Education Manager

Job Description

Job Description

COOK INLET TRIBAL COUNCIL

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title: Education Manager

Department: Clare Swan Early Learning Center

Reports To: Senior Manager, Programs

Supervises: Teacher I and Home Visitors

FLSA Status: Exempt

Pay Grade: E5

Job Type: Full-Time, Regular

AKBCU: Yes ICPA: Yes

General Functions:

The Education Manager leads the educational services for the Early Head Start program at the Clare Swan Early Learning Center, serving children from 6 weeks to 3 years of age. This role is pivotal to ensuring compliance with Head Start Performance Standards while promoting best practices in early childhood development. The Education Manager collaborates with key program areas-including Family Services, Disabilities, Health and Safety, Nutrition, and Quality Assurance-to ensure a comprehensive, high-quality experience for children and families. The Education Manager also works in partnership with the Staff Development Manager to assess staff needs, support professional growth and drive continuous quality improvement across the program.

Duties and Responsibilities, including but not limited to:

Education – Center & Home Based:

• Recruit, interview, and hire team members.
• Provide leadership by inspiring, guiding, and motivating teams.
• Create an environment that fosters employee engagement and satisfaction.
• Identify training needs, provide opportunities for learning and growth, and support the professional development of team members.
• Evaluate performance of team members to include providing feedback, coaching, mentoring, and conducting performance appraisals.
• Supervise Teacher I staff, manage daily schedules, and ensure child-staff ratios are maintained consistently.
• Supervise Home Visitors and ensure all minimum program requirements are met effectively.
• Develop, implement, and oversee all education-related policies and procedures to ensure compliance with Head Start Performance Standard and the delivery of high-quality services.
• Ensure the use of developmentally appropriate practices and curricula that align with the Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework.
• Conduct classroom observations using research-based tools and support teachers in enhancing their observation and documentation skills.

Program Quality and Monitoring- Center & Home Based:

• Contribute to the continuous quality improvement process, by supporting self-assessments, program monitoring, and compliance with performance standards to drive positive outcomes for children.
• Lead and support quality improvement initiatives focused on enhancing educational practices and learning environments.
• Regularly review assessment data, lesson plans, and student observations to ensure alignment with school readiness goals and educational benchmarks.
• Participate in the planning and facilitation of parent-teacher conferences, home visits, and parent meetings as needed.
• Collaborate with other CSELC managers to ensure all center operations consistently meet or exceed licensing and Head Start Performance Standards.

Disabilities Support- Center & Home Based:

• Train and oversee Teacher I/II/III staff in conducting regular developmental screenings with students using the ASQ and Brigance screening tools.
• Collaborate with the Senior Manager, Programs and other specialists to ensure that children with disabilities receive appropriate services that align with their Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSP).
• Assist in developing and implementing inclusive practices that support full participation of children with disabilities in classroom activities.
• Advocate for timely evaluations and the delivery of high- quality services, individualized services to meet the unique need of children with disabilities.

Family and Community Engagement- Center & Home Based:

• Foster effective communication and collaboration between families and teaching staff to enhance positive child outcomes.
• Build strong community partnerships to support program needs for volunteers and staff recruitment.
• Collaborate with Family Services staff to encourage family involvement in children's learning and development.
• Partner with the Family Services team to provide families with guidance, resources , strategies that support school readiness and overall developmental goals.
• Promote consistent attendance and active engagement by partnering with families and staff to create a unified, supportive approach to child development.

Health and Safety:

• Ensure a safe, healthy, and supportive environment for children, staff, and families by maintaining compliance with health, nutrition, and safety requirements.
• Collaborate with the Health and Nutrition Manager to promote preventive care practices and healthy habits among children.

Nutrition:

• Collaborate with the Health and Nutrition Manager to ensure staff adhere to USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) guidelines.
• Model and coach staff on best practices in responsive infant feeding, family style dining and leveraging mealtimes as valuable opportunities for learning and development.

ERSEA- Center & Home Based:

• Coordinate and support smooth student transitions within the center, ensuring teachers use developmentally appropriate and supportive transition practices.
• Participate in staff meetings as needed to advocate for the best placement decisions that support each child’s individual needs.
• Participate in attendance monitoring efforts and ensure teachers maintain consistent communication with families to encourage regular attendance and engagement.

Additional Duties:

• Provide classroom support as needed to maintain appropriate child-staff ratios.
• Maintain confidentiality in accordance with regulations, policies, and procedures.
• Perform other duties as needed and assigned.

Job Specifications:

• Proven ability to effectively supervise staff providing on-going coaching, mentorship, and and professional development.
• Ability to deliver engaging presentations and instruction to diverse audiences using various teaching methods and formats.
• Experienced in training staff to adapt curricula and lesson plans to meet the diverse needs of young learners.
• Excellent verbal and written communication, assessment, evaluation, plan implementation, and documentation skills.
• Proficient with computers: word processing, email communication, internet resourcing, spreadsheets, and child care management software.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision as well as collaboratively within a team.
• Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of the social, education, training, and cultural needs of the Alaska Native/American Indian community.
• Demonstrated ability to understand, interpret, and apply programs and policies, procedures, guidelines, and instructions acquired through formal education and on-the-job training.
  

Minimum Core Competencies: CITC Values, Respectful Leadership, Professionalism, Emotional Intelligence, Problem Solving/Critical Thinking, Communication Skills

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in early childhood education/special education or related field.
• Two (2) years of Head Start/Early Head Start management and classroom experience or special education/disabilities experience in an educational setting.
• Flexible availability for open/closing shifts for program supervision to ensure ratio and licensing requirements.
• Two (2) years of supervisory experience.
• Must provide copy of current Health Report.
• Continued employment is contingent upon a satisfactory state and federal background check.
• Valid Alaska driver’s license and to be insurable under CITC’s automotive insurance, which requires a driver to be at least 21 years of age and have had a driver’s license for at least three years.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree in early childhood education/special education or related field.
• Three (3) years of Head Start/Early Head Start management and classroom experience special education/disabilities experience in an educational setting.
• Experience working with Alaska Native people, knowledge of their values and belief systems.
• Demonstrated experience providing culturally competent services.
• Current or former Head Start parents are encouraged to apply.

Disclaimer

The information provided in this description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by incumbents within this job. It is not designed to be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, qualifications and working conditions required of employees assigned to this job. Management has sole discretion to add or modify duties of the job and to designate other functions as essential at any time. This job description is not an employment agreement or contract.