Manager of Early Childhood Development

Careers At Start Early

Current job opportunities are posted here as they become available.

Manager of Early Childhood Development

Department:	Early Head Start and Head Start Network
Location:	Chicago, IL

START YOUR APPLICATION

Start Early is an energized, future-focused organization devoted to providing quality early learning and care across the country.

Our desire to close the opportunity gap and build more inclusive early learning experiences for our youngest learners guides everything we do. As a leader in early learning and care, we scale our deep expertise across program, policy and research through partnerships across the country.

We are recruiting individuals who want to join us in this mission and share a commitment to our core values of appreciation & respect, empowerment, diversity, excellence, learning and communication.

Become part of our rewarding, mission-driven culture! We want our employees to feel empowered, motivated, energized, and passionate about the work they do!

Ensures the implementation and coordination of educational programs in Early Head Start Network, including the support to children designed with disabilities, ensuring compliance with regulations, agencies develop, implement, integrate, and evaluate systems and procedures for the delivery of quality education. Responsible for providing support through training, technical assistance, and monitoring, assuring quality integration of early childhood education and disabilities services. The Early Childhood Development Manager will monitor and provide technical assistance to two EHSN programs.

Reporting to the Assistant Director of Education and Child Development you will:

MAJOR RESPONSIBLITIES:

Data Monitoring:

Monitor and provide feedback on the quality of services provided by the recipient Head Start/Early Head Start programs with the assurance that the programs are implementing education disability services as indicated in the Performance Standards.
Ensure Head Start/Early Head Start programs actively track program effectiveness with meeting the 10% enrollment performance standard of children with disabilities in the Grantee Head Start/Early Head Start Programs.
Schedule and conduct monitoring visits to review education and disability documents and plans, including Part C and LEA agreements. Support programs, when identified, coordinate the referral process of children to LEA when the need arises to ensure children with suspected delays, disabilities, and/or behavioral concerns are evaluated for potential services.

Implement Systems:

Work in collaboration with the Early Childhood Development Assistant Director to review, refine, and revise EHSN policies and procedures to ensure compliance with education and disabilities requirements to ensure that they address the requirements of the Performance Standards.
Ensure the maintenance of an up-to-date educational and special needs tracking system and Teaching Strategies GOLD and ChildPlus database to ensure the completion and timely submission of documentation for all children and children referred for special needs services; ensure that children receive services promptly and appropriately.
Collaborate with the Early/Head Start Network Early Child Development team to monitor and improve the database system(s), including the modification of recipient policies and procedures.

Communication:

Maintain a system of communication accountability and engage in opportunities to support the improvement of existing sub-recipient, directly operated, and partner education and disabilities systems.

T/TA:

Provide training, resources, and technical support to ensure the provision of cohesive and quality service for sub-recipient programs, Partners, and Directly Operated Programs in the areas of curriculum implementation, child benchmarks and practices, children's special needs and atypical development, and developmental/behavioral screening, observation and intervention.
Provides guidance to the Grantee, Delegate, and Partner program curriculum and IFSP/IEP and assessment implementation in the Family Child Care Homes, Home Visiting Program, and 0-5 program while providing constructive support to Mentor Coaches, disabilities coordinators, and Site Administrators
In collaboration with the Early Childhood Education Asst. Director reviews the sub-recipient, directly operated Partner's Education and Disabilities program and technical assistance plans.

Arrange training for Head Start/Early Head Start staff and parents on topics related to children with disabilities, atypical development, disability awareness, the Americans with Disabilities Act, IDEA, and topics related to children's mental health. Will conduct in� service trainings at the sites and on-site training and technical assistance.

Resource and Referrals:

In collaboration with the Home Based Supervisor or Director, ensure home visitors' educational approaches provide services to children, families, and staff as needed or requested if assigned to the directly operated home visiting site.

Risk Management:

Identifies irregularities in the data, anticipates areas with potential for inaccuracies, and provides technical support to Early/Head Start Network and other staff, as needed, to correct errors in the database and build their skills and knowledge of data management.

Reporting:

Support Early/Head Start Network with other projects related to data analysis, compliance monitoring, program evaluation, record-keeping and reporting, planning, communication, and project management.

Collaboration/Coordination:

Collaborate with Early/Head Start Network to monitor and improve the education and disabilities database system(s), including developing and revising EHSN policies and procedures. In addition to, ensure ongoing monitoring of school readiness goals attainment and developmental screenings and referrals are completed in a timely manner.
Collaborate with the Early/Head Start Network Directors to develop memorandums of understanding with Local Education Agencies to ensure the timely evaluation and services of all children identified as benefitting from further evaluation.
Work in collaboration with other EHSN management staff to ensure effective integration of service areas.
Promote coordination and integration of education, disabilities, and health services and systems for the most cohesive and beneficial service delivery.
Serves as program support to two recipient programs recipient and programs by assisting in program planning, identifying resources, assessing training needs, and monitoring program progress.

Support Early/Head Start Network with other projects related to data analysis, compliance monitoring, program evaluation, record-keeping and reporting, planning, communication, and project management.

KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE, AND EDUCATION:

Education: Master's Degree in Early Childhood Education or related field and /or equivalent experience
Related Experience:
- Minimum of three years of experience in program development/program management. Prior experience working with children with disabilities.
- Experience with Practice Based Coaching
- Experience with the Creative Curriculum and Teaching Strategies GOLD
- Experience with Parents as Teachers
Training or Competency:
- Understanding of Head Start Performance Standards requirements.
- Knowledgeable of child growth, development, and early childhood education theories and principles.
- Experience in program development and assessment of quality of services.
- Experience working with teachers of young children and their families.
- Communicate effectively and function well with parents, staff, and various professional community groups.
- Strong analytical, organizational, communication (written and verbal), interpersonal, and problem-solving skills.
- Knowledge of pre-school curricula and the ability for assessment.
- Knowledge of regulations IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) and ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act). Familiarity with screening and assessment instruments.
- Ability to seek out methods designed to maximize successful classroom inclusion of children with disabilities.
- Ability to represent Start Early recipient at joint IEP meetings with local school districts.
- Ability to monitor, analyze, and implement changes in special education regulations.
- Knowledge of adult learning strategies, early childhood development, developmentally appropriate curriculum, materials, learning environments, and teaching strategies for children birth to five.
- Strong analytical, organizational, communication (both written and verbal), interpersonal, and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to work in a professional manner both independently and with others in a team environment.
- Must be able to travel to recipient sites.

Base Annual Salary: $77,400.00-$90,000.00

Grade: 16

As of the time of this posting, this is the expected base annual salary range. The base annual salary will be based on a wide range of factors, including skills, qualifications, experience, as well as business needs and limitations.

Our generous benefits plan includes:

Comprehensive Health Plans, Commitment to Diversity, and Inclusion, Holistic Wellness Program, Professional Development Program, 401k Contribution, Paid Volunteer Days, 6 months paid parental leave, and much more.

Start Early is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to our core values by creating an inclusive environment for all staff.

START YOUR APPLICATION

Visit Our Home Page