As a direct report to the Director of Early Learning, the Program Officer is responsible for managing a portfolio of programs and initiatives funded by the Trust, with a focus on resource and relationship management, community engagement and technical assistance. This includes promoting effective practices among partners and program providers while actively contributing to the overall growth and strategic development of the Trust.

Technical Assistance

• Cultivate new and nurture existing relationships. Link Newark Trust for Education’s ParentChild+ families to services based on needs identified.

• Assist Director in managing partner relationships and provide on-going assistance to assess and address partnership challenges, monitor implementation, and identify effective strategies;

• Provide on-site coaching to project teams facilitate network meetings for participating sites;

• Collaborate with key stakeholders on strategic planning to expand the reach and impact of the initiative’s early childhood providers and families.

• Attend relevant education programs and events related to process improvement, project management and/or other topics relevant to grantee and partner support;

• Actively participate in program development, monitoring of implementation, and course correction for the Trust’s programs and initiatives.

Grants Management

• Identify key milestones/ deadlines for each grant pool/ project and communicate with relevant parties to ensure adherence to timelines;

• Research, evaluate, and make recommendations to streamline workflow;

• Ensure grantee/ partner compliance with proposal and reporting guidelines and track compliance over time;

• Perform related work as required.

Program/ Initiative Support

• Provide data analysis to inform and support decision making and planning efforts, including attendance at mandatory meetings and/or events.

• Research promising program interventions that improve access to and quality of services for young children and their families, with a focus on the 0-3 population.

• Research collective impact initiatives focused on maternal and infant health to identify best practices for engagement and support.

• Stay abreast of early childhood public policy, city funding, and local, state and national trends to further inform practice.

• Other duties as assigned.

Community Engagement

• Support the Director of Early Learning in the development and evaluation of community engagement sessions and forums related to programs and initiatives.

• Facilitate and coordinate monthly meetings and lead focus groups of key stakeholders.

• Grow the network to include additional community-based and health care providers, with a particular focus on the 0-3 population (i.e. parents/families, institutional and community health care, family childcare, daycares and centers that support families with young children.)

Education and Related Work Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree with at least 5 years of related work experience. ​Graduate degree, or course work and/or professional experience comparable to a graduate degree, is preferred.

• Excellent research, written and oral communication skills; ability to gather, synthesize and summarize information and data.

• Knowledge of and/or experience in collective impact and/ or early childhood;

• Interest in working with underserved communities and reducing disparities in academic, socio-economic and health outcomes for young children and their families.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, Google Suite, and experience with database management.