Job Description

 

JOB DESCRIPTION

POSITION: Professional Development Specialist

Salary Range: $60,000.00 - $64,890.00

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

REPORTS TO: Professional Development Department Manager

 

 

AGENCY SUMMARY:

BrightSpark Early Learning Services has been at the forefront of the early learning landscape for over 30 years ensuring that all children have equitable access to safe, engaging, and positive early learning experiences that promote school readiness and lifetime success. With a staff of over 140 and a budget of $30 million (99% publicly funded), BrightSpark Early Learning Services provides a broad array of services for families and childcare providers so that they in turn can support the development and well-being of our children.

OPPORTUNITY:

The Professional Development Specialist directly impacts the quality of professional development and continuing educational opportunities made available for diverse early childhood educators. The goal of these services is to facilitate professional development that is supportive of best/promising practices encompassing the WA State Core Competencies and Early Achievers, aligning with the current and future quality initiatives, and is culturally relevant to the diversity of children and families served in King and Pierce County.

The Professional Development Specialist is part of the Professional Development team, a member of the Early Learning Services team and reports to the Manager of Professional Development. The Professional Development Specialist participates as an active member of the Early Learning Services Department team in setting goals and deciding how to accomplish the work of the department.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

List Of Job Responsibilities

• Coordinate quarterly professional development trainings that align and address: Early Achievers, the Washington State Core Competencies, Washington State Early Learning Guidelines, licensing, STARS requirements, and other relevant needs of early learning professionals.
• Assist with coordinating spring and fall childcare events (conference/virtual institute) for early learning providers including reserving space and arranging logistics for the conference, registration, prepping materials, recruiting volunteers, setting up for the conference, coordinating the training sessions and trainers, as well as managing the contract for the space, interpreters, reconciling materials, conference payments, and invoices.
• Manage customized trainings for early learning programs: communicate with the early learning program, identify a training for the site’s needs as well as a trainer, create the contract for the training and reconcile payment, prep materials for the training.
• Provide technical assistance (walk-ins, on the phone, via emails) to programs and providers in accessing professional development opportunities. This includes registering providers for training, sending email confirmations, managing payments and refunds, and arranging interpretation services for providers.
• Manage and rectify trainer and trainee issues.
• Support coaches on the trainer pathway and contracted trainers with onboarding information, pre and post training materials and entries in MERIT
• Manage language support (translation, interpretation) requests for the PD (Professional Development) department.
• Coordination of the quarterly PD newsletter and training flyers
• Maintain PD department database, ensure that all data is entered accurately and in a timely manner, and that results are regularly summarized, checked, and analyzed for quality assurance.
• Ability to become a STARS approved trainer.
• Lead and facilitate trainings.
• Ability to navigate data systems related to professional development.
• Maintaining positive relationships and partnerships with agencies in the community.
• Other duties that relate to the work of the Early Learning Services Department team as assigned.

 

 

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

Minimum Qualifications

• Minimum requirements include at least 2 years of relevant experience or an Associate of Arts degree in Early Childhood Education or a related field.
• Bachelor of Arts degree in Early Childhood Education or a related field and 2 years related work experience;

Desired Qualifications

• Master of Arts degree in Early Childhood Education and 1-year related job experience.
• Native language speaking abilities in Spanish and/or Somali languages.

Additional Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Qualifications

• Ability to work independently and self-motivate.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to juggle multiple priorities at once.
• Ability to maintain timely documentation/data entry into electronic data system.
• Ability to consistently meet monthly project goals and deliverables.
• Knowledge of Early Childhood Education programs and resources.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Proven ability to work in a team environment.
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, cultural relevancy and inclusion is required.
• Knowledge of computer software, especially Microsoft Word and Excel.
• The ability to work on occasional evenings and Saturdays.

 

 

COMPETENCIES:

• Core Competencies -
  • Mission-driven: Demonstrates commitment to the mission and values of the mission.
  • Equity mindset: Demonstrates the values of anti-racist; fosters an inclusive environment that facilitates diversity.
  • Communication: Uses skillful written and oral communication with internal staff, teams, and community served; demonstrates empathy and listening.
  • Adaptability: Adapts and responds to change; proactively seeks opportunities to be supportive of change that serves our mission
  • Ownership and quality of work: Manages own work, and work of teams when relevant, ensuring delivery of successful outcomes.

COMPENSATION:

• Salary Range: $60,000.00 $64,890.00
• FLSA Status: Non-Exempt
  • This is a full-time salaried position requiring work during BrightSpark Early Learning Services Business hours, Monday through Friday from 8:30 am-5pm and requiring a willingness to work some evenings and weekends.

 

HOW TO APPLY:

 

 

BENEFITS:

BrightSpark Early Learning Services’ benefit package includes employer-paid top tier medical, dental and vision insurance plans for employees, 21 days of PTO per year in addition to 11 paid holidays, 3 paid floating holidays, birthday holiday, and one week-long office closure at year-end, Refresh Fridays in July (BrightSpark Early Learning Services Closure Days), flexible work environment, employer-paid life insurance, short-term disability/illness leave accrual, and 401k with 3% employer match.

 

 

WORK LOCATION:

• This position is a [Hybrid] Position.
• Employees BrightSpark Early Learning Services employees in all types of work positions (hybrid, field, etc.) must attend trainings, meetings, events, or other work commitments at various BrightSpark Early Learning Services office locations or off-site locations in Washington State including New Employee Orientation in Kent, Washington.

 

 

EQUAL EQUITY EMPLOYER:

BrightSpark Early Learning Services is an equal opportunity employer, and we value diversity among our staff. We strongly encourage people of color, immigrants and refugees, people from the LGBTQ community, people with disabilities, and people from other historically marginalized groups to apply.

 

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION & QUESTIONS

• To learn more about BrightSpark Early Learning Services, please visit BrightSpark.org
• BrightSpark Early Learning Services is a grant funded nonprofit organization. This and all positions are contingent on grant funding being in place and can end based on the expiration of funding.

 

Education

Required

• Associates or better in Early Childhood Education or related field

Licenses & Certifications

Required

• Valid WA Drivers License
• Valid Car Insurance

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