Job Description

Position: Workforce Development Strategist

Full-Time | Salary Range: $45,000 - $48,000

Culture:

Trying Together’s mission is to support high-quality care and education for young children.

Trying Together is a Pittsburgh-based nonprofit that supports the work of early childhood by providing advocacy, community resources, and professional growth opportunities for the needs and rights of children, their families, and the adults who interact with them. A fast-paced organization, Trying Together looks for dedicated and passionate staff who bring positivity to their work and a solution-oriented sensibility.

Trying Together is an equal opportunity employer. Trying Together does not discriminate and encourages qualified candidates of any gender, race, class, sexual orientation, faith, disability, or age to apply. All candidates will be evaluated on a merit basis.

Purpose:

Working closely with the Director of Quality Initiatives Projects, Associate Executive Director, and Quality Initiatives Professional Development and ELRC teams, the Workforce Development Strategist is responsible for researching, developing, facilitating, and evaluating comprehensive professional growth opportunities for early education professionals that are aligned with field interests, needs, and trends as well as the organization’s mission, vision, and efforts. This is a full-time position that includes occasional evening and weekend hours, as well as light travel. The Workforce Development Strategist reports to the Director of Quality Initiatives Projects and is considered an active team member of the Trying Together Quality Initiatives department.

Responsibilities:

• Oversee the development, coordination, facilitation, and evaluation of sequential, Trying Together workforce professional learning opportunities for early educators, such as the Child Development Associate credential (initial and renewal) and workforce Apprenticeship. The facilitation of such opportunities includes professional development coursework as well as participant and program coaching and mentoring.
• Be familiar with and assist in the coordination of professional development participants’ access to T.E.A.C.H., the PA CDA voucher system, PASSHE PDO, and other available professional development resources.
• Develop, facilitate, and evaluate professional development opportunities for early learning professionals and stakeholders on relevant topics that meet the needs of the field, including but not limited to: developmentally appropriate practice, child development, family-child-program relationships, and professionalism within early learning programs.
• Aide in the reflection and evaluation of projects and programs, working directly with other team members. This process will work to ensure that Trying Together programs and resources pertain to the mission and vision of the organization and more importantly reflect the needs and interests of the communities at large.
• Support the Trying Together Coaching and Mentoring efforts of the Southwestern Pennsylvania ECE Apprenticeship Program. Maintain all coach and apprentice documentation, support apprentice and mentor registration and progress, and track apprentice on-the-job learning competencies.
• Support regional apprenticeship efforts in conjunction with the SW ECE Apprenticeship program partners. Support may include employer technical assistance, industry partnership initiatives, and collaborative efforts with institutions of higher education, the state PDO Coordinator, and PD Department of Labor staff.
• Collaborate and work with other Quality Initiatives team members, consultants, and volunteers, as well as Trying Together staff. The Workforce Development Strategist will participate in organizational team and all-staff meetings as well as may be asked to participate in other organizational initiatives that relate to the Workforce Development Strategist’s current work efforts and responsibilities.
• Be familiar with and oversee the support of early learning programs seeking national accreditation (NAEYC, NECPA, NAFCC).
• Complete on site, face-to-face program visits offering support and strategies for continuous quality improvement.
• Consistently use the NeonCRM platform to build relationships with constituents, record data that measure project performance, and support continuous quality improvement in the organization's resources and services.
• Commitment to racial equity and inclusion and a willingness to do the ongoing personal work to bring about a more just society.
  
  

• Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education or related field (with a minimum of six early education credits). A Master’s degree is highly preferred.
• Experience in public speaking, particularly in the provision of professional learning utilizing adult learning principles.
• A current PA Quality Assurance System (PQAS) instructor certification is highly preferred.
• Is familiar with and has experience in developing and facilitating professional development opportunities including coursework for the Child Development Associate credential.
• Has experience in developing individualized education plans for early educators as well as appropriately assisting, coaching, and mentoring educators through the completion of such plans. Workforce apprenticeship knowledge and experience is highly preferred.
• Has experience in supporting early learning programs in the continuous professional development of program staff; program leadership experience is highly preferred.
• Has experience as or working with home-based child care providers.
• Is familiar with various educational professional development frameworks and standards such as: The Pennsylvania Core Knowledge Competencies; Coaching Powerful Interactions; The Early Childhood Mentoring Curriculum; The Danielson Framework for Teaching; and the NAEYC Standards for Programs Preparing Early Childhood Professionals.
• Is familiar and has experience with Pennsylvania Keystone STARS, Head Start, and NAEYC Performance Standards.
• Is familiar and has experience with the PA Early Learning Standards.
• Has effective organizational skills, with the ability to multi-task and pay attention to detail.
• Has strong oral and written communication skills; public speaking expertise is required.
• Maintains confidentiality and values the notion of respect among colleagues. The Workforce Development Strategist will be required to abide by the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct for Early Childhood Professionals.
• Is flexible and open to quick changes being made to better meet the needs of program and project audiences as well as perform other duties to support Trying Together efforts, as assigned.
• Has the ability to ask questions whenever unclear about a concept, task, or activity.
• Is able to travel throughout the region in order to attend meetings, visit early education facilities, and perform other duties to support Trying Together efforts, as assigned.
• Is familiar with and has the ability to manipulate typical organizational technology.
  
  

• Clean Act 33 Child Abuse Clearance.
• Clean Act 34 PA State Police Clearance.
• Clean Act 73 Federal Criminal History Clearance.
• National Sex Offender Registry (NSOR) Verification.
  
  

• Mandated Reporter Training (must be completed in the first month of placement).
• NeonCRM Training (required and recommended online courses must be completed in the first three months of placement).
• PQAS Professional Development Instructor Certification (must be obtained within the first year of employment).
  
  

• Competitive compensation and benefits package.
• Appreciative inquiry and strengths-based review process.