Education Director

Job Description

Organizational Summary

Union Settlement is an East Harlem based nonprofit organization founded in 1895. For 128 years Union Settlement has provided critical and innovative programming to children youth families and older adults. As a pioneer of the settlement house movement Union Settlement continues to meet the needs of the ever-changing East Harlem community through its core programs. Through these programs New Yorkers gain opportunities develop skills and become empowered to pursue and achieve their dreams.

Today Union Settlement provides services through 33 program sites in approximately 28 locations. Union Settlements current programmatic portfolio includes 8 core program areas: Early Childhood Education Youth Services (including after school programs) Family Services (including the Family Enrichment Center and the Family Childcare Network) the East Harlem Community Partnership Adult Education Mental Health Services Older Adult Centers and Economic Development. Union Settlement serves more than 10000 individuals and nearly 1000 businesses every year.

Strengthened by a dynamic diverse and collaborative workforce of more than 350 employees Union Settlement also serves as a connector convener and advocate for East Harlem and its partners. To learn more about Union Settlement visit

Position:Education Director

Department:Early Childhood Education

Reports to:Director of Early Childhood Education

Hours: Full-Time

Salary:$90000 - $95000

FLSA: Exempt

Location:On-site

PositionSummary:

The Educational Director leads the centers development implementation and supervision of the programs curriculum. The Educational Director provides direct coaching & supervision to teaching teams as they plan classroom-learning activities develop lesson plans and implement instruction informed by childrens interests while keeping the individual needs of children in mind. This position is responsible for promoting developmentally appropriate practices in the classrooms by teaching teams that advance childrens social-emotional cognitive language and physical development. This position is responsible for ensuring staffing of classrooms as outlined by regulations and contractual requirements.

Under the supervision of the Director of Early Childhood Education this position provides daily guidance coaching and support to teaching teams to ensure high quality practices that are sensitive to the needs of children and celebrate children and familys diversity language and culture. This position works closely with the Associate Director of Social Services to support family engagement and strong school-home connections that extends learning from the center to the childrens home. This position ensures staff are professionally trained to meet the individual health and nutritional needs of children. This position is responsible for ensuring teaching teams receive all required training as per regulatory and contractual requirements.

Responsibilities:

• Responsible for ensuring teaching teams provide responsive care effective teaching and an organized learning environment that promotes healthy development and childrens skill growth aligned with the Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework: Ages Birth to Five including for children with disabilities.
• Support and coach teaching teams in developing and using effective teaching practices that emphasize nurturing and responsive practices interactions and environments that foster trust and emotional security; are communication and language rich; promote critical thinking and problem-solving; social emotional behavioral and language development; provide supportive feedback for learning; motivate continued effort; and support all childrens engagement in learning experiences and activities.
• Design implement and supervise the planning of organized activities schedules lesson plans and the implementation of high-quality early learning experiences that are responsive to and build upon each childs individual pattern of development and learning.
• Ensure that teaching teams are integrating child assessment data in individual and group planning.
• Support and coach teaching teams in meeting the social-emotional and wellness of children in collaboration with families and other team members or providers such as disabilities and mental health providers.
• Support and coach teaching teams in including developmentally appropriate learning experiences in language literacy social and emotional development math science social studies creative arts and physical development that are focused toward achieving progress outlined in the Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework: Ages Birth to Five.
• Ensure teaching teams are completing developmental screenings to identify concerns regarding a childs developmental behavioral motor language social cognitive and emotional skills within 45 calendar days of when the child first attends the program.
• Support and coach teaching teams in conducting standardized and structured assessments for each child that provide ongoing information to evaluate the childs developmental level and progress in outcomes aligned to the goals described in the Head Start Early Learning Child Outcomes Framework: Ages Birth to Five.
• Actively monitor Teaching Strategies Gold (TSG) Assessment system; support and train teachers in the utilization of TSG system for supporting instruction assessment and planning.
• Collaborate with other senior staff in offering opportunities for parents and family members to be involved in the programs education and family services.
• Collaborate with the management team in implementing annual program self-assessment staff evaluations professional development and monitoring compliance with Head Start Program Performance Standards and Article 47 regulations.
• Obtain required training to maintain compliance with Head Start Program Performance Standards and Article 47.
• Additional duties as assigned by the Associate Director of Education & Curriculum and the ECE (Early Childhood Education) Program Director.

Qualifications:

• Bachelors degree in Early Childhood Education or equivalent if degree awarded prior to 2014 (minimum).
• Masters degree in Early Childhood Education (preferred)
• Active Certificate Holder for Classroom Teacher (Birth to Grade 2 or Nursery to Grade 6) or PreK to Grade 6) via New York State Education Department required.
• At least two years of lead teacher experience in a program for children less than six years of age.
• Five years of classroom and/or supervisory and coaching experience preferred.
• Strength-based leader with experience coaching and training teaching teams.
• Effective communication problem solving analytical writing and technical skills (Must be comfortable with daily utilization of Microsoft Word Excel and related software).
• Knowledge of Head Start Program Performance Standards and Article 47 (preferred).

CORECOMPETENCIES

• LeadingOthers:Createsasenseofurgencythroughouttheorganizationontheimportanceofachievingoutcomes.Inspiresinfluencesandenablesteammemberstoreachtheirgoals
• Facilitating Change:Approacheschallenges with creativity and flexibility. Demonstrates analytical thinking. Guides change to meet Union Settlements goals.
• ManagingPerformance:Evaluates and revises goals semi-annually with the team. Provides consistent supervision anddocumentsperformancehighlightsandconcerns
• ApplyingandDevelopingExpertise:Embraces and leads the team to achieve milestones.Seeksandsupportsprofessionaldevelopmentopportunitiesforteammembers.Managesfinancesandbudgets effectively
• CommunicatingandCollaborating:Listens well and actively engages with others with honesty and integrity and holdsteamaccountabletothesamestandard

Union SettlementsDiversityEquity&InclusionCommitment

Union Settlement is an equal opportunity employer. They do not discriminate on the basis of race color religion marital status age national origin physical or mental disability gender sexual orientation gender identity or expression veteran status or any other status protected under federal state or local law.