Executive Director, Early Childhood Innovation Center

Salary: $135,000 annually

Position Description

The Executive Director provides the vision, strategic leadership, and day-to-day direction of the Early Childhood Innovation Center. The position leads the ECIC’s work to strengthen Delaware’s early childhood education workforce by expanding access to the Child Development Associate (CDA®) Credential, post-secondary degrees, professional learning, and career advancement opportunities.

The Executive Director leads ECIC staff, oversees program strategy and implementation, manages organizational resources and a multi-million-dollar budget, builds partnerships, and works with early childhood professionals, institutions of higher education, state agencies, school districts, policymakers, advocates, and other stakeholders to advance the ECIC’s statewide mission.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide strategic vision and leadership for the ECIC and its statewide workforce initiatives
• Develop ambitious goals and strategies to increase the number of early childhood professionals earning CDA® Credentials and post-secondary degrees
• Lead and develop a diverse team while establishing a culture of accountability, inclusion, learning, and high performance
• Build and maintain partnerships with the Delaware Department of Education, other state agencies, school districts, institutions of higher education, community organizations, policymakers, advocates, and workforce partners
• Oversee ECIC programs, grantees, contractors, quality assurance, compliance, and continuous improvement
• Plan, implement, and manage a multi-million-dollar budget while monitoring expenditures and ensuring fiscal integrity
• Use data to assess program performance, identify needs, guide decision-making, and inform future direction
• Lead external communications and serve as a spokesperson for the ECIC when appropriate
• Ensure ECIC programming remains accessible, responsive, and aligned with the needs of Delaware’s early childhood workforce

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Demonstrated leadership, execution, consensus-building, organizational, and strategic-planning skills
• Strong knowledge of early childhood development, the early childhood workforce, and competency-based preparation
• Demonstrated experience with grant or proposal development, organizational planning, and budgeting
• Excellent written, verbal, public-speaking, analytical, and interpersonal communication skills
• Ability to develop trusting and collaborative relationships with diverse stakeholders and communities
• Strong staff leadership, performance-management, and team-development skills
• Ability to establish priorities and manage multiple complex projects within established timelines
• Ability to manage and analyze data using Excel and learn new technologies
• Willingness to work some evenings and weekends and travel to represent the ECIC

Qualifications

• Minimum master’s degree in a related field required, preferably in Educational Leadership and/or Early Childhood Education; doctoral degree preferred
• Five years of experience providing or leading early childhood education serving children from birth through Grade 3
• Minimum of five years of experience supervising employees in early childhood-related settings
• Minimum of five years of experience developing and implementing adult education or workforce development within an early childhood education context
• Experience serving populations traditionally excluded from pathways to advancement and working with diverse communities

Child Development Associate Coach

Salary: $60,000 annually

Position Description

The Child Development Associate (CDA®) Coach provides individualized coaching, mentoring, and professional support to early childhood professionals participating in the ECIC’s CDA® credentialing initiatives. The Coach supports scholars throughout the credentialing process, including completion of required training hours, portfolio development, preparation for the CDA® exam and verification visit, and continued progress toward earning the credential.

Key Requirements

• Knowledge of the CDA® credentialing process and Council for Professional Recognition requirements
• Experience with coaching, mentoring, adult learning, or professional development
• Ability to provide individual and group coaching in virtual and in-person settings
• Ability to travel throughout Delaware for coaching, site visits, professional learning, and ECIC activities
• Strong communication, organization, documentation, and relationship-building skills
• Valid driver’s license that meets Delaware State University requirements

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education, Child Development, Human Services, Early Childhood Administration, Education, or a closely related field required
• Minimum of two years of professional experience in early childhood education, coaching, mentoring, adult education, technical assistance, or professional development
• Experience with the Child Development Associate (CDA®) credential process preferred