Culture: 

Trying Together’s mission is to support high-quality care and education for young children. 

Trying Together is a Pittsburgh-based nonprofit that supports the work of early childhood by providing advocacy, community resources, and professional growth opportunities for the needs and rights of children, their families, and the adults who interact with them. A fast-paced organization, Trying Together looks for dedicated and passionate staff who bring positivity to their work and a solution-oriented sensibility. 

Trying Together encourages its team, partners, and communities to interact compassionately and honor the range of cultures, ideas, and identities that root each person. Young children develop and learn by example; this means that children whose early learning environments reflect just actions, equitable opportunities, diverse representation, and inclusive approaches experience healthier interactions and build relationships that enable them to thrive. 

Trying Together is an equal opportunity employer. Trying Together does not discriminate and encourages qualified candidates of any gender, race, class, sexual orientation, faith, disability, or age to apply. All candidates will be evaluated on a merit basis. 

Purpose: 

Coaching is inherently relationship-based work. The ELRC Director of Coach Development supports ELRC Region 5 Quality Coaches and ensures that they imbed equity in all interactions and communications with the early childhood education (ECE) field. The ELRC Director of Coach Development will certify that the team follows all guidance, processes, and procedures for the PA Keystone STARS Performance and Head Start Performance Standards, and guides the team to use a strengths-based approach in all interactions with early learning programs. The ELRC Director of Coach Development will attend all relevant ELRC meetings to ensure goals are being met and partnerships are being developed. 

Responsibilities: 

• Commitment to racial equity and inclusion and a willingness to do the ongoing personal work to bring about a more just society by actively participating in professional growth opportunities. 
• Actively work with peers to create a culture of belonging at Trying Together. 
• Willingness to disrupt practices that do not honor children’s, families’, educators’ and colleagues’ humanity. 
• Build strong relationships with the team as individuals and as a whole. 
• Mentor the coaches to strive for excellence in their work by consistently using best practices, incorporating cultural competencies, and employing relationship-based coaching and consultation practices. 
• Lend support on a personal and professional level enabling the team to succeed in all that is asked. 
• Build and cultivate a high-performing team through effective leadership focused on recruiting and retaining top talent that reflects the field and providing guidance, coaching, and development to direct reports. 
• Provide team/individuals with professional growth opportunities. 
• Visit early learning programs when requested by the program director or ELRC Quality Coach/ELRC STARS Designator. 
• Have a working knowledge of the PA Keystone STARS Standards to assist the team and early learning programs. 
• Create and follow Keystone STARS standards, STARS Designations, and Grant Management processes and procedures. Ability to navigate PELICAN, Provider Self Service, PD Registry, Sharepoint, ELRC portal, and know how to seek help. 
• Work collaboratively with ELRC and Trying Together staff. 
• Serve as a liaison between the coaches and OCDEL. 
• Coach the team on Interactions, communication, customer service, time management, developmentally appropriate practice, needs assessment, cultural competence and implicit bias to elevate the field. 
• Maintain a productive work environment by using time management techniques and skills to organize resources. 
• Participate in learning opportunities to gather knowledge and share with the team. 
• Serve on statewide groups/initiatives as appropriate. 
• Work collaboratively across departments within Trying Together to meet the mission and accomplish the work. 
• Participate in initial and ongoing professional development for the purposes of continuous learning and expanding one’s professional knowledge base. 
• Consistently use the NeonCRM platform to build relationships with constituents, record data that measure project performance, and support continuous quality improvement in the organization's resources and services. 
• Other duties as assigned. 

Qualifications: 

• Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education, Child Development, or related field and three years supervisor experience. Master’s degree preferred. 
• Two years of early childhood classroom experience and two years of experience at an administrative level in an early care and education setting. 
• Will consider an equivalent combination of relevant education and experience. 
• Experience working with adult learners. 
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills. 
• Intermediate to advanced computer, internet, and email skills.
• Knowledge of local, state, and national systems for early care and education. 
• Willing and able to engage in honest self-reflection about coaching progress and their contribution to the process. 
• Able to foster a program’s capacity building and assume a strengths-based approach. 
• Ability to establish credibility as a resource worthy of the program’s respect and trust. 
• Ability to facilitate a program’s own problem-solving process. 
• Ability to maintain a project timeline and monitor progress toward goals. 
• Must be able to work independently and as a team member. 
• Must be able to interact with others in a positive and professional manner. 
• Acceptance of diversity and ability to work comfortably in a variety of settings. 
• Ability to maintain confidentiality. 
• Good judgment and decision-making abilities. 
• Must demonstrate enthusiasm and flexibility. 

Required Clearances: 

• Clean Act 33 Child Abuse Clearance. 
• Clean Act 34 PA State Police Clearance. 
• Clean Act 73 Federal Criminal History Clearance. 
• National Sex Offender Registry (NSOR) Verification. 
• Valid Driver’s License and proof of insurance. 

Required Training: 

• Mandated Reporter Training (must be completed in the first month of placement). 
• NeonCRM Training (required and recommended online courses must be completed in the first three months of placement). 
• PQAS Professional Development Instructor Certification (must be obtained within the first year of employment for staff with a Bachelor’s Degree).

Benefits: 

• Competitive compensation and benefits package. 
• Appreciative inquiry and strengths-based review process.