Senior Director, Early Childhood
Bank Street College of Education

Job Info

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JOB DESCRIPTION

Summary Position: Bank Street Education Center (the Ed Center), a division within Bank Street College of Education (the College) created to support the College's systems-level work public impact work with school districts, is currently seeking a Senior Director of Early Childhood to lead the strategic development and program implementation of a subset of Early Childhood projects.

Key relationships: The Senior Director of Early Childhood will report to the Executive Director of the Early Childhood Portfolio with the collaboration of the Early Childhood project teams. This role also works closely with the Vice President of the Education Center on strategic priorities for the portfolio. The Senior Director of Early Childhood will directly supervise a subset of team members. The Senior Director will also need to develop advisory relationships and collaborate with a range of stakeholders, including program leaders and educators, systems leaders, and staff from across the college, as well as community-based organizations.

Responsibilities: In collaboration with their supervisor and projects teams, the Senior Director of Early Childhood will be responsible for the following:

Leadership Capacity Building

• Working in collaboration with the Executive Director and the broader growth and strategy team to develop and deliver a unified business development strategy, capitalizing on an established portfolio of foundation and contract-based relationships.
• Lead the creation of new and strategic professional learning offerings, resources, content, and other products in partnership with the Executive Director and with support from math team members as needed
• Inform the creation of an impact evaluation framework aligned with the division's mission and goals
• Manage project teams to support effectively executing partnerships, including leading project team structures and providing developmental guidance and support for individual team members (e.g., content developers, facilitators, coaches, analysts, project managers, program associates, etc.).
• Identify areas of opportunity for internal systems improvement and portfolio expansion
• Cultivate and maintain relationships with partner school systems and relevant stakeholders, including state or district leaders, school leaders, community members, educators, etc.

Project Design and Implementation

• Implement new partnerships with organizations that align with Bank Street's approach and offerings
• Manage the design and implementation of projects in partner school and state systems, including engaging in business development, thought partnership, and maintaining strategic planning conversations with partners
• Research, design, and develop professional learning arcs based on project goals, objectives, and deliverables
• Design and facilitate convenings, professional development opportunities, or other events for educators, leaders, or other stakeholders
• Develop and execute strategies for effective documentation, research, and codification of efforts to share tools, resources, and experience across teams and with the field
• Support key stakeholders committed to executing our vision through joint advocacy
• Other related responsibilities as assigned

Publications and Learning Agenda

• Document lessons learned through partnerships in a range of publications that draw from the Bank Street approach, as well as research and best practices, to attract and meet the needs of partners
• Lead presentations on the learning and implications of math project work at conferences as well as with funders, Education Center staff, and other internal college stakeholders (e.g., Graduate School faculty)
• Research, write, and edit field-facing external publications in close collaboration with the strategy team
• Conduct related research, beginning with idea generation through to the final production
• Assess and monitor workforce development system trends
• Lead the creation of professional learning content and production connected to key publications with support from Early Childhood team members as needed
• Manage the publications calendar, identify priorities and related workflows for the team
• Lead the design and production of new publications, including contracting with graphic designers and coordinating materials release with communications
• Ensure Ed Center's regular presence on Bank Street's Medium Channel by actively authoring key posts and guiding the development of related posts in collaboration with other teams
• Developing structures for knowledge sharing across teams

Qualifications:

Skills & Knowledge:

• Proven expertise in early childhood policy and workforce strategies
• Knowledge of apprenticeship models or similar approaches to training early childhood educators
• Deep understanding and alignment with Bank Street's approach to reflective practice, coaching, and progressive education grounded in an understanding of human development
• Background in progressive teaching and learning, as well as in curriculum, instruction, professional development, and/or assessment in early childhood education
• Ability to design and manage complex projects
• Ability to work effectively with others at varying levels of an organization and to consistently display a high level of professionalism in all interactions.
• Demonstrated ability to design systems or processes to solve a problem.
• Strong critical thinking and project management skills.
• Adaptability in adjusting communication approach and style to cater to the specific needs of different audiences, including but not limited to experienced educators, district teams, etc.
• Comfort in Google Suite tools (e.g., Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms); Qualtrics or another data-capturing tool; and Slack for communications and collaboration
• Strong communication, analytical thinking, project management, and problem-solving skills
• Strong interpersonal and leadership skills, including management and coaching of direct reports and lateral leadership, and developing a team-focused collaborative culture.

Experiences

• 10 years of relevant experience in policy, systems leadership, or other related work in early childhood with a focus on infants and toddlers preferred
• 5+ years of management experience and at least 3 years experience in an Early Childhood leadership role within a public school district or equivalent professional experience;
• Proven experience in effectively collaborating and communicating with diverse and high-stakes stakeholders, including senior leaders, Board members, partners, etc., to manage key deliverables
• Demonstrated expertise in designing and implementing large-scale adult learning experiences
• Experience facilitating and designing professional learning through a variety of formats, including virtual learning modalities
• Experience conceiving of and creating a variety of training or communications materials for a variety of audiences
• M.A. degree in education, M.P.A, M.P.P, or related field.
• Experience and comfort engaging in conversations around race, equity, and identity
• M.A. degree in education, M.P.A, M.P.P, or related field.

Mindsets

• Flexibility in an ambiguous, fast-paced environment of quickly changing priorities and tight deadlines.
• An intersectional, anti-racist lens and strengths-based approach to racial equity and identity work and team collaboration.
• A culturally responsive perspective to child and adult development and learning.
• A reflective learner's stance while leading.

Salary Range: $115,000 - 130,000

Additional Information:

• This position is contingent upon available funding.
• After June 30, 2025, the position is contingent upon the availability of additional funds.
• Please apply online by submitting a cover letter and resume for the position in the "Job Opportunities" section under the "About" tab on Bank Street's website or paste the following link https://fa-emlm-saasfaprod1.fa.ocs.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/CandidateExperience/en/sites/CX/job/150/?utm_medium=jobshare
• Please address cover letters to:

Tracy Fray Oliver

Vice President, Bank Street Education Center

Bank Street College

610 West 112th Street

New York, NY 10025

• Please include where you came across this job posting in your cover letter.

BANK STREET COLLEGE OF EDUCATION IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER AND DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE ON THE BASIS OF RACE, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, ETHNIC ORIGIN, SEX, OR DISABILITY IN ITS EMPLOYMENT POLICIES AND OTHER COLLEGE-ADMINISTERED PROGRAMS.

ABOUT US

Bank Street is a leader in education, a pioneer in improving the quality of classroom practice, and a national advocate for children and their families.

Since its beginnings in 1916, Bank Street has been at the forefront of understanding how children learn and grow. From early childhood centers and schools to hospitals and museums, Bank Street has built a national reputation on the simple fact that our graduates know how to do the work that is right for children.

At Bank Street's Graduate School of Education, students are trained in a model that combines the study of human development, learning theory, and sustained clinical placement to promote significant development as a teacher prior to graduation. Our children's programs-Bank Street School for Children, Family Center, Bank Street Head Start, and Liberty LEADS-foster children's development in the broadest sense by providing diverse opportunities for social, emotional, cognitive, and physical growth. The Bank Street Education Center disrupts inequity through system-level change to help design better educational experiences for both children and adults. The College further supports and influences positive outcomes for children every day through professional development programs, research projects, and other key efforts engaging educators, intermediary organizations, and government officials at the district, state, and federal levels.

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