Position Summary:
The mission of Pierce College is to create quality educational opportunities to a diverse community of learners to thrive in an evolving world. The Pierce College District is committed to being an anti-racist institution; to truly be anti-racist we must work deliberately to eliminate barriers that have prevented the most promising and capable students from entering and thriving in college. We work to ensure that every student in the Pierce College District feels valued, respected, and inspired to achieve their goals. We provide a brave space for Black, Indigenous, Persons of Color (BIPOC), LGBTQ/QTPOC students, students with disabilities, and all students and staff to seek refuge, and an opportunity for them to cultivate their strengths, intelligence, resilience, and creativity.
The Director of Education Programs helps advance the equity-centered mission of Pierce College by providing leadership in the planning, development, implementation, and assessment of all programs associated with the College’s Education Career Pathway. The Education Career Pathway encompasses programming for education transfer, professional-technical early childhood education, paraeducation, and the Bachelor of Applied Science in Teaching.
The Director of Educational Programs is able to establish and sustain a supportive collegial work climate, cooperatively leading the Program towards continued excellence, ensuring learning experiences serve a diverse student body that effectively prepares graduates for the workforce. Under the administrative direction of the Dean of Business and Social Science this position has the responsibility to oversee the laboratory preschool, establish and maintain early learning partnerships, develop curriculum and programming, scheduling, staff development, grant management, enrollment management, budget planning, accreditation compliance, marketing and special projects.
Essential Functions:
Program Leadership and Supervision
Actively supports and engages in actions to advance Pierce College’s goals for equity and inclusion in order to ensure access and support for our diverse student body. Recruits, interviews, and recommends hiring of potential part-time faculty and staff to the dean. Supervises (train, evaluate, schedule, coach, discipline) program staff and part-time faculty, and assists them with obtaining appropriate professional development. Serves as the first source for managing education, student/faculty academic concerns, and works with the dean to timely address concerns to enhance and improve students' academic experience. Promotes professional development and supports a collaborative climate which fosters innovation and academic excellence.
Fostering Student Success
Serves as a leader in ensuring Education Programs equitably supports student achievement and attainment of academic and career goals. Ensures that education programs adhere to accreditation standards, effectively integrates campus mission, and reflects the vision established to advance success of a diverse student body. Completes class and course evaluations, waivers, and substitutions.
Recruits members for Advisory Committees and the Professional Educator Advisory Board; organizes and leads advisory committee meetings. Serves as primary program representative and advocate in working with employers and community partners at professional, state, federal regulatory and licensing agencies, and at state and national early childhood education and teacher preparation profession- related meetings and trainings. Ensures Educational Programs is in compliance with national, and state, licensing standards, laws, regulations, and guidelines.
Provides leadership on program accreditation and data reporting to the national accrediting body (CAEP) and the state regulatory board (PESB). Works with stakeholders across programs including faculty, staff, principals, mentor teachers, and community as well as school/district partners to ensure consistent, systemic implementation, supportive of student teacher success and aligned with program expectations and state guidelines.
Curriculum and Scheduling
Coordinates the development of Education Programs annual schedule with program faculty. Collaborates with four-year institutions on the development of articulation agreements, alignment of curriculum, and process for successful student transition. Ensures curriculum currency and program is in compliance with institutional annual reviews, academic planning, and accreditation specific to the program.
General Management
Oversees the operations of the laboratory preschool. Participates in development of Education Programs’ budget. Coordinates (identifies and facilitates) professional development opportunities for education faculty and staff. Identifies equipment needs in coordination with faculty members, advisory committee, and employer input; serves as primary contact for equipment funding and purchasing for the program. Serves on college committees and participates in shared governance. Performs other related duties and responsibilities as assigned.
Required Education:
Masters Degree in a related field OR equivalent years of experience teaching in early childhood education or elementary schools, doing administrative work in a setting with young children, or working in a higher education environment in an early childhood education program. Any of those three types of experience, or a combination of the three, qualifies. For a Masters Degree, the equivalent work experience is five (5) years.
Required Experience:
Five (5) years of experience as a teacher of children.
Two (2) years of experience in teacher education.
Demonstrated commitment to student success, by fostering social justice and antiracist teaching practices.
Evidence of strong communication, transparent decision-making and effective delegating.
Experience in establishing and maintaining effective relationships and connections with public school partners preferred.
Special Requirements:
The successful candidate must consent to and pass a criminal background check after a conditional offer of employment. Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment but will considered in determining the applicant's suitability to perform in this position.
Must be able to travel independently between college campuses and other work locations to include early learning programs, local school districts, and state level conferences/committees.
Application Process:
To be considered for this position, applicants must:
Meet the required qualifications as outlined in this announcement.
Complete the online application profile and apply for the specific job opening at: https://www.pierce.ctc.edu/hr
Upload (attach) a cover letter that addresses how you meet the required qualifications as outlined in this announcement. (Cover Letter)
Upload (attach) detailed résumé of all educational and professional experience.(Résumé)
Transcripts are not required in order to apply for this position; however, if you are selected for an interview, you will be asked to submit copies of unofficial transcripts showing completion of the required level of education. Please upload current copies of your transcripts, if available. Unofficial copies of all college and university transcripts must include degree received and conferral date. International transcripts must include a foreign transcript evaluation. For a list of approved credential evaluation services visit: www.naces.org/members.html (Unofficial transcripts acceptable for application process; official transcripts required upon hire). (Transcripts)
Upload (attach) a list of at least three professional references with names, addresses, telephone numbers, and e-mail addresses. Letters of recommendation will not be accepted. (References)
Provide a response to the following question: (Supplemental Question) "Briefly describe how you have worked in your previous or current positions to advance equity, diversity, and inclusion in your organizations and how you would do that in this position." Please limit your response to a maximum of 750 words.
Special Note: To ensure consideration, application materials should be received no later than 5:00 p.m. on the closing date.
