With a workforce of over 30,000 people, and opportunities in more than 1,000 different job categories, the City of Philadelphia is the sixth 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 provides leadership to improve education in the City of Philadelphia. To achieve this mission, MOE creates policies and programs to:

• Expand access to quality pre-K for Philadelphia families;
• Create Community Schools designed to strengthen local schools by removing barriers to student success;
• Facilitate collaboration and partnership among many stakeholders to strengthen the local education landscape; and
• Advance key educational policy

POSITION SUMMARY

The Provider Engagement Coordinator reports to the PHLpreK Director and supports participating pre-K providers within PHLpreK, the City of Philadelphia’s quality pre-K initiative. The Provider Engagement Coordinator’s work will be guided by the principle that investments in quality pre-K provide long-term gains for students and reduce the gaps in school readiness faced by many children. Studies illustrate significant benefits for children who participate in quality early education programs such as increased performance in school, improved social and emotional skills, fewer behavioral problems, decreased need for special education, increased high school graduation rates, and increased earning potential. The Provider Engagement Coordinator will ensure PHLpreK system maintains a robust and diverse network of pre-K providers to educate 6,500 children annually by September 2020. 

SALARY - Commensurate with education and experience

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Support Network of PHLpreK Providers Pursuit to Improve and Maintain Program Quality

• Work with Intermediary organization to ensure providers participate in Technical Assistance 
  
• Work with providers to develop and execute student recruitment plans to meet necessary enrollment benchmarks 
  
• Support providers striving for quality by connecting them with the resources that will lead to improvements
  
• Assist in development of a plan for comprehensive services for providers, increasing the supports to build capacity of quality providers (STAR3 and STAR4) to expand enrollment by growing the number of classrooms/slots through additional facility funding
  
• Support providers in meeting requirements of our independent evaluator 
  
• Identify and implement a strategy that annually analyzes data to direct program resources to areas of high need/high demand
  
• Facilitate provider certification as M/W/DBE businesses 
  
• Supervise an AmeriCorps VISTA
  

Monitor Contract and Licensing Compliance

• Implement ongoing and regular monitoring to ensure provider compliance with regulations such as city and state child care licensing, City of Philadelphia business taxes, real estate taxes, Keystone STARS designation, and L&I licensing

• Serve as the liaison between PHLpreK Hub agencies and City Departments to assist providers in resolving compliance issues
  
• Ensures that providers successfully complete correction plans to maintain compliance as required by the PHLpreK Intermediary
  

Engage Prospective Pre-K Providers for Future Program Expansion

• Develop and implement a strategy to educate pre-K providers citywide about contracting opportunities with PHLpreK
  
• Develop and implement a strategy to engage providers to actively participate in the Keystone STARS Quality Rating and Improvement System
  
• Connects prospective providers striving for quality to resources that will lead to improvement
  
• Represent the Mayor’s Office of Education at community meetings and other stakeholder events
  

COMPETENCIES, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Knowledge of Philadelphia’s early childhood education landscape required 
• Ability to think critically and problem solve 
• Strong interpersonal communication and diplomatic skills 
• Demonstrated strong organizational skills and timely responsiveness to deadlines 
• Capable of working well both independently and as part of a team
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and Google Suite 
• Commitment to strengthening Philadelphia’s education system 
• Values and encourages diversity of thought, background, and perspective

• Three to five years’ experience in systems design or improvement 
• Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education or related field
  

Please submit a resume and cover letter with your application.

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. For more information, go to: Human Relations Website: http://www.phila.gov/humanrelations/Pages/default.aspx