Job Description

SUMMARY:

Educare Lincoln is a collaborative partnership between the Lincoln Public Schools (LPS), University of Nebraska - Lincoln (UNL), Early Head Start (EHS), and the Buffett Early Childhood Fund. The mission of Educare Lincoln is to help young children thrive socially, emotionally, and academically through high-quality early childhood education, and in partnership with their families and the community. The EHS program (ages 6 weeks to 3 years) and the preschool program (ages 3 years to 5 years) promote school readiness by enhancing the social and cognitive development of children through the provision of evidence-based education, health, nutritional, social, and other services to enrolled children and their families.

The Program Manager brings knowledge of early childhood education best practices. They assist the Director of Education in leading the Early Head Start and Preschool staff through positive relationship building and collaboration, reflective supervision, utilization of data, embedded staff development, and the engagement of all children and families to fulfill the vision of Educare Lincoln.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES AND KEY TASKS:

LeadershipAssist with updating and implementing program policies and procedures. Build and maintain productive collaboration and communication with staff at all levels. Ensure child care licensing requirements are met. Participate in the onboarding process and ongoing professional development for program and teaching staff. Collaborate with leadership to assist with monitoring and compliance regarding program policies and procedures. ImplementationMaintain current understanding of all applicable regulations and guidelines, including but not limited to Nebraska DHHS Child Care Licensing Regulations, Head Start Program Performance Standards, CACFP Regulations, and Sixpence standards. Collaborate with the leadership team to ensure consistent implementation of policies and procedures. Coordinate community and classroom partnerships, including but not limited to monthly Lincoln Transportation and Utilities and Kiwanis book reading. Perform data management and monitoring processes for required reporting and to measure program goals and effectiveness. SupervisionOversee the day-to-day classroom operations, including the supervision, timekeeping, scheduling, and coverage needs of all teaching staff. Conduct reflective supervision sessions for all teaching staff. Conduct ongoing and annual performance reviews. OtherTravel between Educare Lincoln sites may be required. Perform other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education (ECE) or related field required; master's degree preferred. Five or more years of experience in Early Childhood Education required; Early Head Start experience preferred. Three or more years of experience in a leadership or management role required. Previous experience with early childhood database management (e.g., Child Plus, Teaching Strategies, etc.) preferred. Must be able to pass a background check that meets compliance standards.

ESSENTIAL SKILLS / ABILITIES REQUIRED:

Mission-driven with a commitment to making high-quality early care and education available to all children. Ability to design and implement high-quality, early childhood education programs. Strong leadership and team management skills, with the ability to inspire and motivate staff. Deep knowledge of child development, best practices, and regulations in early childhood education. Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, with the ability to effectively engage with families, staff, and the community. Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities effectively. Ability to assess, evaluate, and implement educational strategies and programs. Proficiency in Google Workspace (Google Docs, Google Sheets, Gmail and Google Drive), and willingness to learn new software programs. Compliance with all confidentiality regulations as required. * Ability to work within an interdisciplinary team as a cooperative and supportive team member.