With a workforce of over 30,000 people, and opportunities in more than 1,000 different job categories, the City of Philadelphia is the fifth largest city in the United States and one of the largest employers in Southeastern Pennsylvania. As an employer, the City of Philadelphia operates through the guiding principles of service, integrity, respect, accountability, collaboration, diversity and inclusion. Through these principles, we strive to effectively deliver services, to resolve the challenges facing our city, and to make Philadelphia a place where all of our residents have the opportunity to reach their potential.  

AGENCY DESCRIPTION

The Mayor’s Office of Education sits within a nexus of work that requires intentional collaboration with a myriad of organizations and individuals from City Council, the School District of Philadelphia, City departments and others. The Office works to support and advocate for the broader educational system to support system-wide improvements. The Office directly manages two signature initiatives of Philadelphia Mayor Kenney: PHLPreK and Community Schools. PHLPrek is the largest piece of this portfolio with a budget of $40M and a current staff of five.  PHLPrek offers free, quality pre-K to children ages 3-4 across Philadelphia.  PHLPreK currently offers 2,250 seats with plans to expand to 5,500 seats by Fall 2023. 

This is a new position that will report to the Chief Education Officer and work collaboratively with the Mayor’s Policy Office to guide and manage the strategic development and implementation of a system of Early Childhood Education (ECE) for Philadelphia. This includes: supporting policies and programs that ensure an ample and accessible supply of high-quality early learning opportunities, a well-trained (and compensated) workforce, easy access for parents and providers, and an infrastructure that supports coordination across systems and funding sources. 

This individual will play a leadership role in all aspects of the development, implementation, and maintenance of a highly successful municipal effort to ensure that all children under the age of 5 have access to high quality early learning opportunities. This will entail leveraging the lessons of, and investments in, the PHLpreK program along with many other recent local ECE investments from federal, state, and local government as well as philanthropic sources. Building on a robust existing base of work by non-profit, labor, government, and higher education organizations to strengthen the ECE sector, this position will connect with all stakeholders to use data and expertise to generate and manage a strategic plan that ensures that all of the essential pillars of an effective ECE system are advancing.

This person will also be a primary advocate within government advancing the cause of young children. The position will require cogent, confident, fact-based internal advocacy for investment, policy-change, and system modification that will allow for development of an ECE system that successfully serves a population inclusive of a large number of families with low incomes.

As a result of this person’s leadership, Philadelphia will become the nation’s leading city exemplifying and implementing the attributes of an evidence-based system to support effective early childhood education.

This position will report to the Chief Education Officer and will oversee the operational staff managing the implementation of PHLPrek as well as policy staff who together work with a cross-sector of stakeholders (state agencies, philanthropy, advisory boards, city departments, etc.), providers and advocates in building a high quality, more seamless ECE system for Philadelphia.  

Essential Functions: 

Strategic vision and leadership

• Set vision and direction to develop and implement a plan that ensures a sustainable system of ECE in Philadelphia, leveraging the lessons and investments of PHLPrek and other prek investments and opportunities.
• Build common purpose and collaborate with a broad array of stakeholders to develop and deliver a strategic plan that ensures a sustainable system of ECE in Philadelphia.
• Strengthen and integrate with other systems such as workforce, human services, health and behavioral health, other educational systems (e.g. K-12, higher ed) to maximize impact and efficiency.
• Serve as the primary liaison with the Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL)
• Manage relationships with the entities that manage the local systems for the ELRC and the Professional Development Organization
• Cultivate a strong and transparent working relationship with the established Advisory Boards and ensure open communication about the measurement of financial, programmatic, and impact performance against stated milestones and goals.
• Identify opportunities and develop systems that make navigation and utilization of ECE programming seamless for Philadelphia families.

Strengthening infrastructure, systems, and operations

• Support and motivate the organization's staff to deliver quality services that will lead to continuous improvement of the ECE system and increase kindergarten readiness.
• Facilitate an effective partnership with the School District of Philadelphia and OCDEL to ensure local and state ECE policies are aligned to improve access, affordability, and quality for the children and residents of Philadelphia.
• Facilitate cross-departmental collaboration and strengthen internal communications with staff throughout the organization; create and promote a positive, multicultural work environment that supports consistency throughout the organization's strategy, operational methods, and data collection needs.
• Advance a workforce and compensation agenda for Philadelphia and execute a plan to improve the skills, wages, and quality of early childhood educators.

Financial and Program Development

• Develop budgets with detailed justifications that align with infrastructure development goals and programmatic outcomes.
• Align PHLPrek program to support the delivery of a more seamless ECE system.
• Increase efficiencies and consistency throughout the organization by developing and implementing standardized programs, services, and program office marketing.
• Oversee the financial status of the organization including developing long and short-range financial plans, monitoring the budget and ensuring sound financial controls are in place; set financial priorities accurately to ensure the organization is operating in a manner that supports the needs of the program and staff.

Communications

• Highly effective communicator, able to articulate and advance a high-quality early childhood education vision and approach on behalf of the Chief Education Officer and Mayor.
• Serve as a local expert and source of information about the status of Philadelphia’s ECE system and national best practices

Qualifications: 

• At least 10 years of experience supporting or leading large-scale education or related initiatives in the public or government sectors
• Knowledge of philosophy and research around quality early children education
• Experience identifying relevant performance and outcome metrics and using the information for improvement and evaluation purposes
• Experience managing and motivating a team
• Minimum of a master’s degree in a related content area
• Prior government experience ideal; management of a global or multisite organization preferred
• A financially savvy and politically astute leader with the ability to set clear priorities, delegate, and guide investment in people and systems; keen analytic, organization and problem-solving skills, which support and enable sound decision making
• Excellent coalition building skills with an ability to communicate and work effectively with a variety of internal and external stakeholders; a persuasive negotiator able to achieve consensus amongst differing opinions
• Outstanding presentation and communication skills and the experience and proclivity to be an outgoing spokesperson, relationship builder, and fundraiser
• Strong commitment to the professional development of staff; successful track record of recruiting and retaining a diverse team
• Excellent communication skills and proven experience working with the media

What We Offer

• We are a Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program qualified employer
• 25% tuition discount program for City employees (and sometimes spouses and dependents as well) in partnership with area colleges and universities.
• Comprehensive health coverage for employees and their eligible dependents
• Wellness program that offers eligibility into a discounted medical plan
• Paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays
• Generous retirement savings options

Successful candidate must be a City resident within six months of hire

The City of Philadelphia is an Equal Opportunity employer and does not permit discrimination based on race, ethnicity, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, marital status, source of income, familial status, genetic information or domestic or sexual violence victim status. If you believe you were discriminated against, call the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations at 215-686-4670 or send an email to faqpchr@phila.gov. For more information, go to: Human Relations Website: http://www.phila.gov/humanrelations/Pages/default.aspx

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