The Newark Trust for Education (The Trust) is seeking a Director for Zero to Eight Strategy to play a key role in coordinating, shaping, managing and communicating a comprehensive Zero to Eight Strategy for Newark, New Jersey. The emergent Zero to Eight Strategy represents an exciting opportunity for Newark as a continuous and integrated approach that focuses on families to help break the cycle of inter-generational poverty. This strategy will offer programs and services, community agencies and philanthropies, opportunities to partner with Newark’s families to build a cycle of opportunity.

 

This is a grant funded position.

 

Click here for details.

 

Position:  Director, Zero to Eight Strategy

Job Description

As a direct report to the Executive Director, The Director for Zero to Eight Strategy will play a key role in coordinating, shaping, managing and communicating a comprehensive Zero to Eight Strategy for Newark.

Duties include but are not limited to:

COORDINATE THE INITIATIVE

  • Serve as the primary day-to-day liaison to Zero to Eight partners to ensure milestones are met, coordination with programs and services is smooth and efficient, and issues in need of further attention are surfaced.
  • Engage and connect key stakeholders in preliminary conversations, visioning, and agenda setting for future work in the Zero to Eight space in Newark.
  • Develop and manage the Newark Zero to Eight advisory group, consisting of local and national experts.
  • Monitor local, state and national trends and gather feedback from district schools, charter schools, educators, parents, and other education stakeholders in implementing birth through third grade program and policy areas.
  • Determine the coordination functions necessary to maximize the short- and long-term impact of the work on learning.
  • Determine the best mechanism to provide the agreed upon coordination functions to the sector moving forward.
  • Support fundraising efforts for the broader initiative.

MAP THE POPULATION

  • Create and manage process to identify the Zero to Eight population in Newark, understand day-to-day experiences, and determine the magnitude of additional support needed.

COLLECT, ANALYZE AND USE DATA

  • Collect and synthesize the information needed to provide effective supports to Newark families through a case management process.
  • Create an inventory of data that is already being collected, by whom, and for whom.
  • Define gaps in needed data and devise grassroot mechanisms for data collection.
  • Customize a data platform that allows for effective case management.
  • Design the practices and procedures for analyzing data and determining type, breadth, and availability of supports based on neighborhood need.

EXPAND ACCESS

  • Work with existing organizations across Newark to Map current Zero to Eight learning and development organizations, programs, and services.
  • Facilitate access to high quality supports.
  • Determine where need outpaces opportunity.
  • Devise plans to expand opportunities where needed.

IMPROVE QUALITY

  • Identify and nurture local efforts at formative assessment.
  • Design/Identify processes that support continuous improvement and quality development.
  • Facilitate access to current research and best practice.
  • Facilitate learning among Parent Child Home Program, Nurse Family Practitioner Program, and Healthy Families Program.
  • Incentivize improvement efforts.

EVALUATE EFFECTIVENESS

  • In collaboration with NPS and other key stakeholders across the city determine metric-based goals.

ACTIVELY CONTRIBUTE TO NTE TEAM

  • Directly support NTE’s Executive Director with presentations, analyses, reports and convenings for a wide range of stakeholders.
  • Collaborate with NTE’s Director of Programs and Engagement to ensure priorities and strategies across the organization support and inform one other.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES / COMPETENCIES

This position requires a thorough knowledge of policies and programs related to early care, education, and child development services. The candidate must be able to identify issues and complex challenges related to early care, education and child development services; obtain relevant information; relate and compare data from different sources; develop alternative strategies; and evaluate possible outcomes. This position also requires the ability to provide leadership in the development of plans, organizational structures, and systems.

The candidate must be able to work with policy makers, as well as establish and maintain effective working relationships with diverse groups. The candidate must have a thorough knowledge of management principles and their application. Sound judgment, decision-making, and problem solving skills are essential. This position also requires a skilled communicator and strong writer who can communicate complex topics to diverse audiences.

MINIMUM EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

  • Master's degree in child development, early childhood education, social services, public policy, curriculum and instruction or education, psychology or a related content area.
  • Seven years of progressively responsible experience in early childhood policy or administration, or an equivalent combination of related training and experience.
  • At least 2 years of experience managing partnerships and processes inside of government, social services agency, other nonprofits or a philanthropic foundation preferred.
  • Experience with the intersection of applied research, evaluation and community-based providers preferred.

PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS, KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS

  • Cultural competency, as demonstrated by empathy and ability to build rapport with individuals from various cultures, experiences and backgrounds
  • Strong organizational and problem-solving skills, including but not limited to conducting backwards planning, developing plans with appropriate sequencing, and making refinements as needed to develop and maintain project plans.
  • Commitment to taking on bold and ambitious initiatives in order to tackle intergenerational poverty and significantly expand opportunities for the children and families of Newark.
  • Ability to perform and adapt in a fast-paced, startup environment with ongoing refinements to processes and scope of work based on the mission of NTE and lessons learned during implementation.
  • Commitment to personal and professional growth and development and the ability to incorporate feedback from a wide range of sources into continuous improvement efforts.
  • Strong facilitation skills, with an ability to recognize and gather input from diverse perspectives.
  • Self-starter, reliable, self-motivated, in particular when identifying areas in need of further expertise, asking for help where appropriate, and leveraging other experts as needed.

To Apply: Please submit cover letter and resume to [email protected] with the subject: Candidate, Director for Zero to Eight Strategy.

Deadline: Friday, August 31, 2018

Newark Trust for Education is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, military status, or any other basis made unlawful by applicable federal, state, or local laws or regulations.