Program Manager - Preschool Program

                                                 Program Manager – Preschool

Organization & Program Summary

The Center for African Immigrants and Refugees Organization (CAIRO)’s mission is to enhance social justice and achieve parity for the diverse African immigrants and refugee communities through community organizing, collaborative leadership, and service advocacy. We envision a more just and equitable society in which children, youth, and families live in sustained, supportive communities that reinforce the family's cultural wealth and lived experiences. 

At CAIRO Academy, we believe every child deserves a chance to flourish in a safe environment designed to encourage creativity, equity and learning. Our program implements Creative Curriculum, and Second Step Social Emotional teaching tools in a play-based learning environment. With this approach teachers thoughtfully attend to the interests of children, believing that fostering student-led curiosity and reflection strengthens the children’s capacity to continue as life-long learners. Students in our care are encouraged to express themselves and expand on what they are learning through verbal and non-verbal language, music, visual art, writing, movement, and experimentation. 

CAIRO Academy is a non-profit preschool program funded by Preschool Promise and Preschool For All. We have multiple preschool classrooms located throughout Multnomah and Washington County including outer Northeast and Southeast Portland, Gresham, Beaverton, and Hillsboro. The Academy’s focus is to provide a culturally specific and accessible preschool curriculum.

Position Overview

The Program Manager for the Preschool program is responsible for directly supervising assigned preschool classrooms located in Multnomah and Washington Counties. The Program Manager will work with the Lead Teachers of each classroom to ensure our program remains in compliance with funder and state requirements and provides a high-quality education for our students. Classroom observation and coaching play a significant role in this position. The weekly visit must maintain consistency for each classroom that the manager assigned to supervise.

The Manager will work closely with their counterparts on enrollment, program quality improvement, professional development planning, and other administrative tasks.

We are looking for candidates with demonstrated experience in management and/or leadership, who are goal and detail oriented, and with experience working in a preschool program. This position requires frequent travel in both Multnomah and Washington County to support the team. Sometimes with little notice. 

This is a full-time, exempt position that works year-round and reports directly to the Director of Early Learning Programs.
 
Duties and Responsibilities

In the Classroom:

•    Ensure compliance with all licensing requirements as set forth by the state’s DELC and any other applicable local regulatory agencies, and program compliance with funder requirements.
•    Provide guidance to Lead Teachers on developing and implementing lesson plans that are age-appropriate, high quality, and reflect CAIRO Academy’s philosophies.
•    Ensure that staff maintain up to date and accurate student records in TS Gold, ProCare and other software.
•    Conducts weekly classroom site visits for each classroom to provide feedback to staff and address any concerns or issues.
•    Conducts monthly classroom observations.
•    Support and guide staff to increase and maintain SPARK and CLASS ratings and observations for each site.
•    Handle staffing coverage/substitutes for each site including being in ratio when needed.
•    Help plan classroom events like Open House, Family night, etc. with staff.

Training/Development

•    Support staff in navigating the Oregon Online Registry (ORO) and advancing their step number.
•    Ensure all staff maintain training requirements by DELC and funders.
•    Design individualized staff professional development plans, ensuring all trainings are relevant, high-quality, and aligned with CAIRO Academy’s philosophies.
•    Collaborate with program leadership for continuous program improvement by remaining current with industry standards in early childhood education.
•    Conduct staff performance evaluations.
•    Provide guidance, coaching and support to all program staff 
•    Meet for a weekly 1:1 with lead teachers. 
•    Plan staff PD and team building days with other program leaders.

Administration

•    Implement strategies to maintain existing students, recruit and increase enrollment.
•    Review and approve staff timesheets and time off requests.
•    Participate in the recruitment process for staff including onboarding.
•    Follow and maintain policy and procedures regarding our CACFP program.
•    Ensure the program budget is maintained and all reports (such as credit card expenditures) are submitted correctly in accordance with policies and procedures.
•    Ensure information is up to date on promotional materials.
•    Attend meetings as needed.
•    Attend program events for PFA and PSP networking, funder related meetings. This may include evenings and weekends.
•    Work in partnership with school districts, PFA, PSP, Early Learning Hubs, and EI programs.

Compliance
 
•    Register and maintain clearance with the State of Oregon Central Background Registry.
•    Comply with all licensing requirements per Oregon’s DELC and any other relevant local regulatory agencies.
•    Oversee the maintenance and submission of required records and reports on a weekly, monthly and annual basis.
•    Ensures program compliance with all funder requirements. 

Mandated Reporting 

•    All CAIRO Academy staff are mandated reporters in the state of Oregon. Staff are required by mandatory reporting laws to report any suspected child abuse, neglect, or exploitation to Child Protective Services (CPS) or local law enforcement agency (without prior notification to the parents involved). CAIRO will also inform our center licensor of any reports. Please follow CAIRO policy below:
•    We follow mandatory report requirements and stay compliant with state regulations. The report must be submitted within a specified time to meet state requirements. You Can find this information in the Licensing Binder or follow the this link for CC/SC Serious Injury or Incident Reporting to CCLD - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Rh116N3Z_4zdsDyQxXe7TI1eJIYRtnbA/view?usp=sharing
•    Or for the information for Child Care Center Required Notifications follow this link https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kzRK14XwrjNAsP7QBZdxwegOtXaRQe22/view?usp=sharing
•    The staff will create and submit the report ensuring accurate information including specific date/time of the incident and how the incident occurred. This form is in your Licensing Binder or can be found by following this link. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Spwga6vzRwbkZ0fo8YF-M_w00n6ec5XM/view?usp=sharing
•    If you need assistance completing the form or have questions, please contact your Preschool Supervisor.
•    For more information including a brief training video follow this link https://www.oregon.gov/odhs/report-abuse/pages/mandatory-reporting.aspx
414-075-0130 Complaints and Investigations
(23) A childcare facility may not interfere, discourage, or attempt to prevent a parent, legal guardian, current or former employee or volunteer from disclosing information to CCLD, law enforcement, any other entity with legal or regulatory authority over the facility, or to a child’s parent concerning allegations of any of the following as provided by ORS 329A.348:
(a) Abuse or mistreatment of a child in the childcare facility.
(b) Violations of licensing requirements.
(c) Criminal activity at the facility.
(d) Violations of state or federal laws, or
(e) Any practice that threatens the health and safety of a child in the childcare facility.

Central Background Registry Requirement:

You must be currently enrolled in Oregon's Central Background Registry in order to be offered any preschool position. If you are not currently enrolled, you may still be considered for this position, but no offer of employment may be extended to you until this requirement has been completed. For information on how to enroll in Oregon's Central Background Registry, please visit https://secure.emp.state.or.us/ccd/   or call the Office of Child Care at 1.800.556.6616.

Qualifications/Experience

•    Bachelor’s degree in education, Early Childhood Education, Early Childhood Special Education or a combination of relevant experience and education.
•    1 year of management and supervision of adults.
•    Minimum step number of 8 ORO
•    AND Meet DELC Director Qualifications: https://www.oregon.gov/delc/providers/CCLD_Library/PR-0197-Director-Qualifications-EN.pdf
•    Successful experience in using a collaborative team approach.
•    Working Knowledge of Teaching Strategies Gold, ASQ-3, ASQ – SE, ProCare and Google Workspace.

Physical Requirements of the Job:

•    Must be able to lift up to 50lbs
•    Frequent bending/crouching down to the floor, sitting in small chairs, sitting on the floor actively engaging in activities with children.
•    Physical ability to move quickly to redirect children for the purpose of ensuring a child's safety or the safety of others in the environment.
•    Ability to respond appropriately both physically and mentally to an emergency or crisis-situation, such as to provide CPR and/or First Aid to a pre-school age child, to evacuate a building, etc.
•    In a normal workday, may stand/walk 6 hrs./day
•    May use hands for repetitive grasping, pushing and pulling, may use hands at or above shoulder level.
•    Must be able to communicate with children at their eye level.

Travel:

Staff in all positions may be scheduled to work at any of our CAIRO Academy sites to fulfill program operation requirements and may be given short notice. CAIRO Academy Sites are located on the outer limits of: Hillsboro, Beaverton, Gresham, Northeast and Southeast Portland
Travel may be required to attend appropriate training as assigned.

Job Conditions:

Will be required to work outdoors intermittently with exposure to typical Oregon weather conditions. There may be frequent interruptions, evening or weekend work, working long hours in peak periods. May work in a confined and small space with minimal room for maneuverability. 

Salary: $63,000 - $68,000 per year, depending on experience.

Benefits:
CAIRO offers the following benefits for this position:
16 days of accrued Paid Time Off per year.
6 days of accrued sick time.
Up to 16 paid company holidays.
Medical and dental insurance with employee-only premiums covered 100% by CAIRO.
Low-Cost Vision insurance.
401(k) plan with an up to 3% employer match.

NOTE: This agency believes that each employee makes a significant contribution to our success. This job description in no way implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee. At all times, employees will be required to follow any instruction and perform any other duties within this or a lower job level upon the request of the supervisor. At times, employees may also be required to perform higher-level duties.