Director of Early Learning - Ottawa, Canada - Parent Resource Centre

Description

Summary
The Director of Early Learning oversees the management and delivery of the Parent Resource Centre's (PRC) EarlyON program.


Director of Early Learning

Purpose

The Director of Early Learning oversees the management and delivery of the Parent Resource Centre's (PRC) EarlyON program, including early childhood development resource planning, and the delivery of parent related resources and services.

They further support the EarlyON community by providing workforce collaboration and training through the PRC's Communities of Practice. The role encompasses building collaborative partnerships with community agencies, funders and stakeholders.

As a senior leader within the organization, the Director of Early Learning ensures that service delivery supports the PRC's strategic priorities and mandate and reports to the Board of Directors, stakeholders, donors and funders as required.

They further ensure that the programs and services the PRC offers are based on current, evidence-based best-practices in early childhood development and that programs and services are compliant with all regulatory requirements.

Reports to:
Executive Director


Key Responsibilities

1. EarlyON Program Management

• Supervise and mentor EarlyON program staff to develop the skills to be successful within the organization; schedule work and assign responsibilities; chair team meetings; participate in hiring and professional development of staff; provide ongoing performance feedback; conduct annual reviews; provide leadership to the EarlyON team and strive to foster a positive work culture.
• Lead EarlyON program planning and evaluation to ensure a high quality of service delivery.
• Plan and implement developmentally appropriate curriculum including activities and experiences for children 0 to 6 years of age that fosters a sense of belonging, inclusion, and wellbeing.
• Identify parent/caregiver training needs; develop training plans and arrange workshops to meet identified needs; plan and deliver workshops as needed.
• Coordinate and provide information, workshops and advice to parents/caregivers on such topics as parenting, developmental milestones, pre/postnatal care etc.
• Provide information and assist parents/caregivers to link to other early years programs and services in the community, (eg. childcare services, health services, assessment services) and other programs.
• Maintain and develop new EarlyON informational resources for parents/caregivers such as tip sheets, newsletters, blogs, handouts, videos, podcasts etc. related to early years development.
• Review and support the development of social media and website content related to the program.
• Set annual EarlyON program budget in coordination with the Executive Director; approve expenditures within budgetary guidelines; meet early learning needs within annual budget.
• Identify new areas and opportunities for the PRC to foster leadership in early childhood development education for parents/caregivers and sector professionals.

2. Professional Learning Leadership (Community of Practice)

• Develop and facilitate a professional learning Community of Practice (CoP) for the EarlyON and early years sector focused on instructional excellence; identify sector training needs; develop training plans and arrange workshops to meet identified needs; plan and deliver workshops.
• Create and implement a professional development plan addressing issues of bestpractice in early childhood learning and education that fosters cultural diversity, equity and inclusion.
• Engage CoP in individual and group reflective coaching to discuss observations and develop a plan to strengthen challenging areas and build on areas of strength through a sharing of values and ideas.
• Identify and develop resources and materials and build professional networks that will support CoP instructional quality and integrate them into program practices (eg. facilitate learning through guest speakers, showcasing new research and international bestpractices etc.).
• Develop internal systems and procedures that advance CoP excellence and instructional quality and oversee program evaluation and planning.

3. Community Development & Partnerships

• Promote PRC, its mission and services within the community; be proactive to raise the profile of the organization, including participating in strategic networks and community committees related to programming in coordination with the Executive Director.
• Develop and maintain collaborative working relationships and network with other organizations and community groups to identify community priorities and to plan and implement integrated strategies to achieve better community outcomes in the early years sector.
• Coordinate and facilitate networking, partnership and collaboration with community stakeholders including the development, implementation and maintenance of appropriate partner agency agreements.
• Foster community partnershi