9772 (Tpv) - Workforce Initiatives Program Specialist, Dept. Of Early Childhood

Job Description
Workforce Initiatives Description
The Early Learning Division administers core department strategies that advance opportunities in support of teacher preparation and compensation, enhance program quality, and improve early care and education affordability and access;
and collaborates closely with the other DEC divisions to form a cross-sector approach that ensures universal developmental screening that promotes access to health and mental health services for children and their families;
and that families have opportunities for social and professional connections, linkage to resources, and information on parenting and child development.
The Early Learning Division is building a high-quality early care and education system that improves equitable access to high-quality, affordable early care and education for all children from birth to five years of age to provide the best start in life and enter kindergarten ready to succeed and focuses on:
Developing and supporting opportunities that achieve continuous eligibility for families and continuity of care for children ages birth to five.
Using a racial equity framework that creates the conditions that will ensure school readiness experiences.
Ensures that quality and assessment systems are responsive to the diverse needs of ECE programs and the children they serve.
Embracing culturally responsive and linguistically appropriate environments across a mixed delivery system.
Support policies and strategies that enhance coherence and alignment for Universal PreK (UPK).
The DEC Early Educator Workforce Initiatives aims to improve outcomes for San Francisco’s children and families by providing additional compensation to support a well-educated, well-compensated, and stable workforce.
DEC is committed to providing resources to programs and individuals that reward early care and education (ECE) staff for increased educational attainment, experience, and additional qualifications/skills.
Position Description
The Program Specialist for the Workforce Development Initiative is part of a diverse team dedicated to the advancement, retention and working conditions of early educators. This position reports to the Workforce Initiatives Manager under the Early Learning Division and supports early educator compensation and professional development supports.
The Program Specialist will work closely with the Workforce Compensation and Professional Development Pathways Program Officers, and members of the Quality Early Learning and Data &
Evaluation Teams to support the implementation of an array of grant making, capacity building, grants management, technical assistance, evaluation, communication, and funder and stakeholder organizing efforts while supporting and fostering key relationships within the department and with community-based partners.
The Program Specialist performs a variety of activities related to supporting the funding of various local early educator workforce projects and programs;
may provide direct coordination support of program implementation and technical programming;
will participate in program planning, development, program implementation, and evaluation;
conducts program analyses, makes recommendations on operational corrections in collaboration with Program Officers to comply with contractual requirements and support departmental goals and mission;
prepares reports and records and performs related duties as required.
Examples of important and essential functions of this position include:
Systems and Partnership Level
Work with the Policy &
Impact Division for internal/external research in coordination with Program Officers to analyze and synthesize trends and opportunities in workforce support programming.
Engage in professional development and continuous learning, including participating in conferences and meetings, regional networks, and other field-building/professional development opportunities that will enhance leadership development.
Provide support to the design and implementation of early learning grant programming.
Integrate and align other Early Learning Division initiatives and efforts as needed;
participate in department-wide planning, resource allocation, and organizational development.
Grantmaking and Support
Provide administrative and technical support for Program Officers in tracking and coordinating budget utilization, activities, and the compliance performance of grantees.
Support program design and implementation of crucial early educator professional development pathways and compensation programs, supporting the coordination of stakeholder engagement planning and implementation.
Effectively center equity in program solutions and system design approaches, including development of training, coursework and professional development requirements of programming that acknowledges the experiences of the diverse workforce and the need for supports and strategies to increase access to institutions of higher education.
Read, analyze, and interpret common professional publications, research, legislative or policy documents, financial reports and related agency documents and information.
Collaborate on preparation of concise analytical written proposal summaries that include funding recommendations, payment schedules, and grant analysis.
Provide support in the establishment and execution of evaluation efforts for on-going assessment of programs and grantees.
Works with identified data system to establish and collect training and professional development reporting, to develop integrated data system tracking that will link quality supports, child outcomes, teacher supports, and other evaluation data while helping to design additional strategic investments in professional development pathways.
Collect data and information and prepare a wide variety of reports, memoranda, and correspondences on initiative progress and status;
recommend project or program modifications to assure initiative goal attainment, high quality implementation of services, and contract adherence.
Provide troubleshooting, guidance, and technical support to grantees and participating programs/agencies as needed.
As needed:
collaborate in the oversight of the work of external consultants;
report to senior level and executive management.
Other duties as assigned.
This position will require some evening and weekend meetings, including travel regionally and nationally.