Senior Project Manager of Early Childhood Initiatives and Partnerships

City of Philadelphia • Philadelphia, PA

3d • Onsite

About The Position

The Office of Children and Families (OCF) was established to improve outcomes for children and families, build stronger communities, and support great schools. The PHLpreK program aims to increase access to quality early learning by offering free pre-Kindergarten to children regardless of family income. This role supports the city's most needed ECE initiatives and works with other city departments to ensure those initiatives are fully supported. The candidate will interact with local, regional, and national ECE leaders to develop and execute policies for preparing children and families for kindergarten and elementary school. Key initiatives include Workforce Development, Early Intervention, Intragovernmental Partnerships, Stakeholder Engagement, and other initiatives as needed.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Education, Policy, Strategic Management, or similar field required.
• At least 5 years of overall professional experience.
• 2+ years of experience in strategic planning.
• Knowledge of word processing software, presentations, spreadsheets, and databases.
• Experience working directly with people from diverse racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Demonstrated skill in understanding of cultural differences.
• Capable and detail-oriented multitasker who can prioritize and remain professional in demanding situations.
• Ability to interpret relevant local, state, and federal rules and regulations pertaining to childcare program administration.
• Ability to reference and identify small and medium business best practices.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with colleagues at all levels of the organization.
• Ability to learn quickly and succeed in a rapidly changing environment.
• Ability to project manage a variety of tasks while meeting deadlines.
• Ability to exercise sound judgement in a politically savvy environment.
• Team player capable of resolving organizational roadblocks.
• Talent for listening, asking effective questions, and synthesizing information.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree in related field preferred.
• Early Childhood experience preferred.
• Data Analytics experience preferred.
• Knowledge of and familiarity with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Quality Rating System, Keystone STARS.
• Knowledge of and familiarity with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s licensing and certification requirements of childcare providers.
• Experience in trauma responsive services and related program development, implementation and evaluation.

Responsibilities

• Oversee successful implementation of a strategic plan for a future well-trained and compensated ECE workforce.
• Support the systemic remodeling of the process of identifying and serving children with exceptionalities (ages 3-5).
• Lead all partnerships with other city and governmental agencies that support Philadelphia’s public early learning sector.
• Provide opportunities to engage a broad base of stakeholders, including parents, ECE providers, K-12 educators, advocates, policymakers, business, and philanthropy.
• Track strategic initiative milestones, budgets, performance metrics, and risks.
• Secure additional resources to fully operationalize public preschool system priorities.
• Build and maintain collaborative relationships with Department Heads, Commissioners, and other senior stakeholders.
• Manage high-priority, cross-departmental projects from concept to implementation.
• Anticipate political, operational, and community-related risks or barriers, and proactively propose solutions.
• Lead and facilitate planning sessions, project check-ins, and decision-making meetings with senior stakeholders.
• Prepare and deliver clear, concise, and data-informed briefings, memos, and presentations.
• Represent the Mayor's Early Childhood Education division in high-level meetings, public engagements, and intergovernmental forums.
• Draft executive-level materials including talking points, public remarks, and status updates.
• Analyze policies and proposals tied to key initiatives, assessing their feasibility, impacts, and alignment with city goals.
• Ensure all projects reflect and advance the administration's commitment to equity, transparency, and operational excellence.

Benefits

• Unlimited FREE public transportation all year long through SEPTA’s Key Advantage program.
• 8 weeks of paid parental leave.
• Comprehensive health coverage for employees and their eligible dependents.
• Wellness program offers eligibility into the discounted medical plan.
• Paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays.
• Generous retirement savings options.
• Eligibility to participate in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.
• Access to a wide range of tuition discounts and scholarships (10% to 40% savings) with partner colleges and universities.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior