Early Learning Program Coordinator (Closes 7/27)

Position Summary

The Early Learning Program Coordinator works under the supervision of the Family Strengthening Program Manager and is responsible for program execution and continuous quality improvement efforts of the early childhood contracts in DHS Office of Community Services, including Head Start and Home Visiting programs. The ELPC integrates knowledge of programs and policies with strong project management skills to support large-scale initiatives among DHS early childhood services. The ELPC will develop strong relationships with provider partners to work toward shared goals of improving child and family outcomes. Candidates to this position should demonstrate a strong ability to cross-collaborate, and regular attendance and coordination on various Headstart council and monitoring meetings is a must. Data collection and analysis are critical components of this role, ensuring policies and practices evolve to meet the dynamic needs of families and children in Allegheny County. Additionally, the ELPC will conduct annual monitoring to ensure quality and compliance with funding regulations. The ELPC’s work will enhance integration of policies, procedures, and implementation to align with local, state, and national standards. The ELPC will represent DHS OCS to advance strategic initiatives across the county and among stakeholders and collaborative partners. This role will also help support program efforts of other Family Strengthening services, such as Family Centers and home visiting programs, where appropriate.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

•    Develop agenda, timelines, and activities to implement programs, policies, and procedures.
•    Convene and lead teams to execute programs, policies, and procedures.
•    Develop a thorough understanding of programmatic and staffing practices to efficiently apply change management structures in support of continuous quality improvement.
•    Identify strategic partnerships and support their implementation using logic models, theories of change, and written and verbal communication to internal and external stakeholders to articulate clear implementation steps and translate partnerships into programming.
•    Manage efforts under supervision to pilot initiatives of new programs, policies, and procedures.
•    Work closely with diverse staff and stakeholders to ensure policies are appropriate, equitable, and aligned with the needs and experiences of families and staff.
•    Conduct literature reviews, assessments, and analysis of data and feedback to inform the development of new programs and policies.
•    Monitor, coordinate, and contribute to the completion of county, state, and/or federal reporting requirements.
•    Attend, participate, and lead staff meetings as well as internal and external training sessions.
•    Meet with and provide regular updates to the Office of Community Services leadership team.
•    Complete other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Must be self-directive and able to operate independently to achieve program objectives.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work collaboratively in a team-oriented atmosphere.
• Knowledge of child development, human development, family studies, developmental or educational psychology, education, or a related field.
• Excellent verbal and written interpretation and communication skills are required, with high attention to detail.
• Strong analytic and critical thinking skills.
• Flexible, creative, assertive and able to work in a multiple task or multidisciplinary environment.
• Experience leading or supervising an educational or human services program preferred.
• Experience collaborating on projects with both internal and external partners is preferred.
• Demonstrated fluidity with the Microsoft Office suite of software (e.g., Word, Outlook, PowerPoint) and data tracking software (e.g., Excel) and other relevant computer-based and technological applications.
• Have both available and consistent access to reliable transportation and be able to navigate in the community for work related assignments throughout the County.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions, consistent with applicable law.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in a related field, plus at least five years’ experience in progressively responsible positions within human/social services, child development, or education fields; or, any equivalent combination of education and experience which meets the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.