Position Overview

The Center for Early Education and Development (CEED) within the Institute of Child Development is seeking an Implementation Specialist for the Trainer and Relationship-Based Professional Development Specialist Support (TARSS) program. The person for this role has extensive experience working in childcare programming, providing coaching/mentoring/ consulting, and facilitating training. This individual will develop and lead various projects serving the Trainer and RBPD Specialist community. Activities include creating, managing, and co-facilitating online learning communities and training for trainers and RBPD specialists, developing additional support programs and content for RBPD specialists, and leading the implementation of two observation programs. This individual will provide coaching and support other coaches at CEED. This person will work closely with the CEED Director and the Associate Director of Program Quality designing, implementing, evaluating, and analyzing these projects. 

CEED serves as an intellectual home for high-quality, cutting-edge research and evaluation in the early childhood workforce, including research-to-practice on multiple early childhood related topics, professional development and program quality for early childhood professionals, workforce issues in early childhood, and evaluation of early childhood programming. Competitive applicants will have a track record of leading large-scale coaching/mentoring projects, demonstrated experience working as an RBPD specialist within early childhood programming, demonstrated experience creating and disseminating professional development, extensive experience with the Develop data system, and experience contributing to successful grant proposals and reports. This 100%, 12 mo., position will report to Ann Bailey, Director, Center for Early Education and Development. The individual in this position works under an annually renewable contract contingent upon performance and available funding.

The University of Minnesota is a national leader in research, education, and outreach. This position would add to that mission by being a part of the research-to-practice arm of the number one developmental psychology program in the nation. The individual in this role will join a vibrant team working on several exciting research-to-practice opportunities. This role is classified under Professional and Administrative at the UMN, which provides excellent benefits and opportunities to partner with internal and external early childhood faculty, researchers, and organizations.

This position is based on campus. Per UMN policy, work may be done remotely when appropriate and approved by your manager.  All UMN employees are expected to follow applicable public health and safety procedures. 

Job Responsibilities

Project Management (90%):

• Serve as an implementation specialist in a statewide childcare training and RBPD specialist support project
• Work closely with the TARSS project manager to implement the deliverables for each fiscal year
• Create and disseminate online and in-person learning opportunities for adult learners
• Develop and implement at least one statewide conference per year
• Create and co-facilitate online learning communities
• Lead the day-to-day operations and collaborate with the team to implement project deliverables
• Lead and train groups of observers to conduct observations for trainers and coaches around the state of Minnesota and create professional development and reliability processes for the observers
• Coordinate with external partners
• Collaborate with the Principal Investigator on budgeting, project timelines, and resource allocation
• Collaborate with team members to collect, analyze, and report program data

Teaming and Collaboration (10%):

• Contribute to the mission of professional advocacy, policy making and outreach activities that support CEED’s mission
• Participate in meetings to generate new ideas to meet future project goals
• Attend professional conferences, colloquia, and symposia
• Ensure IRB policies are followed for all research involving human subjects.
• Complete other tasks as assigned.

Required Qualifications:

• A master’s degree in early childhood development, child psychology, early childhood education, early childhood special education, social work, human development, and
• A minimum of four years of experience working as a coach, mentor, or consultant within early childhood programming.

OR:

• A bachelor's degree with at least six years of relevant post-degree experience.

AND

• Experience leading projects or programs in early childhood
• Experience with adult learning and training
• Experience developing and disseminating online and in-person content and with leading online learning communities
• Ability to collaborate effectively with people from a variety of communities, backgrounds, and identities.
• Ability to maintain data confidentiality.
• Willingness and ability to travel within the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area and to other statewide locations to perform onsite observations.
• Ability to conduct oneself in a professional manner; prompt, can complete duties in a timely and responsible manner; works well under pressure and can follow appropriate channels of response.
• Evidence of success in leading a team of people to meet project objectives and deliverables

Preferred Qualifications

• Direct practice/work experience with infants, young children, and families
• Training in early childhood education/development or developmental psychology
• Demonstrated experience working on large-scale projects
• Experience with the 6 Principles of Quality Coaching
• Experience with the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS), or other assessment tools
• Completed the RBPD Credentials
• Demonstrated skills in interpersonal communication, administrative leadership, project management, and team building
• Demonstrated commitment to and experience in working with community partners, such as child care programs, non-profit organizations that serve diverse families with young children, local schools, state and local health, human service and education agencies, and other community-based organizations supporting families at risk
• Demonstrated success in working in collaborative, multi-disciplinary environments

About University of Minnesota, Twin Cities

The University of Minnesota, founded in the belief that all people are enriched by understanding, is dedicated to the advancement of learning and the search for truth; to the sharing of this knowledge through education for a diverse community; and to the application of this knowledge to benefit the people of the state, the nation, and the world.

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