A best-in-class city that attracts best-in-class talent, Philadelphia is an incredible place to build a career. From our thriving arts scene and rich history to our culture of passion and grit, there are countless reasons to love living and working here. With a workforce of over 30,000 people, and more than 1,000 different job categories, the City of Philadelphia offers boundless opportunities to make an impact. 

As an employer, the City of Philadelphia values inclusion, integrity, innovation, empowerment, and hard work above all else. We offer a vibrant work environment, comprehensive health care and benefits, and the experience you need to grow and excel. If you’re interested in working with a passionate team of people who care about the future of Philadelphia, start here.

What We Offer:

  Impact - The work you do here matters to millions. 

  Growth - Philadelphia is growing, why not grow with it? 

  Diversity & Inclusion - Find a career in a place where everyone belongs.

  Opportunities in Tech - Don’t wait for the future, shape it.

  Benefits - We care about your well being.

Agency Description

The Office of Children and Families (OCF) aligns the City’s policies, resources, and services for children and families. Our priorities are:

• Safe children.
• Strong families.
• Supported schools and communities.

OCF administers a number of City-supported programs, including Out-of-School Time, WorkReady, Community Schools, PHLpreK, and Access Centers. The office also oversees the Department of Human Services (DHS), Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, and the Free Library of Philadelphia.

PHLpreK Program

The mission of the PHLpreK program is to increase access to quality early learning by offering free pre-Kindergarten to children regardless of their family’s income. This program is funded by the Philadelphia Beverage Tax proposed by Mayor Kenney and passed by City Council in 2016. PHLpreK currently offers free quality pre-K to 3,300 children. To achieve this, the Office of Children and Families partners with more than 130 early childhood education providers to provide:

• A safe, well-equipped classroom staffed by trained teachers.
• A challenging, proven, play-based curriculum.
• Careful attention to the whole child (academic, physical, social, and emotional needs).
• Parental engagement and a transition plan for Kindergarten.

Since January 2017, the PHLpreK program has expanded the number of seats available to families by over 65%. This rapid expansion has been simultaneously coordinated with investments in trainings and support services that assist providers to improve the quality of the early learning experiences children have. As a result, the number of seats available to families that are rated STAR 3 or 4 in the state’s QRIS system has grown by 160%, beginning with 1,119 of the 2,000 (56%) available PHLpreK seats in January 2017 to 2,916 of the available 3,300 (88%) seats in the current program year.

The Director, Early Childhood Strategic Initiatives reports to the Chief of Early Childhood Education and ensures the successful identification, development, implementation, and necessary operations to support the city’s early childhood education initiatives.  The successful candidate will be responsible for interacting with regional and local ECE leaders and thought partners to develop and execute policies to best prepare children and families of Philadelphia for the Kindergarten and elementary school experience. Some/all of the initiatives this individual will be responsible for managing include:

• Workforce Development: Oversee successful implementation of a strategic plan for a future well-trained and compensated ECE workforce that is nationally competitive and locally representative of the community(ies) it intends to serve. The ECE workforce will be necessary as the PHLpreK program expands the number of quality seats available to families. This includes engaging with local training providers to ensure an ample supply of ECE Directors, Lead Teachers, Assistant Teachers, and staff are available. Reports and data analysis will be required for the ECE workforce landscape, considering demographics, quality, and professional development opportunities.
• Enrollment: Develop a process that enables families to apply, and be enrolled in, publicly funded early childhood seats through a unified application and eligibility verification process. This process will inform parents and caregivers about all their options, accept applications across all funding sources, verify eligibility, and identify providers that have openings in real-time. The enrollment system must uphold the values of fairness, efficiency, and equity.
• Governance: Manage the citywide Early Childhood Education Advisory Panel and working groups. Ensure the Advisory Panel and working groups meet on a regular basis, and all materials are provided. Develop goals and work plans; prepare agendas and ensure timely follow-up from each meeting. Facilitate communication among Advisory Panel members, among working group members and across working groups. Convene partners as to respond to new and emerging issues as necessary.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Provide a variety of opportunities to engage a broad base of stakeholders, including parents, ECE providers, K-12 educators, advocates, policymakers, business and philanthropy throughout the year. Oversee the development of an annual report on the state of early learning in Philadelphia.
• Other Initiatives, as needed: COVID-19 related recovery needs; trauma-informed practices; diversity, equity, and inclusionary policies; early interventions; kindergarten and elementary school transition supports; etc.

Essential Functions

• Committed to ensuring all of Philadelphia’s young children and families have access to a variety of high-quality early learning environments that best meet their needs and prepares them for Kindergarten.
• Driven by decisions that reflect the city’s commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
• Highly proficient in system designs that maximize efficiency with end-user experiences.
• Well versed in creating and delivering high-quality presentations.
• Adept at reading, analyzing, synthesizing, and developing recommendations based on evidence-based research and policy documents.
• Exemplary verbal and written communications skills.
• A highly organized and methodical work ethic.
• Able to work well under pressure and meet tough deadlines.
• 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.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree in Education, Public Policy, or similar field required; Master’s Degree in related field strongly preferred.
• At least 8-10 years of overall professional experience.
• Early Childhood experience preferred.
• 3-5 years of progressive management experience.
• Knowledge of word processing software, presentations, spreadsheets, and databases.

Competencies, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Capable and detail-oriented multitasker who can prioritize and remain professional in demanding situations.
• Experience supporting or leading 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 senior-level professionals.
• Keen analytic, organization and problem-solving skills that support and enable sound decision making.
• 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.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with colleagues at all levels of the organization.
• Ability to learn quickly and succeed in a rapidly changing environment.
• Ability to project manage a variety of tasks while meeting deadlines.
• Ability to exercise sound judgement in a politically savvy environment.
• Team player capable of resolving organizational roadblocks.
• Talent for listening, asking effective questions, and synthesizing information.
• Values and encourages diversity of thought, background, and perspective.

Salary Range: $85,000 - $95,000

Please submit with your application a resume and a cover letter explaining your interest in this role. Applications without all required documents will not be considered.

Did you know?

• We are a Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program qualified employer
• Employees are eligible for a 25% tuition discount program (and sometimes spouses and dependents as well) in partnership with area colleges and universities
• We offer comprehensive health coverage for employees and their eligible dependents
• Our wellness program offers eligibility into the discounted medical plan
• Employees receive paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays
• Generous retirement savings options are available 

Successful candidate must be a city of Philadelphia 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 [email protected]. For more information, go to: Human Relations Website: http://www.phila.gov/humanrelations/Pages/default.aspx

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