Manager, Early Childhood Education

Company Description

The Children’s Opportunity Alliance (The Alliance) is an independent 501(c)(3) designated as the early care and education (ECE) coordinating entity for Montgomery County.It is responsible for ensuring an equitable and integrated system of high-quality, accessible, and affordable ECE options for our youngest citizens. Montgomery County is committed to addressing racism, systemic structures, and barriers that limit access to our County’s racially and economically diverse populations. The Alliance is governed by a Board that is appointed by the County Executive and approved by the County Council. Community engagement, advocacy, accountability, and transparency are key values of the Alliance and will require close collaboration with many diverse stakeholders from the public and private sectors.

Position Summary

In order for The Alliance to fulfill its legislative mandate, a dynamic and innovative strategy specialist is required. The Manager, Early Childhood Education will be a part of a small team responsible for driving the organization’s work forward, spearheading community engagement, being a subject matter expert in early care and education, stakeholder engagement and facilitation, research, and advocacy. The Manager must have a deep understanding of the ECE landscape and the unique issues faced by vulnerable families and providers; ensuring the application of an equity lens in all of The Alliance’s efforts.

Responsibilities

Reporting directly to the Executive Director, the Manager, Early Childhood Education will possess the following skills and experiences:

1. Subject Matter Expertise in Early Care and Education

• Deep knowledge of the ECE field and an understanding of the field’s alignment and/or opportunities to align with early childhood health/mental health and family support programming
• Previous experience as a preschool or early childhood teacher or assistant a plus; previous experience as a childcare center director, administrator or having started a childcare business a plus
• Serve as subject matter expert regarding the early care and education landscape; conducting research on best practices in the early care and education sector

2. Excellent Group Facilitation Skills

• Coordinate and facilitate activities with initiative stakeholders to minimize duplication, ensure coordination, and maximize leveraging of resources
• In partnership with the Manager, System Building, inform and support local and state-level advocacy initiatives associated with the Alliance’s strategic efforts; including but not limited to facilitating coalition-building efforts, drafting and delivering testimony, and meeting with elected and appointed officials.

3. Research, Data and Analysis Skills

• Research innovative service models and strategies to improve the ECE system
• Map ECE services and resources in Montgomery County with the aim of identifying gaps, needs, and opportunities
• Support The Alliance team to develop a shared measurement system that will track common outcomes and indicators across the initiative and use results to inform learning and continuous improvement
• Catalog resources and studies commissioned by partners; synthesizing information for the community

4. Relationship Building Skills

• Strong relationship-building skills with internal and external stakeholders, government agencies, school districts, early childhood educators, community-based organizations, and diverse Montgomery County families
• Regularly attend recurring meetings of relevant stakeholder groups in the early childhood ecosystem, such as the Commission on Child Care, the ECC, Head Start Advisory Board, and others

Qualifications

• Knowledge of theory and practice regarding specific social justice, racial equity, and community organizing
• Organizational skills and attention to detail including an ability to draft effective, streamlined, and error-free communications
• Ability to focus on issues that vulnerable children and families face preferably in the Montgomery County area; resident a plus
• Ability to initiate and manage projects, balance competing priorities, and plan and conduct efficient meetings
• Bilingual (English/Spanish or English Amharic) preferred, but not required
• Bachelor's or Associate Degree in Early Childhood Education or equivalent work experience in the field
• The ability to supervise The Alliance’s Data Analyst, vendors, and other volunteers or stakeholders supporting landscape mapping, stakeholder engagement, research, data collection, or other functions determined as necessary
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Minimum of 5 years of experience
• Demonstrated experience identifying and operationalizing equitable strategies

How to Apply

Please submit your resume, cover letter, and salary requirements with your online application.

The Children’s Opportunity Alliance (The Alliance) is an Equal Opportunity Employer and Prohibits Discrimination of Any Kind. The Alliance is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all employees and to providing employees with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions are based on business needs, job requirements, and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion or belief, national, social or ethnic origin, sex (including pregnancy), age, physical, mental or sensory disability, HIV status, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital, civil union or domestic partnership status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate. The Alliance will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics, as we foster an open and inclusive professional environment.your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.