Early Start Liaison

Middletown Public Schools•Middletown, CT

About The Position

The Early Start LGP (Local Governance Council) Liaison is the employed, year-round lead for the Middletown Early Childhood Partnership. The Liaison coordinates and provides strategic direction for the Local Governance Partner (LGP) and its Community Table, serves as the local point of contact for LGP efforts, supervises the Parent Ambassador(s), connects families and providers to early childhood resources, and visits Early Start CT (ESCT) programs to support quality and compliance. This is a community-facing, non-instructional position. The role requires close, ongoing coordination with the Office of Early Childhood (OEC) and its partners including SHINE.

Requirements

Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in early care and education, human services, community organizing, family engagement, public administration, or a related field preferred.
Three (3) or more years of relevant experience in early childhood, family engagement, community outreach, human services, or program coordination; or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.
Demonstrated ability to coordinate cross-sector groups and facilitate meetings.
Strong written and verbal communication skills and the ability to serve as a single point of contact.
Experience with program monitoring, data collection, or quality improvement.
Proficiency with standard office technology (email, word processing, spreadsheets, virtual meeting platforms).

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of the Connecticut early childhood system, OEC General Policies, and Early Start CT.
Familiarity with NAEYC and NAFCC accreditation systems and the Elevate quality improvement system.
Ties to the Middletown community and the populations the LGP serves.
Bilingual (English/Spanish) or other community language skills.

Responsibilities

Coordinate and provide strategic direction for all LGP and LGP Community Table activities and efforts.
Serve as the lead contact person at the local level for LGP efforts and for LGP Community Table members.
Receive and deliver all communication from the OEC and its partners, and meet with its partners as requested to support implementation of LGP activities.
Support a functioning LGP Community Table that meets statutory requirements and includes a majority of members from the local geographies the LGP serves.
Conduct outreach and marketing to early childhood organizations and families in the targeted geographical area to drive participation.
Develop written membership expectations (via MOUs or collaboration agreements) that define goals, objectives, and mutual expectations, and maintain an up-to-date list of Community Table members.
Convene early childhood stakeholders at least six (6) times per contract year to share updates, address challenges, form partnerships, and take collaborative action on identified needs.
Schedule meetings at times convenient for parents and Parent Ambassadors and build agendas that prioritize family engagement, creating intentional space for families at the table.
Recruit, oversee, and support the Parent Ambassador(s), and ensure they receive the stipend payments required under the contract, in coordination with MPS business office procedures.
Ensure Parent Ambassadors participate in required OEC trainings and convenings (onboarding, quarterly statewide Community of Practice with the OEC Parent Cabinet, professional development, and in-person parent leadership opportunities).
Support Parent Ambassadors in conducting outreach, participating in Community Table meetings, and bringing family voice into all aspects of the LGP work.
Lead quality improvement coordination and implementation across the LGP.
Visit Early Start CT programs a minimum of two (2) times per contract year to assure compliance with OEC General Policies, using the standardized template provided by OEC.
Offer technical assistance and coaching informed by compliance monitoring.
Connect community providers to OEC resources, including quality improvement efforts, professional development, Elevate, scholarships, and national accreditation resources through NAFCC and NAEYC.
Serve as a connector for parents, providers, and partners to local resources and LGP efforts.
Develop and enhance family-centered programming by holding community events and implementing strategies within early childhood programs to increase parent participation in children’s learning and development.
Help families navigate the early childhood system and build functional ECE networks.
Lead coordination of a Local Needs Assessment with support from OEC staff and external partners/consultants, including extracting town-level data from sources such as Care4Kids, Birth to Three, State licensing, the OEC Registry, and OEC Home Visiting.
Gather narrative input from families, providers, and others.
Lead creation of a Community Plan based on Needs Assessment findings, identifying gaps and trends and implementing collaborative action steps to address them.
Participate in Communities of Practice (CoP) meetings: two (2) virtual meetings in Year 1; ten (10) meetings in Year 2 (eight virtual and two in-person).
Fund and organize professional development opportunities to meet the needs of providers and the community.
Assist providers in accessing OEC opportunities through proactive outreach and coordinated communication, including guiding them through processes such as Early Start CT expansion RFPs and facility and healthcare funding applications.
Support timely submission of quarterly programmatic and financial reports in conjunction with the district Grants Coordinator in the formats required.
Collect and track program and outcomes data covering Community Table participation, family engagement, Needs Assessment/Community Plan progress, and monitoring and compliance activities.
Perform other related duties as assigned, consistent with the scope and classification of the position.