Career Opportunity

Quality Early Learning Programs Manager - Early Learning Division - Department of Early Childhood (0923)

Recruitment: RTF0130240-01149046

Published: January 11, 2023

Accepting applications until: January 30, 2023

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About:

Specific information regarding this recruitment process are listed below:

• Application Opening: January 10, 2023
• Application Deadline: January 30, 2023
• Annual Salary: $131,248 to $167,492 (Compensation Database)
• Recruitment ID: PEX-0923-130241

About the San Francisco Department of Early Childhood

The Department of Early Childhood (DEC) is a City and County of San Francisco Department dedicated to our young children's safe and healthy development.

As the City’s largest funder of early childhood, DEC is committed to creating a system that ensures every child can thrive and learn. We provide public investment, expertise, and leadership to put resources into the hands of those who care for our City’s youngest children.

DEC is the result of a merger of two existing city departments, First 5 and the Office of Early Care and Education. Both First 5 and OECE have long histories of supporting young children and families in San Francisco through innovations in early care and education, family support services, and programs to support children’s healthy development. They merged to expand their capacity and funding and to better integrate the City’s early childhood services.

The Early Learning Division is committed to creating an early learning system that will ensure every child learns and thrives while providing resources to those who care for our city’s children because all children deserve access to early learning experiences that will increase their chances for success in school and life.

Racial Equity Commitment 

The Department of Early Childhood condemns all forms of racism, sexism, homo/biphobia, transphobia, ableism, xenophobia, and other forms of discrimination; and affirms that all people – explicitly including Black, Indigenous, and People of Color – have a right to be in our City and have a right to safe and affordable housing, neighborhoods free from pollution and violence, opportunities for educational advancement and wealth creation, healthy births, early childhoods with abundant opportunities to thrive free from the toxic effects of racism, and access to essential services such as parks, transportation, health care, and child care. The Department of Early Childhood is committed to the principles of racial equity and continues to implement new strategies to ensure that every child can learn and thrive. 

Role description

The Quality Early Learning Programs Manager works under the Deputy Director of the Early Learning Division and is responsible for planning, leading, budgeting, for DEC in collaboration with internal staff and community stakeholders. This position leads an integral unit that provides guidance internally/externally on issues of programmatic quality and improvement for early learning SF qualified programs as well as programs applying to enter into the network. This position will oversee a team of Community Development Specialists and other support positions to focus on systems building integration and implementation through program expansion and validation. This position is responsible for quality program supports including coaching, professional development, and coordination of early learning support services. This position will manage the work of the unit ensuring it is researched-based, responsive to community stakeholders, including and foremost, families to align all work with the DEC strategic plan guaranteeing that the child is at the center of our work.

In addition, this position performs highly complex and sensitive planning work to operationalize initiatives in grant making. The incumbent will be expected to collaborate with other DEC divisions to advance the department’s goals of strategic public funding investments in early childhood programming which includes shifting resources and opportunities towards equity.

Examples of important and essential functions of the position include: 

• Actively champion and advocate for inclusivity and social and racial equity in all work; actively challenge racism in all of its forms.
• Lead or oversee program design and initiative planning for the Quality Early Learning Programs Unit.
• Engage in cross-divisional work for Department wide planning and to ensure alignment of ELD programming.
• Manage or oversee programs, operational activities, or projects of the assigned unit related to supports for Quality Early Learning Programs.
• Supervise, train, evaluate, and assign the activities of personnel and coordinate and monitor the work of consultants and contractors working for the department relevant to this unit.
• Lead, coordinate and guide program design toward a systemic approach to quality program, training and technical assistance, and monitoring for center based and family child care programs.
• Manage or supervise the management of related grants using measurable performance outcomes including multiple coaching contracts, Resource & Referral contracts, training, facilities grants, Help Desk and CA ECE Workforce Registry grants, and technical assistance contracts.
• Oversee and guide the alignment of programming, training, and curriculum with the SF Unified School District and First 5 Regional coordination.
• Explore and recommend future grant opportunities to help build a coordinated and supportive system for the SF Early Care and Education system.
• Work with other managers and staff to evaluate and implement goals, responsibilities, policies and procedures of the division.
• Evaluate procedure, identify, and analyze problems and issues and may implement and document new procedures of the assigned initiative or unit.
• Participate in budget development by providing detailed justification and data-driven arguments for proposals or initiatives.
• Adjust plans and programs to meet emerging or new programs, while continuing to address major departmental priorities.
• Assists in developing and implementing operational policies to ensure the efficient operation of unit.
• May include additional duties as assigned. 

How to qualify

Experience: Three (3) years of full-time professional experience managing complex children and youth services in public sector or non-profit sector under contract with a public agency; AND

Education: Possession of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in Early Childhood Education, Education, Child Development, Public Policy, Public Administration, Social Work Administration, Urban Studies or related fields.

Experience Substitution: Possession of a master’s degree from an accredited college or university in the fields described above may be substituted for up to one (1) year of the required professional experience. One (1) year is equivalent to 2,000 hours.

Education Substitution: Additional experience as described above may be substituted for the required degree on a year-for-year basis (up to a maximum of 2 years). Thirty (30) semester units or forty-five quarter units equals one year. 

Desirable Qualification: Two (2) years of supervisory experience in a relevant position; AND two (2) years working directly in an Early Childhood Education program. (The stated desirable qualification may be considered at the end of the selection process.) 

(One year of full-time employment is equivalent to 2000 hours. 2000 hours of qualifying work experience is based on a 40-hour work week. Any overtime hours that you work above (40) hours per week are not included in the calculation to determine full-time employment.) 

Verification: Applicants may be required to submit verification of qualifying education and experience at any point during the recruitment and selection process. If education verification is required, information on how to verify education requirements, including verifying foreign education credits or degree equivalency, can be found at https://sfdhr.org/how-verify-education-requirements

Note: Falsifying one’s education, training, or work experience or attempted deception on the application may result in disqualification for this and future job opportunities with the City and County of San Francisco.

All work experience, education, training, and other information substantiating how you meet the minimum qualifications must be included on your application by the filing deadline. Information submitted after the filing deadline will not be considered in determining whether you meet the minimum qualifications.

Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a completed City and County of San Francisco application.

Applications completed improperly may be cause for ineligibility or disqualification.

What else should I know?

Additional Information Regarding Employment with the City and County of San Francisco:

• Information About the Hiring Process
• Conviction History
• Employee Benefits Overview
• Equal Employment Opportunity
• Disaster Service Worker
• ADA Accommodation
• Veterans Preference
• Right to Work
• Copies of Application Documents
• Diversity Statement

HOW TO APPLY
Applications for City and County of San Francisco jobs are only accepted through an online process. Visit careers.sf.gov and begin the application process.
• Select the “I’m Interested” button and follow instructions on the screen

CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT:  All City and County of San Francisco employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of employment. Someone is fully vaccinated when 14 days have passed since they received the final dose of a two-shot vaccine or a dose of a one-shot vaccine. Any new hire must present proof of full vaccination status to be appointed. Any new hire who will be routinely assigned or occasionally enter High-Risk Settings, must provide proof of having received a COVID-19 booster vaccine by March 1, 2022, or once eligible.

The City and County of San Francisco encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to apply. Applicants will be considered regardless of their sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition (associated with cancer, a history of cancer, or genetic characteristics), HIV/AIDS status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category under the law.