The Bilingual Education/Early Childhood Services Manager  is responsible for managing and overseeing centers, classrooms and home-based program through home-based and site supervisors within the Head Start/Early Head Start Program; ensures compliance with Head Start Performance Standards, Head Start Act 2007, and Abbott Guidelines and ensures the delivery of quality education and early childhood families.  Supports CHSofNJ policies, goals and objectives and has a measurable impact on improving the outcomes for children.  Primary responsibilities also include ensuring the full implementation of all educational activities across all Head Start and Early Head Start contracts.  Act as the key resource for staff and managers in the absence of the Comprehensive Services Manager.

Under the supervision of the Comprehensive Services Manager, is responsible for all aspects of the Education Content area requirements. Working cooperatively with all other content area managers, the ECE Services Manager is responsible for ensuring that children are provided with the learning environment and the opportunities that will help them develop physically, socially, cognitively, and emotionally, and that parents are supported in their role as the child's primary teachers. Also responsible for ensuring active supervision and educational enrichment of children in a safe, inviting and comfortable environment ensuring; the facility, the classroom and the playground areas are safe at all times.

Leading the Education Content Area: As the standard-bearer and the resident expert both on the Performance Standards and early childhood development, the ECE Services Manager provides guidance, support, and suggestions to the home-based supervisor and education staff. The ECE Services Manager works closely with other content area coordinators to provide comprehensive services and is an advocate for quality programs for children and families. Leads the development of School Readiness Plan.  Tracks and reports progress on School Readiness goals and objectives, and is, an active participant in all refunding applications and PIR.

Planning the Education Content Area: Working cooperatively with parents and staff, the Comprehensive Services Manager organizes the development and annual review of the Education Content Area Plan, and utilizes quantitative and qualitative date to develop an annual training plan for Early Head Start and Head Start Staff.  The ECE Services Manager ensures that everyone involved understands the Performance Standards, School Readiness, Head Start Act and the procedures for developing a sound education plan.

Implementing the Program: Implementing the education program means ensuring that the staff knows how to actualize the Education Plan by individualizing the program, creating a learning environment, implementing the curriculum, managing the classrooms, overseeing delivery of child development services, preparing weekly plans developing policies and procedures to support the education content, and involving parents in the program. The manager works with CHSofNJ staff, management and community agencies and partners.

Administering the Program: This involves working with the Executive Director and Comprehensive Services Manager to implement the policies and procedures that will facilitate the implementation of the Education Plan and keeping program activities on course. Administrative duties include keeping records, establishing procedures for special situations, overseeing facilities, and tracking all activities in the Education Content Area. The ECE Manager collaborates with content area managers/specialists to assist in coordinating referrals, evaluations and transition plans for enrolled children and their families. Ensures referrals are for mental health is promptly completed; and oversees that follow-up occurs within a timely manner.  The manager is responsible for completion of contractually mandated reports. On an ongoing basis, gathers analyses and prepares

Supervising: The ECE Services Manager directly supervises the Site Supervisors, Disabilities Manager and Mental Health Coordinator. Responsibilities include providing ongoing support and feedback to the supervisors, building morale, and acting as a resource and problem solver as well as conducting scheduled performance appraisals.

Training Parents and Staff: ECE Services Manager participates in the development of the Program Training Plan, which is based on staff, parent, and program needs and the training requirements in the Performance Standards. ECE Services Manager ensures that training is implemented and evaluated for education and home-based staff and parents. Ensures staff is trained to implement Teaching Strategies Gold database and that TSG is utilized correctly to document, monitor and evaluate educational services and developmental outcomes.

Evaluating the Education Component: Head Start has a built-in evaluation systems, the annual self-assessment, Teaching Strategies Gold and CLASS Assessment System. The ECE Services Manager participates in the evaluation process with the Policy Council, home-based supervisor and site supervisors to determine whether the Education Content Area complies with the Performance Standards and the Head Start Act. . Further, the ECE Services Manager may implement local evaluation efforts, such as questionnaires for parents and staff to determine how well the program meets its goals.

Performance Standards: ECE Services Manager has the primary responsibility for ensuring that the following Performance Standards objectives are achieved:

• Provide children with a learning environment and the varied experiences which will help them develop socially, intellectually, physically and emotionally in a manner appropriate to their age and stage of development toward the ultimate goal of social competence.
• Integrate the educational aspects of the various Head Start content areas into the daily program of activities or Head Start, Early Head Start Center Based and Home Base
• Partner with the Parent Engagement Coordinator to involve parents in educational activities of the program to enhance their role as the principal influence on the child's education and development.
• Assist parents to increase knowledge, understanding, skills, and experience in child growth and development.
• Identify and reinforce home experiences that parents can utilize as educational activities for their children.
• Develop policies procedures, management systems, services area plans necessary for the effective operation the Head Start and Early Head Start programs
• Ensure program compliance through ongoing monitoring of program services as requested
• Manage Head Start and Early Head Start content services in collaboration with the educational team and other department managers to develop and implement goals and objectives of the Early Learning Department, specifically, professional development, assessment, curriculum and implementation of high-quality instructional practices for preschool.

Quality Assurance: Evaluation and Assessment

• Participate in site visits, classroom observations, socializations, and work groups to assess program needs and planning strategies for system/process improvement and/or development of early childhood education, disabilities, and mental health services.
• Assess the implementation of the agency’s work plan to ensure the program/content area goals and objectives are met.
• Provide guidance and support to staff with implementation of curriculum individualization plans, ongoing assessments, and family goals.
• Ensure compliance with CHS of NJ record keeping and confidentiality policies including monitoring to assure that paperwork in files is correct, current and kept in accordance with the confidentiality policy.
• Ensures classroom observations are conducted and implements required tools (ECERS-3, ITERS, CLASS, etc.) to ensure developmentally appropriate practices and continuous improvement of early childhood and education approaches for all children.
• In collaboration with the Comprehensive Services Manager and Site Supervisors, develops or revises Head Start and Early Head Start educational program policies and procedures for early childhood and education.
• Work collaboratively with the quality assurance manager to ensure that program goals are developed tracked and monitored annually and through the program year.
• Works collaboratively with Human Resources and Head Start/Early Head Start ECE Services Manager to resolve personnel issues with education staff at all times.

Educational Requirements:

Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education or related field

Experience Requirements: 

Minimum of 10 years’ experience supervising Head Start staff and a minimum of ten years working in a Head Start and or Early Head Start program in a management role.