Career Center

As a UW employee, you have a unique opportunity to change lives on our campuses, in our state and around the world. UW employees offer their boundless energy, creative problem solving skills and dedication to build stronger minds and a healthier world.

UW faculty and staff also enjoy outstanding benefits, professional growth opportunities and unique resources in an environment noted for diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits and natural beauty. 

Cultivate Learning fosters the quality that makes access to learning meaningful. Backed by the University of Washington, our research-powered innovations and hands-on partnership create a fertile environment for smarter teaching and learning.  We advance opportunity by lowering barriers to entering the profession and guiding educators to success. And we identify the building blocks of quality along with the path to use them – in Washington State and across the country. Every child deserves to flourish from a foundation of quality learning.  This core belief drives our work to provide talented learning professional the support they need to build that foundation. At Cultivate Learning, we translate insight into learning opportunity.

Cultivate Learning has an outstanding opportunity for a Partnership for Pre-K Improvement (PPI) Content and Systems Specialist. Reporting to the Director, the Content and Systems Specialist will provide oversight of all aspects of PPI efforts including dissemination of PPI tools and resources published on PPI toolkit website, supporting states teams use of PPI tools and resources, overseeing user feedback to improve resources and to facilitate improvement of toolkit website features, and coordinating website maintenance. Successfully supporting the PPI efforts includes:

•Understanding the goals of PPI tools and resources, and the project timeline
•Engaging in dissemination activities to include drafting content, coordinating, and participating in webinars and conferences
•Understanding the research that undergirds high-quality pre-k best practices in policy and implementation, and ability to convert research into practical tools
•Collaborating with internal partners to include leadership team, web and graphic designers and external partners such as PPI anchor partners, state teams, funders
•Supporting state teams to engage with PPI tools and resources, provide guidance and consultation to engage in continuous quality improvement process using the PPI toolkit with particular support around identifying data collection systems and infrastructure

The right candidate will apply independent problem solving related to partnership coordination, developing unique approaches for conducting supports to states, including researching and producing content, resources, and state support processes. This role will also oversee data collection efforts, monitoring the work of the PPI team and contributing to the integration of PPI efforts internally with other Cultivate Learning initiatives. 

This position will be responsible for overseeing and supporting content development for specific statewide programming and initiatives and will be independently responsible for the tracking of all state related activities and will be expected to be able to speak to critical information regarding state programming and historical practice. This position will be responsible for collecting information on the state programs (preK) and establishing continuity within the larger team on a regular basis regarding the on-going work within each state.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

PPI Toolkit Dissemination and Marketing

•Identify the right audience for PPI tools and resources
•Identify key conferences to present PPI materials and oversee activity to submit content and prepare materials for conference
•Contribute to the administration of materials/sessions, presenting to large groups, and creating materials and presentations
•Responsible for copy editing, proofreading, and drafting of materials and guides created for dissemination
•Independently produces and edits technical reports and manuscripts for publication or presentation
•In collaboration with Communications Specialist, develop a plan for internal and external marketing and communications about PPI to external partners and education communities

Content Development and PPI Website Improvement

•Apply scientific knowledge of early learning practices, and policies while researching, developing content
•Collaborating with PPI leadership team to develop study specific resources, tools, and data collection methods and data management strategies.Additionally, when collecting data and information on several state PreK programs, this position will be independently responsible for determining how those policies impact early learning programs across the states of study
•Apply knowledge base of standardized assessments, coding, and child development and early learning and care environments, education policy, systems improvement, continuous quality improvement, implementation, and improvement science to content design and state support processes
•Overseeing data collection efforts in collaboration with the web development team, state level agencies, and PPI team
•Oversee tracking of production schedules including deadlines for all materials, tools and reports produced for PPI
•Ensure the timely and efficient completion of materials, tools and reports produced for PPI
•Design evaluation procedures for obtaining and responding to ongoing PPI tools feedback, including determining the parameters, designing focus groups, obtaining and analyzing data and producing reports to share with PPI team, web developers, etc.
•Use independent judgment in the field to solve emergent problems that arise during PPI tools implementation or data collection
•Assist in the development and oversight of databases to track various implementation efforts/results

State pre-k Systems Support

•Identifying key states for intentional support to implement pre-k improvement efforts using PPI tools
•Responsible for collecting information on the state programs (preK) and looking at how those policies impact early learning programs across the state
•Working to understand the pre-k policies in each state and in collaboration with the PPI team, this position will be responsible for leading the improvement support of statewide early learning policy, developing data collection methods, processes and framework for statewide pre-k improvement support
•Work closely with key states on the PPI tools and particularly on the Implementation Development Map supporting state agency leads with data collection, conducting assessment, using the score to develop equity driven improvement planning, and monitoring score for continuous quality improvement while paying particular attention to policy development and infrastructure, and implementation data collection

Coordination

•Coordinating externally with anchor partners around PPI toolkit dissemination efforts (webinars, social media posts, conferences)
•Regularly communicate project status and issues to PPI leadership team, and function as a key member to ensure that all phases of PPI are meeting target dates
•Develop materials summarizing the work of PPI for periodic progress performance reports with attention to sponsor, College of Education, and University of Washington requirements and in accordance with strictly observed deadlines
•Create documentation and complex spreadsheets summarizing PPI activity during the review period, researching and identifying the necessary materials for each submission
•Support the progress and tracking of overall project timelines for multiple aspects of the work, including materials, tools, and reports
•Independently edit and coordinate all report production and review and ensure consistency with past reports as well as with primary PPI objectives
•Traveling to a variety of states, connect with state teams and relay comprehensive support regarding state specific pre-k improvement needs, while also retaining and keeping abreast of all pertinent information that is shared
•Present at and attend trainings and meetings with Cultivate Learning central staff
•Oversee large scale Anchor partner meetings, state pre-k improvement meetings, and all meetings, convening and site visits across the PPI effort
•Analyze and make recommendations to the PPI team regarding policies and procedures, communicating and implementing policies and procedures, and ensuring that all levels within the organization are informed on relevant issues
•Support the Leadership team, to include managing logistics and preparing meetings, securing documents and information, developing agendas, and taking and disseminating minutes and representing members of the Leadership team at committee meetings if needed
•Develop special projects when needed or as assigned, maintaining appropriate administrative procedures. Participate as assigned in projects under the direction of the Leadership team
Other duties as assigned

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

Bachelor’s degree with significant coursework in childhood development and education policy, education, arts and sciences, public policy, or business, to include 3-5 years of experience working in research or with children

Equivalent education/experience will substitute for all minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license/certification/registration.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

•Human subjects training
•Ability to follow rigorous data collection protocols and procedures
•Ability to be flexible in meeting Cultivate Learning scheduling needs
•Experience with data entry, working with databases, paperwork management, and working within project deadlines
•Knowledge of and experience with child assessments and program assessments
•Ability to work with people of various racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds
•Ability to maintain confidentiality and to handle confidential and sensitive information in an appropriate manner
•A valid driver’s license and willingness to travel, and to travel within and outside of your designated region to conduct assessments
•Strong written and verbal communication skills
•Strong organizational skills
•Ability to work effectively in a team environment

DESIRED EXPERIENCE:

•Master’s degree

Application Process:
The application process for UW positions may include completion of a variety of online assessments to obtain additional information that will be used in the evaluation process.  These assessments may include Workforce Authorization, Cover Letter and/or others.  Any assessments that you need to complete will appear on your screen as soon as you select “Apply to this position”. Once you begin an assessment, it must be completed at that time; if you do not complete the assessment you will be prompted to do so the next time you access your “My Jobs” page. If you select to take it later, it will appear on your "My Jobs" page to take when you are ready. Please note that your application will not be reviewed, and you will not be considered for this position until all required assessments have been completed.