Professional Development Manager

Open to Candidates Statewide

Agency Overview:

thread assists families in finding affordable, high-quality child care that meets their needs.  We provide professional development, technical assistance, and financial support to early childhood educators and programs to ensure they are preparing children for lifelong success.  By collaborating with communities and businesses, we work to achieve positive outcomes for families and young children through increased access to affordable, high-quality child care. We undertake research and advocate for child care policies. This work is guided by our core values of empowerment, access, child care professionalism, children’s rights, and entrepreneurial incubator.

Specific Responsibilities:

The Professional Development Manager is responsible for supporting thread’s statewide work to increase the quality of early childhood education programs and educators by providing training, education, technical assistance, consultation, coaching and funding through supervision of staff, oversight of teams, and project management.  This includes the following: 

1. Lead a statewide team to ensure consistent implementation of professional development thread services to early childhood programs and educators through team goals, policies and procedures, work plans, work groups, project management, etc. 


2. Manage teamwork flow, roles and responsibilities, documentation, data management, and forms to meet objectives set by agency management.


3. Oversee and support statewide team communication, strategic planning, data analysis, and performance measures, including serving as a liaison and facilitating communication among all thread directors, managers, and team leads to ensure alignment of agency goals, priorities, and services.


4. Oversee the development and implementation of policies and procedures for quality assurance.  


5. Oversee all grant activity as assigned. Provide accurate grant/program data and budget oversight as assigned.


6. Supervise and train staff, as assigned, using a strength based and reflective approach both in person and virtually.


7. Provide team leadership and direct services to parents, providers, and the community as needed.


8. Liaison with stakeholders to support the early childhood field through education, training, technical assistance, consultation, and coaching.


9. Ensure all assigned staff are trained and knowledgeable on thread’s culture, database, and agency tools and resources.


10. Occasional in-state and out of state travel, sometimes in small aircraft, is required.


11. The specific work a Professional Development Manager could oversee and/or conduct includes, but is not limited to:
    
    
    
    • Oversee and manage thread services to early childhood programs and families, including Alaska IN!, program/classroom/individual child consultation, and the delivery of technical assistance and coaching services.
    
    
    • Oversee projects which impact the professional development of early educators.
    
    
    • Oversee and coordinate thread training and educational opportunities to advance professional development for early educators statewide.
    
    
    • Oversee and manage thread’s calendar for training including internal and contract trainers.
    
    
    • Recruit, train, and support a statewide pool of qualified trainers and training organizations.
    
    
    • Oversee and manage quality initiatives to early childhood programs. 
    
    
    • Develop, implement, and oversee thread’s professional development fee-based services.
    
    
    • Oversee and implement projects aimed to improve quality for specialized groups, populations, and those new to the field. 
    
    
    • Implement and train staff on best practices related to technology to deliver training.
    
    
    • Other duties as assigned.
    
    
    
    

Qualifications:

1. BA required, MA/MS preferred, in education, human services, mental health, psychology, infant learning, social work, or related field.


2. Prior experience with project management and program development including program evaluations, creating, and using outcome measures and reporting results required.


3. Prior experience in adult education required.


4. Prior professional experience in an early childhood setting preferred.


5. Prior experience in coaching, consultation and training preferred.


6. Knowledge and prior work with children who experience special needs.


7. Previous experience supervising staff and/or volunteers required both in-person, virtually/remotely. 


8. Prior experience with technical writing and grants and contracts management preferred.


9. Effective communication skills.


10. Current driver’s license required; Alaska driver’s license preferred.


11. Must pass background check and provide references and valid identification.

Key Competencies:

1. Passion and commitment to thread’s mission and the importance of early childhood.


2. Flexibility and adaptability as organizational needs change.


3. Strong interpersonal and leadership skills required.


4. Strong analytical skills and attention to detail.


5. Knowledge of early care and education best practices, child development, and community resources to support children and their families.


6. Ability to work and communicate effectively with a diverse group of staff, clients, and partners in a variety of settings to achieve goals.


7. Ability to use database systems such as Salesforce and general office programs such as Microsoft Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, Outlook, Adobe, etc.


8. Ability to work a varied schedule as needed to meet performance measures.


9. Ability to use multiple communication and program management tools such as: MS Office 365, Google Docs, Quip, Zoom, etc.  

Schedule and Compensation:

Position Hours: Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm, other hours as needed.

Location: Alaska

Position Type: Full Time, 40 hours/week

Classification: Exempt, Permanent

Supervisor: Professional Development Director

Compensation: $70,000 - $80,000 annual salary

Supervises: Professional Development Specialists, and other staff as assigned.

Benefits: 20 days of PTO & sick leave (starting), 14 paid holidays, 403b match, High-Deductible Health Plan with HSA option (employer contributes HSA), Dental, Vision and Life. All premiums covered 100% for employee’s health, dental, vision and life. Free thread services.