Position Summary
This position reports to the Chief of Early Childhood Education and will be primarily responsible for the strategic planning and implementation of expanding Philadelphia’s public preschool system, which includes:
Establishing and managing the list of priorities that ensures the city’s public preschool sector is meeting the needs of children, families, teachers, staff, and the communities being served.
Aligning the priorities of the PHLpreK program with the selection process of local early learning centers that receive federal, state, and local funding and supports.
Managing the coordination of a centralized enrollment system with users that include the School District of Philadelphia, a fiscal fiduciary, over 300 public preschool centers, and families.
Mapping the supply, demand, utilization, quality, and other relevant factors to efficiently deploy high quality early childhood education resources to early learning centers across Philadelphia.
The selected individual will work closely with multiple departments, Commissioners, and senior leadership to monitor progress, troubleshoot challenges, and identify opportunities for innovation and collaboration. The role requires strong political acumen, excellent communication skills, and the ability to lead projects that promote equity,
efficiency, and measurable outcomes for children, families, and early learning centers.
Essential Functions
Track PHLpreK milestones, budgets, performance metrics, and risks; escalate issues to executive leadership with actionable recommendations.
Secure additional resources, as needed, to fully operationalize the PHLpreK program’s priorities.
Serve as a strategic liaison between the City’s Early Childhood Education division and City departments to align on timelines, deliverables, and priorities for the PHLpreK program.
Build and maintain collaborative relationships with Department Heads, Commissioners, and other senior stakeholders to ensure cross-functional coordination and policy alignment.
Manage high-priority, cross-departmental projects from concept to implementation, ensuring they are executed on time, within scope, and in accordance with the Mayor’s vision and strategic goals.
Anticipate political, operational, and community-related risks or barriers, and proactively propose solutions to address challenges and maintain momentum.
Lead and facilitate planning sessions, project check-ins, and decision-making meetings with senior stakeholders, ensuring transparency, accountability, and shared ownership of outcomes.
Prepare and deliver clear, concise, and data-informed briefings, memos, and presentations to the City’s Chief Deputy Mayor, Chief of Staff, Chief of Early Childhood Education, and other senior level staff.
Represent the Mayor's Early Childhood Education division in high-level meetings, public engagements, and intergovernmental forums, articulating project goals and maintaining strong partnerships with internal and external stakeholders.
Draft executive-level materials including talking points, public remarks, and status updates to support the Chief of Early Childhood Education and senior staff.
Analyze policies and proposals tied to key initiatives, assessing their feasibility, impacts, and alignment with city goals and recommending improvements where needed.
Ensure all projects reflect and advance the administration's commitment to equity, transparency, and operational excellence.
Any other duties as assigned.
Competencies, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
Values and encourages diversity of thought, background, and perspective.
Experience working directly with people from diverse racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds
Ability to cultivate and develop inclusive and equitable working relationships with students, faculty, staff and community members
Demonstrated skill in understanding of cultural differences.
Capable and detail-oriented multitasker who can prioritize and remain professional in demanding situations.
Knowledge of and familiarity with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Quality Rating System, Keystone STARS.
Knowledge of and familiarity with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s licensing and certification requirements of childcare providers.
Ability to interpret relevant local, state, and federal rules and regulations pertaining to childcare program administration.
Ability to reference and identify small and medium business best practices.
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.
Experience in trauma responsive services and related program development, implementation and evaluation
Talent for listening, asking effective questions, and synthesizing information.
Bachelor’s degree in Education, Policy, Strategic Management, or similar field required, Master’s degree in related field preferred.
At least 5 years of overall professional experience.
Early Childhood experience preferred.
2+ years of experience in strategic planning.
Data Analytics experience preferred.
Knowledge of word processing software, presentations, spreadsheets, and databases.
TO APPLY: Interested candidates must submit a cover letter, writing sample, and references.
Salary Range: $85,000 - $100,000
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*The successful candidate must be a city of Philadelphia resident within six months of hire
Effective May 22, 2023, vaccinations are no longer required for new employees that work in non-medical, non-emergency or patient facing positions with the City of Philadelphia. As a result, only employees in positions providing services that are patient-facing medical care (ex: Nurses, doctors, emergency medical personnel), must be fully vaccinated.
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
Job details are sourced from the employer's original posting.
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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.