Early Learning Program Officer (50559)

Early Learning Program Officer

Under the direction of a Director of Early Learning, the Program Officer is a key member of the FIRST 5 Early Learning Team that manages initiatives supporting children, families, the early learning and childcare workforce, and the community. This position requires knowledge of the early learning and childcare landscape at the local, regional, state and/or federal levels. Building and maintaining relationships with grantees, partners, and stakeholders is key to this position’s success, as is the ability to implement strategic priorities, achieve impact goals, and effectively manage multiple projects and initiatives. The ability to work in a collaborative team environment both within and across departments is required. A key framework for the Early Learning initiatives includes a focus on continuous quality improvement of early learning and childcare programs through the statewide Quality Counts California initiative, and the Santa Clara County Quality Matters initiative, in partnership with the Santa Clara County Office of Education, among others. This position is part of a bargaining unit represented by Local SEIU 521.

First 5 California, established through a voter approved initiative in 1998 known as the California Children and Families Act (Proposition 10), oversees the expenditure of tobacco tax revenues to support, promote, and optimize early childhood development through county commissions that coordinate programs emphasizing child health, parent education, childcare, and other services and programs for children prenatal through age 5. FIRST 5 Santa Clara County (FIRST 5) is a local public entity governed by a nine-member Commission that informs and approves allocations of these funds in Santa Clara County.

FIRST 5 will embark on a strategic planning year in 2022-23. Currently, the agency focuses its resources in the domains of children’s health, family supports, early learning and care, and neighborhood and community engagement. Primary goals include: (1) Children are born healthy and experience optimal health and development; (2) Families are supported to provide safe, stable homes; (3) Children enter school fully prepared to succeed academically, emotionally, and socially; (4) Neighborhoods and communities are places where children are safe, neighbors are connected, and all cultures are respected; and (5) Systems are responsive to the needs of children and families. Potential applicants are encouraged to visit FIRST 5’s website at www.first5kids.org to better understand the range of programs and services.
 

• Collaborate with the Executives, Directors and department staff to establish an organizational structure and systems that foster a culture of leadership, innovation, accountability, excellent service, and continuous improvement within FIRST 5;
• Assist with implementing the agency’s strategic plan in collaboration with the Executives, Directors and department staff;
• Work in collaboration with Executives, Directors, and department staff to participate in planning, implementation and continuous improvement efforts within and across departments;
• Communicate about FIRST 5’s strategic direction, investments and impacts with all internal team members and external partners;
• Gather and share information from community partners to inform FIRST 5’s work;
• Provide leadership in implementing short- and long-term operational plans and developing departmental systems and processes;
• Manage projects as assigned;
• Establish collaborative, effective working relationships with staff and external partners;
• Represent FIRST 5 in external meetings;

• Provide technical assistance to partners and program participants to ensure responsive and intentional implementation of Early Care and Education projects;
• Coordinate with evaluation team to ensure successful submission of state reports, participation in regional data collaboration effort, completion of local annual report, and other data requests;
• Utilize knowledge of healthy child development to ensure the integration of continuous quality improvement efforts across all types of early learning and childcare settings;
• Manage contracts, oversee and monitor grants and budgets, fulfill data and reporting requirements, and build effective and supportive relationships with grantees, vendors, and partners;
• Perform other duties as assigned.

• Ability to work as a cooperative and supportive member of an interdisciplinary Early Learning team;
• Ability to be flexible and meet program deadlines;
• Ability to analyze and interpret state and local early learning and childcare regulations and/or policies.
• Knowledge of current research related to early learning and childcare and familiarity with developmental screenings and assessments, quality assessments (e.g. ERS, CLASS);
• Familiarity with local and state early learning and childcare programs a plus
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Word and Excel, as well as the ability to learn and master computer technology/software programs as needed;
• Strong oral and written communication skills;
• Bilingual candidates preferred, but not required (Spanish/Vietnamese).

• Bachelor’s degree in social work, counseling, early childhood development, public health or a related field serving families with children under age 5, OR a minimum of five or more years of equivalent knowledge and experience;
• A minimum of two years of experience in the field of early learning and childcare required;
• Experience working in Santa Clara County a plus.
• Experience working with ethnically and linguistically diverse children, families, and professionals;

• Clearance of background checks required;
• Must be able to travel to partner sites, as well as conferences, trainings, and meetings within and outside the county;
• Must possess a valid California driver’s license and have reliable means of transportation;
• Ability to work evenings and weekends as required;
• Must be able to speak, read, and write English fluently;

• This position is full-time, exempt, and falls under the Program Officer Salary Range: $93,537.22 - $108,435.28.
• This position is part of a bargaining unit represented by Local SEIU 521.
• FIRST 5 currently operates on a hybrid work model, 2 days on-site in San Jose, CA
• FIRST 5 has a multilingual pay differential policy for employees whose job duties require them to regularly use their oral and/or written fluency in one or more needed languages (Spanish/Vietnamese) in the performance of essential tasks of the position.

Salary : $93,537 - $108,435