Careers Job Description
General Description
MISSION
Children need to spend their most critical years with dedicated, educated, trained, and well-compensated individuals in order to thrive. The New York Early Childhood Professional Development Institute leads the work to establish and implement an early childhood workforce system to ensure funding, standards and competencies, career development resources, qualifications and credentials, professional development (training and strengths-based coaching), and program quality assurance and improvement for individuals who work with young children throughout New York. Housed at the City University of New York, the Institute is a fast-paced, dynamic public/private partnership that is committed to the early childhood workforce across New York State.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Reporting to the Executive Vice Chancellor and University Provost at the Office of Academic Affairs, the Executive Director of the New York Early Childhood Professional Development Institute exercises the greatest degree of independent judgement in directing and overseeing all aspects of the statewide project. The ED establishes the vision and mission of the Institute and is responsible for the strategic planning, fund development, project growth, and all aspects of the successful management and leadership of the Institute. The ED leads the organizational culture of inclusivity, diversity, teamwork, flexibility, responsiveness, and collaboration.
The ED manages external and internal relationships and establishes critical partnerships while developing the operating budget and staffing plans. The ED is responsible for space, equipment, and materials management, designs programs, and establishes standards for the provision of programs and services that advance the Institute’s and CUNY’s mission of social justice and access to excellence. The ED, with the senior leadership team, designs innovative approaches to address and mitigate the challenges facing the field of early childhood, including workforce development at all levels, program excellence, policy, practice, and research. The ED charts the course for effective communication and dissemination of a range of work products. The ED makes public presentations and represents the Institute and CUNY in a wide range of local, state, national, and international venues.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Executive Leadership
- Sets the vision and strategic direction of the Institute and embodies the commitment to racial equity and social justice.
- Supervises the senior leadership team and provides direction, advice, guidance, and decision-making on project development, implementation, and growth.
- Creates and fosters relationships with stakeholders, including City and State agencies; local, state, and national organizations; funders; and other institutions of higher education.
- Contributes to local and national discussion of critical issues in early childhood.
- Participates in activities and projects to support the City University of New York and the Office of Academic Affairs.
- Addresses conferences and leads convenings; represents the Institute at events.
- Recruits and staffs positions to support the Institute, CUNY, and funders. Also, oversees staff time, leave, performance, and takes disciplinary action as needed, all consistent with RFCUNY HR policies and procedures.
- Supervises an administration team that builds and monitors budgets, authorizes expenditures, and oversees the tracking of expenses, record-keeping, and report management consistent with RF policies and sponsor requirements.
- Establishes delegation of authority for day-to-day oversight of these activities to the members of the senior leadership team.
- Authors, co-authors and/or coordinates the development and publication of reports, papers, articles, brochures, handbooks, and other written and on-line documents consistent with the Institute’s mission.
- Observes and enforces all RF policies on ownership of intellectual property, use of facilities and equipment, and investigation on human subjects.
- Creates confidentiality protocols and ensures their observance.
- Supervises program completion and final storage/distribution of project records and equipment.
- Builds and fosters an inclusive, professional work environment that promotes and values collaboration, teamwork, integrity, and diversity in which communication is open and staff collaboration is encouraged
Other Duties
- Performs the duties of lower-level positions when necessary; performs other duties as assigned
- Attend staff meetings and trainings as required
Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications
- A Master’s degree from an accredited institution and a record of progressively responsible experience in the field; 10+ years of leadership, project management, program experience in support of high-quality early childhood with a focus on the early childhood workforce
- Willingness to comply with all RF policies and procedures regarding staffing, budgeting, safety, reporting, and grants administration as evidenced by signing an attestation at the time of employment
- Intellectual mastery of the field of early childhood education and child development, including its workforce and program development, as evidenced by previous leadership experience, program experience, teaching, publication research or professional accomplishment; knowledge of cutting-edge research in the field
- Ability to conceive, author, market, and evaluate instruction and workforce development initiatives consistent with state-of-the-art knowledge in the field and the requirements of grant sponsors
- Ability to form and maintain effective partnerships and alliances
- Ability to raise funds and/or secure public and private grants
- Ability to set and meet deadlines and hold others accountable
- Ability to author and present reports, demonstrations, performances, etc. consistent with the scope and nature of the project components and the requirements of CUNY and sponsors
- Knowledge of federal, state, and local regulations governing aspects of the budget
- Ability to organize, lead, and direct the work of a team of leaders, professional staff, professional service staff, researchers, administrative staff and support staff in achieving the goals of the program with deadlines and within budget constraints
- Ability to exercise intellectual and strategic leadership in guiding the design of new and innovative projects, processes, and instructional opportunities in response to perceived and articulated need; ability to re-conceive, re-direct, and revise programs and projects as needed, maintaining clarity of goals
- Ability to respect, support, and advocate for the diversity of program participants and staff
- Ability to recruit, hire, orient, train, direct and evaluate instructional, professional, administrative and support staff, consistent with RF policies and contracts
- Ability to develop, monitor and be accountable for budgets consistent with RF policies
- Ability to work effectively with staff, associates, and internal and external constituents
- Ability to communicate effectively with program sponsors, with all staff, with CUNY Central and program leadership, and with RF administrators responsible for coordinating policies, and, when appropriate, the public; ability to listen and respond to the concerns/ideas of others
- Knowledge of policies regarding intellectual property, use of facilities and equipment, allocation of time and materials to project costs, and utilization of IT resources
Preferred Qualifications
- PhD or EdD in early childhood education or a related field
- Experience in higher education settings
- Familiarity with public agency operations
Physical Requirements
- While performing these duties, the employee is required to perform physical activities such as, but not limited to, lifting items (up to 20 pounds), bending, reaching, sitting for prolonged periods of time. Reasonable accommodations will be made for employees with disabilities or other needs per RFCUNY policies.
- Ability to travel to other sites as needed.
How to Apply
Provide a resume and cover letter specifying your qualifications, experience, and interest relevant to this position
RFCUNY Benefits
RFCUNY Employee Benefits and AccrualsAbout the Research Foundation
The Research Foundation of The City University of New York (RFCUNY) was established as a not-for-profit educational corporation chartered by the State of New York in 1963. RFCUNY supports CUNY faculty and staff in identifying and obtaining external support (pre-award) from government and private sponsors and is responsible for the administration of all such funded programs (post-award).
RFCUNY stands between CUNY’s principal investigators (PIs) and the sponsors who support them and strives to fulfill its essential responsibilities to both groups. Working closely with individual PIs and Grants Officers on the campuses, RFCUNY oversees employment, accounting, audit, reporting, purchasing, and special responsibilities that include management of a planned giving program; liaison with governmental agencies and foundations; negotiation of agreements; facility construction and renovation; protection and commercialization of intellectual property; and compliance with applicable standards in research involving human subjects, animal care, environmental and radiological safety, and conflicts of interest.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
Key Features
CUNY Office of Academic Affairs
Full Time
Depends on Qualifications
Aug 10, 2022 (Or Until Filled)