Head Start Early Childhood

ICF seeks an experienced Early Childhood (EC) Manager to co-lead a team of EC Specialists and provide one-on-one management and supervision of EC Specialists employed by ICF. The EC Manager will coordinate and collaborate with other members of the TTA management team to plan training and technical assistance to support grantees individually or in group settings and implement a comprehensive system of quality assurance and control.

This position is home-based in one of the Region II states (New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands), extensive travel will be required to fulfill the requirements of the position in any of the regional states, Washington DC and other locations as required.

Key Responsibilities:

The Regional EC Manager shall provide the following in-person or virtually as determined by the regional office. 

Implement a comprehensive system of quality assurance for TTA to grantees and contract deliverables related to the work of Early Childhood Specialists  Provide effective and timely ongoing oversight and coaching to Early Childhood Specialists.  Develop and implement professional development for EC Specialists to increase their capability to support grantees in key performance areas including coaching, curriculum implementation and fidelity, teacher-child interactions, family engagement, child and family outcomes, assessment, and data aggregation and analysis.  Implement TTA data aggregation, analysis, and reporting processes that inform and improve the quality and responsiveness of Early Childhood Specialist services and improves coordination with state, regional, and national priorities, and other early childhood TTA systems, as directed by the region.  Conduct at least two field observations of the Early Childhood Specialists in each performance period to assess quality of TTA provided and determine professional development needs.  Communicate with the Regional Office staff to ensure coordinated support, messaging, and prioritization of technical assistance to grantees. Participate in national and regional work groups and meetings as directed by the OHS.  Provide direct TTA to grantees, as requested by the Regional Office. Support emerging OHS initiatives and priorities. Communicate clearly both verbally and in writing with various levels of staff and client.

Basic Qualifications:

The Regional Early Childhood ( EC ) Manager shall have:

Minimum of a BA or BS degree in early childhood education/development, education leadership, or related field from an accredited university or college.  If the highest degree was awarded more than ten years ago, the resume should specifically detail courses, conferences, seminars attended or relevant work experience. Minimum of 7 years of experience with 3 years provision of TTA to Head Start or other early childhood programs related to school readiness.  Minimum of 3–5 years of progressive supervision/management and staff development, with experience for managing remote-located staff preferred. 1 + years of experience in coaching staff. 1 + year of experience in developing, implementing, and managing/improving projects, including implementing QA systems. 1+ year of experience in analyzing, aggregating, and presenting data. 1 + year of experience in oral and written communication to various audiences.

Professional Skills:

Experience with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel and PowerPoint) required. Experience using virtual platforms and technologies, i.e. Skype, Zoom, Adobe, Teams etc. Strong analytical, problem-solving and decision-making capabilities. Team player with the ability to work in a fast-paced environment. Ability to work with all levels of internal staff, as well as outside clients and vendors.

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