Senior Project Manager of Early Childhood Strategy, Policy and Planning at Cityof Philadelphia in Philadelphia, PA

Job description

Position Summary  This position reports to the Chief of Early Childhood Education and will be primarily responsible for the strategic planning and implementation of expanding Philadelphia’s public preschool system, which includes:  Establishing and managing the list of priorities that ensures the city’s public preschool sector is meeting the needs of children, families, teachers, staff, and the communities being served.  Aligning the priorities of the PHLpreK program with the selection process of local early learning centers that receive federal, state, and local funding and supports.  Managing the coordination of a centralized enrollment system with users that include the School District of Philadelphia, a fiscal fiduciary, over 300 public preschool centers, and families.  Mapping the supply, demand, utilization, quality, and other relevant factors to efficiently deploy high quality early childhood education resources to early learning centers across Philadelphia.  The selected individual will work closely with multiple departments, Commissioners, and senior leadership to monitor progress, troubleshoot challenges, and identify opportunities for innovation and collaboration. The role requires strong political acumen, excellent communication skills, and the ability to lead projects that promote equity,  efficiency, and measurable outcomes for children, families, and early learning centers.  Essential Functions  Track PHLpreK milestones, budgets, performance metrics, and risks; escalate issues to executive leadership with actionable recommendations.  Secure additional resources, as needed, to fully operationalize the PHLpreK program’s priorities.  Serve as a strategic liaison between the City’s Early Childhood Education division and City departments to align on timelines, deliverables, and priorities for the PHLpreK program.  Build and maintain collaborative relationships with Department Heads, Commissioners, and other senior stakeholders to ensure cross-functional coordination and policy alignment.  Manage high-priority, cross-departmental projects from concept to implementation, ensuring they are executed on time, within scope, and in accordance with the Mayor’s vision and strategic goals.  Anticipate political, operational, and community-related risks or barriers, and proactively propose solutions to address challenges and maintain momentum.  Lead and facilitate planning sessions, project check-ins, and decision-making meetings with senior stakeholders, ensuring transparency, accountability, and shared ownership of outcomes.  Prepare and deliver clear, concise, and data-informed briefings, memos, and presentations to the City’s Chief Deputy Mayor, Chief of Staff, Chief of Early Childhood Education, and other senior level staff.  Represent the Mayor's Early Childhood Education division in high-level meetings, public engagements, and intergovernmental forums, articulating project goals and maintaining strong partnerships with internal and external stakeholders.  Draft executive-level materials including talking points, public remarks, and status updates to support the Chief of Early Childhood Education and senior staff.  Analyze policies and proposals tied to key initiatives, assessing their feasibility, impacts, and alignment with city goals and recommending improvements where needed.  Ensure all projects reflect and advance the administration's commitment to equity, transparency, and operational excellence.  Any other duties as assigned.  Competencies, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities  Values and encourages diversity of thought, background, and perspective.   Experience working directly with people from diverse racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds  Ability to cultivate and develop inclusive and equitable working relationships with students, faculty, staff and community members  Demonst