Overview

MISSION

Children need to spend their most critical years with dedicated, educated, trained, and well-compensated individuals in order to thrive. The New York Early Childhood Professional Development Institute leads the work to establish and implement an early childhood workforce system to ensure funding, standards and competencies, career development resources, qualifications and credentials, professional development (training and strengths-based coaching), and program quality assurance and improvement for individuals who work with young children throughout New York. Housed at the City University of New York, the Institute is a fast-paced, dynamic public/private partnership that is committed to the early childhood workforce across New York State.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

QUALITYstarsNY is New York State’s voluntary 5-Star early childhood quality rating and improvement system. Since its inception, QUALITYstarsNY has focused its evidence-based practices to ensure that young children in participating programs have access to excellence and families can trust the level of quality in the program they choose. Assessment, coaching, professional development, and a wide range of resources are made available to each site, enabling QUALITYstarsNY to support early childhood programs to earn higher star ratings.

The Quality Improvement (QI) Specialist is responsible for providing key support in the implementation of QUALITYstarsNY. The QI Specialist is assigned a caseload of participating programs to provide ongoing technical assistance and resources to as part of continuous quality improvement. The QI Specialist works in partnership with the leadership of participating programs to effectively use data to create and implement an individualized Quality Improvement Plan (QIP). The QI Specialist works in their assigned region(s), visiting participating program sites to support their continuous QIP. The central office provides each QI Specialist with the equipment needed to manage extensive record keeping and filing timely reports. QI Specialists also participate in regular virtual meetings and on-site meetings as needed. The Director of Quality Improvement and Regional Quality Improvement Coordinator supervise the QI Specialist. The QI Specialist collaborates with regional QI Specialist teams as well as the central office staff.

 

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Leadership & Case Management

  • Deliver on-site/in-person technical assistance and mentoring to program leaders (FCC Providers, Directors, Principals, Supervisors) aligned with QUALITYstarsNY program standards
  • Provide ongoing support to program leaders throughout the participation process; technical assistance and mentoring
  • Maintain up-to-date Quality Improvement Plans (QIP) in partnership with participants; analyze and monitor progress towards quality improvement
  • Provide orientation sessions, trainings, and develop ‘learning communities’ to support programs in meeting their goals
  • Build collaborative relationships with community partners to connect participants with necessary resources and professional development opportunities
  • Represent QUALITYstarsNY at local and regional events and conferences

Budget & Data Management 

  • Maintain accurate records for allocating and tracking expenditures
  • Develop efficient systems to carry out responsibilities using effective time management strategies
  • Maintain an accurate and complete QIP for each participant that reflects goals, tasks, and appropriate expenditures
  • Research local and state resources that support continuous quality improvement efforts 

Communication 

  • Prepare timely updates about progress and challenges with participants for regularly scheduled supervision meetings
  • Manage schedule of visits and other priorities
  • Plan, prepare, and participate fully in regularly scheduled regional meetings 
  • Plan, prepare, and carry out recruitment efforts to build QUALITYstarsNY waitlist and expand services
  • Participate in outreach efforts to increase awareness of QUALITYstarsNY

Other Duties

  • Attend staff meetings and trainings as required
  • Perform special projects and other duties as assigned

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

  • Master’s degree in early childhood education, early childhood administration and supervision or child development
  • At least 6 years of experience in similar work, including mentoring and/or early childhood teacher preparation
  • Knowledgeable about NYS early learning documents, including the NYS Prekindergarten Learning Standards, NYS Early Learning Guidelines, and the Core Body of Knowledge: New York State’s Core Competencies for Early Educators
  • Experience with the Environment Rating Scales (ERS) and designing technical assistance and mentoring based on data and assessment results
  • Comprehensive understanding of a variety of early childhood settings, including center, family child care and school-based programs
  • Demonstrated competencies in delivery of technical assistance, on-site consultation and mentoring
  • A complete and current profile in The Aspire Registry, New York’s early childhood workforce registry
  • Excellent and effective oral and written communication skills
  • Strong organization and case load management skills
  • Ability to communicate effectively with diverse populations
  • Ability to listen and respond to others with insight, diplomacy, and respect
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, and PowerPoint)
  • Proven accuracy entering information into databases and ability to track, analyze, and report on data
  • A car, valid driver’s license and insurance are required outside of NYC
  • Ability to travel regularly to various QUALITYstarsNY locations, and other agencies/partners locally and across the state.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Bilingual, Spanish/English preferred

Physical Requirements

  • This position operates in a professional off-site office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as personal computers, laptops, tablets, smart phone, photocopiers, filing cabinets and other presentation materials
  • While performing these duties, the employee is required to perform physical activities such as, but not limited to, lifting items (up to 40 pounds), bending, reaching, sitting for prolonged periods of time. Reasonable accommodations will be made for employees with disabilities or other needs per RFCUNY policies.
  • Ability to travel to other sites including QUALITYstarsNY locations.
  • As of May 27, 2022, all candidates will be required to provide proof of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19 upon commencing employment. Exemption (medical or religious) requests to this requirement will be considered in accordance with applicable law and criteria. Being fully vaccinated is defined for this purpose as two weeks after a final dose in primary series of an authorized COVID-19 vaccine (example: two weeks after the second dose of a two-dose vaccine such as Moderna or Pfizer, or two weeks after a single dose vaccine such as Johnson and Johnson). Final candidates must be fully vaccinated as of their first day of employment. Newly hired employees will be sent an email with instructions on how to upload their vaccine information on the Research Foundation portal.
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