Assistant Director Professional Development

Company: Educare Chicago
Location: Chicago
Posted on: May 13, 2025

Job Description:

Assistant Director Professional DevelopmentStart 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!Under the direction of the Early/Head Start Deputy Director, the Assistant Director of Professional Development is responsible for leading the planning and implementation of all Early/Head Start Network (EHSN) Professional Development Initiatives. The Assistant Director will lead the design and delivery of an intensive model of training, coaching, and reflective practice groups, with the goal of systematically transforming the practices of early childhood professionals to align with early learning standards and promote school readiness outcomes.The Assistant Director will work alongside EHSN leadership and utilize research and evaluation to develop professional learning that exceeds Head Start Performance standards. The Assistant Director of Professional Development will collaborate with EHSN, Start Early leaders, and external partners to design, conduct, and implement professional development workforce pipeline initiatives.The Assistant Director supervises the Mentor Coaching and Professional Development Teams and serves as the primary liaison to one to three sub-recipients.Reporting to the Early/Head Start Deputy Director you will:MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:Monitoring :

• Oversees the design, development, and implementation of staff development (training and technical assistance plan) in content, delivery, and evaluation provided by the staff in EHSN.
• Use ongoing evaluation results throughout the engagement with each site to adjust the content, intensity, and focus of the Professional Development Initiatives.
• Continuously evaluates all training, coaching, and reflective practice groups to ensure that EHSN needs are met effectively and efficiently to help maintain the EHSN objectives.Operations and Compliance:
  • Develops and implements professional development for EHSN staff to increase their capability to support subrecipients in key performance areas including coaching, curriculum implementation and fidelity, teacher-child interactions, family engagement, child and family outcomes, assessment, and data aggregation and analysis.
  • Build the skills and knowledge of EHSN mentor coaches to equip them with the comprehensive expertise required to effectively support subrecipients in delivering high-quality early childhood education.Data Collection and Management:
    • Use ongoing evaluation results throughout the engagement with each site to adjust the content, intensity, and focus of the Professional Development initiatives.
    • Oversee data collection system and process to ensure data accuracy in a timely. Familiarity withEarly Childhood Education Databases such as ChildPlus, and Teaching Strategies Gold.
      • Tracks and measures the effectiveness of ongoing coaching, intensive coaching, and professional development programs by assessing participant engagement and outcomes. Provide targeted recommendations for improvement while ensuring all program requirements are met.Process Improvement:
        • Leads change management efforts as needed related to training, performance management, and advancement processes, ensuring seamless transitions and strong adoption.
        • Ensures the Professional Development Initiatives are implemented in a manner consistent with the research on adult learning, teacher development, and best practices in early childhood education
        • Utilizes analytics to evaluate internal and external labor supply and demand and identify the gaps that may exist between current and future states with a view to proactively providing ideas and solutions.Collaboration and Communication :
          • Collaborates with EHS leadership, Start Early leaders, and external partners in designing and implementing professional development initiatives to develop an internal workforce pipeline, such as a 'grow your own' teacher development system.
          • Collaborates with EHSN leadership to align training calendars, provide consultation on internal training programs, and ensure consistent quality across all learning initiatives.
          • Responsible for the planning, implementing, and maintaining a system of embedded professional development for EHSN. This may include staff, parents, and community partners.Coaching and Supervision:
            • Maintains database to ensure all EHSN programs are in compliance with mandatory ongoing, intensive coaching and program training requirements.
            • Designs with the team a system to refine the coaching and professional development database for tracking and reporting input data and outcomes, as well as user feedback surveys and other data-centered applications
            • Ensures consistency in service delivery across directly operated sites, sub-recipients, and partners, with attention to quality practices and the integration of service areas.
            • Acts as the primary liaison to 1-3 sub-recipients by assisting in program planning, identifying resources, assessing training needs, building organizational capacity, and monitoring program progressCommunity Engagement and Governance:
              • Develops and maintains effective, strategic relationships with external partners with a vested interest in the professional development of early childhood professionals in Chicago and its Suburbs.
              • Ensures that EHSN Managers coordinate and provide mandated training and parent-professional development opportunities for parent policy council and parent committee leaders and board members.
              • Collaborates with Start Early leaders to design new training and learning events in support of annual projects and in response to professional development needs.KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE, AND EDUCATION:
                • Master's degree in Early Childhood, Education, Organizational Development or Human Services administration, or other related field.
                • Knowledge of Head Start and Early Head Start performance standards, ECE curriculum, child assessment, high impact, evidence-based instructional practices, and classroom quality assessments for early childhood.
                • Knowledge of school administration, more specifically operating early childhood programs, with experience training and/or supervising teachers; knowledge of instructional design, course development and delivery, online learning, adult learning and evaluation methodologies.
                • Ability to design training programs and provide training to various size groups. Strong facilitation and presentation skills.
                • Ability to work with culturally diverse staff and populations and a variety of education stakeholders and audiences.
                • Strong communication (written and verbal), organizational, time management, interpersonal, and problem-solving skills.
                • Ability to assess and monitor staff's job performance to determine EHSN staff training needs and capabilities.
                • Knowledge of software programs such as ChildPlus, MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other relevant applications.Grade: 18As 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.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.
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Keywords: Educare Chicago, Oak Lawn , Assistant Director Professional Development, Executive , Chicago, Illinois