Program Lead

Program Lead

The Program Lead manages all programmatic and staffing aspects of an early care and education center, in accordance with the agency's program and people management goals. This position ensures program quality is maintained in a single Catalyst Family Inc. licensed childcare center. The Program Lead position provides oversight of the planning, implementation, assessment, reflection, and program requirements for school age and/or infant/toddler age children. Program Leads are a classroom/program leader that must be able to coach, mentor and provide ongoing observation and feedback to teaching staff that results in implementation of quality programming. Program Lead ensures that all children receive quality staff-child interactions and are supervised, at all times, in a safe and healthy environment.

The Program Lead works collaboratively with the Center Manager/Site Supervisor to support the business of the center including enrollment and attendance, purchasing and community relationship building. The Program Lead position acknowledges and celebrates diversity among staff, children, and families, and provides an environment that reflects the diversity within a community. They create classroom environments that reflect the backgrounds and experiences of children, families, and staff. Program Leads are in ratio approximately 33% of the time.

Essential Job Functions

• Liaison for communicating Catalyst Family Inc. vision, mission, philosophy, and curriculum approaches to staff, parents, school personnel, the community, and State and local government agencies, as needed.
• Ensures streamlined processes for documented learning from observations/anecdotes to lesson plans, documentation, all assessments, internal and external reviews are consistent with Catalyst Family Inc.'s mission, values, philosophy, and position statements.
• Shares program information and assessment results with the center, supports, mentors' and role models for teachers in the creation and implementation and evaluation/completion of center action plans through diverse strategies or approaches.
• Collaborates with center staff to provide an enriched, dynamic indoor/outdoor environments, that meet the diverse and cultural needs and interests of children, utilizes staff, family, and community expertise. Environments are safe, clean, well maintained and meet agency and industry standards (ERS)
• Assess program quality and curriculum implementation, health/safety, and licensing standards; take steps to continuously improve in alignment with our agency's quality standards as well as meet/exceed licensing and other external quality tools
• Fully participate and lead QRIS for Infant/Toddler programs.
• Maintains knowledge of Developmentally Appropriate Practices and applicable curriculum influences such as Reggio Emilia, California's Learning Framework and Foundations, Search Institute, and Program for Infant/Toddler Caregivers (PITC) - as applicable to the age group(s).
• Using staff observations and program assessment tools, work with staff to develop and implement child growth plans.
• In partnership with center leadership and all staff, follows Catalyst's Positive Behavior Approach and protocol with family members and provides tools and resources to support implementation of agreed upon strategies.
• Scheduled to be in ratio 33% of work week, depending on center needs.

Managing, Coaching & Supporting Staff

• Manage a team at the center with a size ranging from 2-5 staff depending on center size and enrollment.
• Manage staff performance proactively; coach, support and provide feedback to staff regularly so that they can deliver their best.
• Conduct Annual Performance review on time and provide regular feedback
• Facilitate highly effective, participatory team meetings that foster ownership for expected outcomes.
• Observe staff interactions with children, effectiveness of planned activities, maintenance and development of the learning environment and give staff immediate and useful feedback to achieve high program quality.
• Provide on-site mentoring and modeling in the classroom. Train and mentor teaching staff as needed, including frequently observing weekly lesson plans to include a range of age-appropriate activities that support social emotional, physical, cognitive development, observe impact of curriculum implementation, and provide relevant and constructive feedback
• Orient and integrate new staff into the team to achieve high staff retention. Set and communicate clear job expectations. Communicate Mission, philosophy to all staff; ensure behavior and outcomes of center are staff consistent with agency values.
• In partnership, develop professional growth plans with staff and provide opportunities for continuous growth and development.
• Ensure that individual and team goals are aligned with agency goals and hold people accountable to high performance expectations. Co-develop and implement immediate corrective action plans as necessary to address underperformance.

Leadership

• Commit to continuous improvement in knowledge of child/youth development, curricular, and implementation of program and leadership skills.
• Attend internal and/or external trainings, professional development or research-based practice exchanges that supports the needs of the center and implements these practices in the classrooms as appropriate; teaching back to all stakeholders.
• Act as a change agent to advocate, communicate and implement organizational changes in practices, systems, and processes.
• Nurture team spirit and maintain high staff morale.
• Mentor and develop internal candidates for new positions.
• Encourage all staff to act as recruiters, promote the employee referral program, and help recruit new staff through strong relationships with families, schools, and communities.

Family & Community Partnerships

• Provide excellent customer service by establishing and maintaining authentic connections and reciprocal, culturally responsive relationships with children, youth, families, schools, communities, and center/classroom team.
• In partnership with CM/SS and other staff, organizes and supports a parent advisory committee where families can give useful feedback and have a voice in center operations and program quality.
• Make authentic connections to the local and school communities as a Catalyst representative.
• Participate in activities at the school (PBIS meetings, IEP meetings, PTO events, etc.) acting as a representative of the agency.
• Continually assess community needs, involve the community in planning and adjust program and services to meet community needs.
• Work with families as partners with an open-door policy. Engages in ongoing, two-way interactions with families to discuss daily activities, observations and child progress. Encourage shared decision making, problem solving and address questions and concerns.
• Provide ongoing information to parents/families including parent education, and other request parents have for community resources.
• Participate in local, regional, and statewide advocacy efforts on behalf of children and families.

Compliance

• Ensure and maintain full compliance with all agency policies/procedures and protect agency assets and resources.
• Ensures all center operations meet or exceed state licensing regulations, Funding Terms and conditions including Desired Results compliance, health/safety & nutrition requirements and other Catalyst policies, procedures, and quality tools.
• Ensure that staff schedules meet required adult to child ratios.

Business Management

• Forecast staffing needs in consideration of business requirements and changing environment.
• Partner with Recruiting to support interview process and hire best candidates to match the needs of the center.
• In partnership with the CM/SS, create and maintain staffing schedules and purchasing for the classrooms and center, as appropriate.
• Obtain and maintain full enrollment and attendance at the center; earn all ADE, as determined by center leadership team.
• Identify ways to improve the performance of the center, take proactive actions to support center enrollment and marketing, and follow center budget/purchasing guidelines.

Education & Experience:

Education

• HS Degree or GED AND Completion of 15 units of ECE (3 in administration or staff relations and core units) OR
• AA degree with 24 ECE/CD units, 6 units in administration and 2 units in adult supervision OR
• BA with 12 ECE/CD units, 6 units in administration and 2 units in adult supervision OR
• Site Supervisor Permit or above preferred, or expected to acquire Site Supervisor permit upon hire
• Continuing education to meet professional growth standards required.

Experience

• 2-3 years' experience in ECE/CD setting
• At least 1 year of experience mentoring and leading other adults or teaching staff.

Other Qualifications:

• Must be able to complete Child Care Center Part II Orientation Certificate and Mandate Reporter training.