ABOUT THE OFFICE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD:

Under the leadership of the Department of Human Service Programs, the Office of Early Childhood (OEC) is a collaboration between the City of Cambridge and Cambridge Public Schools. The mission of the OEC is to connect the Cambridge early childhood ecosystem, align early childhood services and information, and advocate for and advance the needs of all young children, their families, and the early childhood workforce. The vision for this work is that every child and family in Cambridge has access to high quality early care and education experiences. As a result, all children enter school ready to thrive academically, physically, socially, and emotionally and continue to do so throughout their academic careers and lives.

ABOUT THE ROLE:

The Executive Director is responsible for setting the overall strategy to advance the goals of the Office of Early Childhood. The Executive Director provides leadership and oversight of all of the Office’s work, including the Cambridge Preschool Program, Cambridge’s Universal Pre-K program. The Director will partner with other city and community stakeholders supporting the needs of families and children. The Executive Director will report to the Assistant City Manager of Human Services.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Lead and implement the overall strategic vision for the Office of Early Childhood's mission, vision, and goals.
• Develop and maintain a culture of collaboration and partnership with both internal and external partners.
• Pursue innovative, mission-driven program opportunities, develop program ideas, and launch and oversee the implementation of partnerships that expand early childhood services.
• Oversee the following areas of work:
• Administration (includes Cambridge Preschool Program and Evaluation)
  • Operations (includes Marketing and Communications)
  • Education
  • Family and Community Engagement
  • Workforce Development
• Develop and manage the overall budget.
• Supervise program staff promoting a culture of high performance and continuous improvement that values learning and excellence.
• Build relationships with relevant local and state agencies, such as the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care.
• Engage with relevant Cambridge Public Schools departments, e.g. Office of Student Support Services, Research and Assessment, Elementary Education, to align Early Childhood work throughout the ecosystem.
• Develop strategic partnerships with peer organizations and early education leaders to promote and/or enhance OEC’s program models and outcomes.
• Oversee contact with external stakeholders for centralized information on the Cambridge Preschool Program.
• Draft presentations, reports, and updates to key internal and external stakeholder groups, such as district leadership, the School Committee, the City Council, and other partners.
• Represent Cambridge’s early childhood initiatives in local and national settings.
• Maintain a commitment to ensuring anti-racism, equity, and inclusion are incorporated into every aspect of the work.
• Actively participate in the Department of Human Service Program’s Race and Equity Initiative

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

Experience and Education

• Expertise in the field of early childhood education and child development, including a 10-year minimum of demonstrated strategic leadership experience, research, and policy development.
• Master’s Degree in Early Childhood or related field preferred.
• Experience developing budgets, forecasting needs, and managing resources.
• Experience working with diverse populations as well as in promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion.

 Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Demonstrated skill and experience in successfully managing multi-faceted complex projects and navigating public systems, such as large urban districts, city or state government.
• Deep knowledge of national early childhood best practices and early childhood policy that lead to positive child outcomes and success. 
• Familiarity with early childhood service delivery models in family-care, center-based, and school settings.
• Familiarity with the Cambridge providers, practices, and politics, and transition into public schools a plus.
• Knowledge of and experience in assessment tools and approaches to evaluate early childhood programs. 
• The City of Cambridge’s workforce, like the community it serves, is diverse.  Applicants must have the ability to work and interact effectively with individuals and groups with a variety of identities, cultures, backgrounds, and ideologies.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS, WORKING CONDITIONS, WORK FLEXIBILITY AND ACCOMODATIONS

• Ability to access, input, and retrieve information from a computer. Answer telephones and maintain multiple files. Must read and analyze large quantities of information.
• Standard office environment. Fluorescent lighting, carpeted floors, and air conditioning. Moderate noise level.
• May require travel to get back and forth from office to offsite meetings
• This position may be eligible for hybrid work under the City’s Telework Policy depending on operational needs.
• Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.

SUMMARY OF BENEFITS:

• Competitive health, dental, and vision insurance
• Vacation and Sick leave eligible
• Paid parental leave
• Sick Incentive Pay Eligible
• 3 Personal days
• 14 Paid Holidays
• Management Allowance, $2,700/year    
• City employee commuter benefits (T-Pass reimbursement Bluebikes membership, EZRide Shuttle membership)

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS:

Please upload the following documents to complete your application:

• Resume
• Cover Letter