Start Date: August 1, 2016
Organizational Vision, Mission, and Function: The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington is a mission-driven non-profit organization dedicated to creating a welcoming and inclusive Jewish community for all. Federation identifies and meets community needs to create a strong local Jewish community and strengthen our connection with Jews in Israel and around the world. Federation partners with more than 60 local, national and international agencies to offer innovative programs and services to all who need and want them. We deliver measurable impact with immeasurable heart. Department of Jewish Life & Learning The Department of Jewish Life & Learning provides Jewish educational resources, programs, thought leadership, and professional development for people of all ages – from early childhood through adult learning. The Department works with agencies, congregations and individuals throughout Greater Washington to strengthen Jewish learning and identity in formal and experiential educational settings; is a leader in helping institutions create inclusive Jewish environments for people of all abilities; creates meaningful Israel learning opportunities; and provides Jewish philanthropic education with JTeen Philanthropy. Position Overview: The Early Childhood & Family Engagement Specialist will provide leadership to our community’s Jewish early childhood learning community and help develop the highest-quality programs for our youngest learners and their families. This person will collaborate on the Federation’s signature Jewish engagement programs for families with young children (i.e. PJ Library); support Jewish early childhood and family programs in the Greater Washington area by providing professional development, training/consultation; and provide resources to families, educators and institutions. Additionally, this staff person will work collaboratively within the Department Jewish Life and Learning and other Federation departments to broaden our connections throughout the community and maximize our role as a leader in Jewish engagement of families with young children, so that we can leverage additional funding and showcase the impact of the Federation. Primary Responsibilities • Work in partnership with community leaders, congregations, and agencies to strengthen Jewish early childhood education and engagement of families with young children Jewish life • Serve as a central resource and referral contact for educators, agencies and congregations • Support ECE programs in recruitment and training of qualified educators • Represent the Jewish community and advocate on behalf of Jewish ECE programs with local counties, the State of Maryland, District of Columbia and Virginia Commonwealth on issues related to early childhood (i.e. licensing, certifications) • Develop strategies to increase enrollment in Jewish ECE programs (preschools, parenting centers, family programs) • Establish relationships with communal professionals including congregational, preschool and adult educators, youth directors, day school educators, JCC professionals, and others • Represent the Greater Washington Jewish community and the Federation at national and international forums, organizational meetings and trainings to benefit the growth and improvement of this service area • Plan and implement annual early childhood professional development conference for 600+ teachers • Manage a volunteer leadership team of early childhood education directors including monthly meetings and an annual retreat • Provide ongoing professional training for early childhood educators using local and national resources • Work with schools to incorporate/expand use of the Reggio Emilia pedagogical approach to learning • Collaborate with other Federation departments and other Jewish and secular agencies in our community to broaden the impact and scope of our work in Jewish learning for all ages • Additional responsibilities as needed
Qualifications • Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education or related field • Extensive experience in implementing programs in early childhood/families with young children. • Experience in creating and leading professional development programs • Proven ability to work collaboratively and effectively with all levels of staff within an organization • Knowledge of national and community-based early childhood organizations • Knowledge or experience working in a Jewish environment • Proficiency in MS Office Suite, and various electronic communication tools • Excellent oral and written communication skills • Experience in managing lay/volunteer committees • Experience in identifying and cultivating prospective funders with interest in this service area preferred • Grant writing skills preferred
To apply for this exciting position, please send your resume, cover letter and 2 writing samples to jobs@shalomdc.org, using subject line: ECE-FY17
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