The Project Associate perform a full range and variety of professional assignments to improve the quality of services early learning and after-school/school-age care programs in Southeastern Pennsylvania. Under the supervision of the Project Manager of Professional Development, designs, develops and implements professional development opportunities to enable school-age care and early learning practitioners to meet both regulatory and professional development needs through the Keystone STARS System; participates as a member of the project team to assure program integration and coordination; performs related duties as required. Up to 60% of the time related to the administration and delivery of professional development opportunities and 40% delivering technical assistance. This position coordinates activities with other professional development and technical assistance staff members.

Professional Development

• Develop and implement professional development workshops for after-school/school-age care and early childhood practitioners including: developing workshop goals and objectives; writing professional development modules; identifying support materials and resources.
• Provide on-site professional development/technical assistance tailored to specific early learning and after-school/school-age program and staff needs.
• Conduct individual and group professional development on program improvement related issues; facilitate interactive discussion groups for participants in program improvement and accreditation activities.
• Maintains awareness of and participates in external professional development and resources to ensure the highest level of professional development standards are applied to service delivery.
• Promote the use of resource lending library through the development, production, and distribution of topic specific mini-bibliographies. Identify, review, and write summaries of new resources for both the resource library and computerized bibliography.
• Document all participant/program contacts; as well as maintain and report applicable statistics regarding programs and technical assistance services.
• Assist in the development of new professional development materials, resources and processes.
• Assist in the development of and contributes articles and resources to the SAC Partners Newsletter.
• Assist in the maintenance of the SEPA SACC website and quarterly-monthly electronic newsletter.

Technical Assistance

• Provide assistance and monitor progress, including comprehensive tracking of programs, undertaking program improvement and accreditation activities.
• Assist programs in developing goals, identifying areas of need, and developing action plans which are assessed regularly.
• Provide information to individuals and organizations in a variety of areas related to program planning and administration.
• Provide information and ideas about developmentally appropriate programming for infants through school-age children.
• Conduct on-site, program evaluation visits including: interviews, observations, and written reports.
• Assist in the development of new technical assistance materials and processes.

Other

• Work with other Project staff members and consultants to identify and implement common processes; maintain timelines complete timely reports and scheduling.
• Promote the services available through the Project to early learning and after-school/school-age care practitioners, as well as the general public.
• Maintain and increase professional competency and the Project's ability to serve its constituencies through self-directed professional reading, developing professional contacts with colleagues, and attending professional development and/or courses required by the Project and sharing information gained from those professional activities with colleagues.
• Will be assigned small, sub-projects, and may perform other duties assigned by the Project Director.
• Maintain confidentiality with regard to the personal and private information of clients and coworkers, program and services and any other proprietary information accrued or as a result of employment or as acquired by state or federal laws and regulations.

Qualifications

• Master's Degree in early childhood education, child development, or elementary education (with coursework in early childhood education), human services, human development, family services, sociology, or social work and 2 years experience working in child care, Head Start, or a preschool program along with supervisory, mentoring or coaching experience.
• Or Bachelor's Degree in the above fields and with 4 years experience working in child care, Head Start, preschool, or school-age care programs along with a minimum of 2 years supervisory, mentoring or coaching experience.
• Certified by the Pennsylvania Quality Approval System (PQAS) or can document 25 hours of experience providing professional development and/or technical assistance in the last three years and is committed to acquiring PQAS prior to end of provisional period of employment.
• Exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Strong computer skills including Microsoft Office proficiency, database experience.
• Exceptional written and verbal (both telephone and interpersonal) communication skills (Please bring a sample of written work to interview).
• Familiarity with Early Childhood-Revised, Infant-Toddler-Revised, Family Day Care, and/or School-Age Care Environment Rating Scales developed by the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Center.
• Familiarity with Pennsylvania's Keystone STARS quality initiative program.
• Familiarity or experience in the Pennsylvania School-Age Professional Credential (PA SAPC), National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Accreditation System, Council on Accreditation (COA) School-Age Program Standards, National AfterSchool Association (NAA) Program Improvement and Accreditation System, and/or the National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC) Accreditation, National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education Standards (NCATE).
• Ability to work with and interact effectively with diverse groups of people.
• Creative thinker and self-starter with ability to be flexible and proactive.
• Ability to work well within a team, as well as independently.

Other Requirements

• Local travel within Southeastern Pennsylvania will be required, in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery Counties and Philadelphia.
• Will include 6-8 Saturdays per year.
• Will include evenings.

It is the policy of MELC to recruit, accept applications and to enroll children and hire staff without regard to race, color, religious creed, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, handicap, age, or national origin.

It is the policy of MELC to recruit, accept applications and to enroll children and hire staff without regard to race, color, religious creed, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, handicap, age, or national origin.