and Integrity: Makes decisions and conducts oneself in a manner consistent with the organization's mission. Respects all individuals in the work environment and treats them as such. Demonstrates high personal standards of acceptance and openness to others;
• Influencing: Presents information, ideas, and suggestions in a way that causes others to feel included and involved;
• Leading: Takes charge of a situation and inspires others to take action toward the accomplishment of a goal;
• Motivating Others: Recognizes others’ internal motivators and adapts approach to best connect with each individual;
• Mission Focused: Must be a strong supporter of the organization’s mission and services offered;
• Organizing: Puts issues, work tasks, and paperwork in a logical order;
• Patience: Behaves in a manner that encourages and allows for interactive behavior from those less skilled, knowledgeable, or experienced;
• Performance Management: Appropriately uses the concepts of both positive motivation and consequences to improve performance to a preferred level;
• Personal Accountability: Accepts responsibility for own actions and embraces experiences as learning opportunities;
• Results-oriented: Directs behavior to emphasize the achievement of organizational goals and core values. Ability to meet multiple deadlines;
• Self-Development: Accepts responsibility for own continued education, learning, and growth;
• Team Building: Recognizes and builds on the strengths of others. Looks for ways to build positive relationships within the work team;
• Trust and Respect: Offers respect to all in the work environment, adheres to high personal standards of acceptance, reliability, openness, and consistency of action with words; and
• Technical Skills: Possesses the knowledge and abilities necessary to perform the required job elements to establish standards.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYMENT STATEMENT

YWCA Hartford Region, in recognition of its values and responsibility to its employees and the communities in which it operates, is committed to equality of opportunity. To this end, YWCA Hartford Region’s policy is to comply with the laws, regulations, and orders that provide for and impose obligations on employers with respect to the management of their equal employment opportunity programs.

Accordingly, YWCA Hartford Region does not discriminate or permit discrimination against any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. YWCA Hartford Region, Inc. takes affirmative action to ensure that applicants with job-related qualifications are employed and that employees are treated when employed without regard to their race, color, religious creed, age, marital status, national origin, military status, veteran status, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, intellectual disability, mental disability or physical disability, including, but not limited to blindness, unless such disability prevents performance of the work involved.

Requirements

Education:

• Minimum twelve (12) credits in early childhood education required, or must obtain 12 credits in early childhood education within one year of employment; or
• Bachelor's degree required. Degree focus area in early childhood education, psychology, or related field preferred.

Experience:

• Minimum five (5) years related experience in a child development program required;
• Minimum three (3) years as a head teacher required;
• Basic knowledge of the principles of Child Development required;
• Knowledge of state licensing and accreditation guidelines required;
• Demonstrated ability to develop age-appropriate exhibits and activities for the classroom preferred; and
• Knowledge of and the ability to use Microsoft Office software applications, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint preferred.