Technical Project Specialist- Remote

ICF’s Early Education Services Line of Business seeks a Technical Project Specialist to support a large early education training and technical assistance (TA) team on early care and education (ECE) projects. The Technical Project Specialist contributes to the development of innovative, high-quality products and services in support of multiple projects within the Early Education Services line of business. Technical Project Specialists have an opportunity to apply their academic knowledge, gain exposure to major projects, and interact with experts in the field while building content knowledge and consulting skills. The specialist will support Office of Child Care funded training and TA activities in alignment with Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) requirements and best practice, such as assisting with TA requests, supporting peer learning opportunities, and identifying best practices related to CCDF implementation, early childhood systems building, and other priority topics. 

The ideal candidate will have both a background and experience in Child Development or Early Childhood Education (ECE) with knowledge of CCDF regulations and program implementation, with a focus on supporting Lead Agencies to develop and implement strategies to strengthen the business practices of child care providers.

The position is full-time and remote and may involve some travel to OCC sponsored events.  

Technical assistance (TA) is defined as both onsite and off-site activities, such as consultation, meeting/conference presentation and facilitation, support of peer-to-peer opportunities, information gathering, review of materials, participation in and leadership for work groups, strategic planning, and training design and delivery in a wide range of content areas including early education policy and systems building efforts, health and safety standards and monitoring, program quality improvement, professional development systems and workforce, infant and toddler care initiatives, and other key areas.

Key Responsibilities:

• Support TA staff through training sessions, conference calls, and information sharing events. 
• Support the development and delivery of training and TA content 
• Support the development of presentations at national meetings and conferences.
• Support all required reporting activities according to the established protocol and timelines.
• Enter data on TA planning and provision within the TA Tracker database, adhering to established protocols and timelines. 
• Support development of resources in key topics areas related to quality improvement, and health and safety in child care programs following existing protocols and methods established by leadership. 
• Demonstrate an understanding of CCDF program implementation and child care subject matter and program operations across early care and education and out of school-time programs.
• Support the collection of data related to event planning, participation, and engagement 
• Support data collection and stay up to date on childcare business practices and adult learning principles research and best practices.
• Demonstrate good judgment in planning, supporting, and delivering, targeted, and universal TA.
• Work from a collaborative approach and demonstrate excellent interaction and communication that is strength based and solution focused.
• Build strong, positive relationships with project staff and partners for ongoing communication, collaborative planning, and shared problem solving to meet the needs of CCDF Lead Agencies, their intermediaries, and early care and education professionals and systems.
• Actively engage in team meetings, internal workgroups, and other collaborative projects as requested.
• Maintain a consistent work schedule and communicate with supervisor any changes to the schedule that impacts availability during regular work hours. 
• Work closely with the project team experts following the guidance of the task leads. 
• Works under fairly limited direction. Normally receives little instruction on day-to-day work, general instructions on new assignments
• Support the delivery of specialized training, tailored to specific needs and audiences, using traditional and nontraditional methods and adult learning principles.
• Coordinate with the Resource Development and Dissemination team to ensure appropriate support for all events, including translation, technical support, and registrations.

This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in early childhood education, public policy, or management.
• 5+ years of experience at state and/or national level with early childhood policies, regulations, and systems specifically in the area of business practices and quality systems.
• 5+ years of experience working with early childhood state agencies or partnering organizations, early childhood policy development and analysis, provision of technical assistance related to ECE quality systems and business practices.
• Prior experience with CCDF requirements and funding streams.
• Prior experience developing training and TA content

Preferred Skills/Experience: 

• Master’s degree in early childhood education, public policy, or management.
• 5+ years of experience working with adult learners as a trainer/facilitator.
• Content knowledge on licensing, health and safety standards, quality initiatives including Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRIS), business practices, and early childhood systems development and alignment.
• Experience coordinating teams to establish and track project plans, milestones, and timelines for project deliverables.
• Experience supporting the implementation of the CCDF program at the Federal, State, or local level.
• Experience providing training at State, Regional, or National Conferences/Meetings and providing technical assistance.
• Experience with partnership-building and leading small, collaborative committees, workgroups, or task forces to develop projects or resources. 
• Proficient in MS Office Applications (Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, Excel, SharePoint, Microsoft Teams) and other e-learning webinar, and project management tools including SmartSheet.
• Bilingual and able to read, write, and speak Spanish proficiently.

Professional Skills: 

• Excellent verbal, interpersonal, and written communication skills.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making capabilities.
• Team player with the ability to multi-task in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to apply detailed knowledge of organizational procedures to make independent decisions and serve as a credible resource for a senior project team.
• Ability to work with all levels of internal staff, as well as outside clients and vendors.
• Ability to be flexible and handle multiple priorities.
• Demonstrated outstanding level of professionalism in providing team support, including the ability to exercise good judgment, discretion, tact, and diplomacy.
• Sound business ethics, including the protection of proprietary and confidential information.
• Interest or experience in using knowledge of adult learning styles in the creation of products. 

Working at ICF

ICF is a global advisory and technology services provider, but we’re not your typical consultants. We combine unmatched expertise with cutting-edge technology to help clients solve their most complex challenges, navigate change, and shape the future.

We can only solve the world's toughest challenges by building an inclusive workplace that allows everyone to thrive. We are an equal opportunity employer, committed to hiring regardless of any protected characteristic, such as race, ethnicity, national origin, color, sex, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability status, or military/veteran status. Together, our employees are empowered to share their expertise and collaborate with others to achieve personal and professional goals. For more information, please read our EEO & AA policy.

Reasonable Accommodations are available, including, but not limited to, for disabled veterans, individuals with disabilities, and individuals with sincerely held religious beliefs, in all phases of the application and employment process. To request an accommodation please email icfcareercenter@icf.com and we will be happy to assist. All information you provide will be kept confidential and will be used only to the extent required to provide needed reasonable accommodations.

Read more about workplace discrimination rights, the Pay Transparency Statement, or our benefit offerings which are included in the Transparency in (Benefits) Coverage Act.

 

Pay Range - There are multiple factors that are considered in determining final pay for a position, including, but not limited to, relevant work experience, skills, certifications and competencies that align to the specified role, geographic location, education and certifications as well as contract provisions regarding labor categories that are specific to the position.

The pay range for this position based on full-time employment is:

$63,511.00 - $107,968.00

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