Kindergarten Readiness Officer

Description

The Kindergarten Readiness Officer, in collaboration with Impact & Technology Leadership and Executive Leadership team, leads the design, stakeholder engagement, contract negotiation, and dissemination of our county-wide kindergarten readiness study. This role oversees the cyclical implementation of a new county-wide measurement tool, the Early Development Instrument (EDI), across all public-school districts, along with the collection of complementary data on family and neighborhood conditions. The study provides a holistic, community-level snapshot of how well systems support children’s health, well-being, and school readiness offering insights to drive policy making. The Officer is responsible for developing the study’s strategy and equity-centered design; managing complex and strategic engagements with internal and external stakeholders; promoting the use of the study to guide investments, policy advocacy, programming, and system building; and identifying the resources and business processes needed to ensure the study’s success.  

• Establish and promote effective leadership, change management, communication, and organizational practices 
• In partnership with agency leadership and with the support of contracted research partners, oversee the design and implementation of the kindergarten readiness study 
• Lead the research framework design, integrating qualitative and quantitative methods, equity-centered practices, and stakeholder engagement 
• Plan for and lead meetings with key stakeholders to support data collection, implementation, and use of study 
• Collaborate with Communications and Policy teams to translate data into impactful narratives on kindergarten readiness and public investments 
• Collaborate with the Evaluation team to identify opportunities to integrate the kindergarten readiness study with other agency evaluation and data collection activities 
• Lead the development of district-level contracts to provide local staffing to manage implementation and evangelize the results of the EDI within each district 
• Build and maintain partnerships with community organizations, stakeholders, and government agencies to advance study goals 
• Recommend improvements to agency practices and data collection to enhance study effectiveness 
• Stay informed on research, evaluation practices, and relevant topics to refine the kindergarten readiness study 
• Participate in strategic planning, with a focus on aligning with study findings and recommendations 
• Oversee the use of the study to meet legislative mandates and inform local ballot initiatives' ongoing planning 
• Negotiate and manage contracts and data sharing agreements, ensuring deliverables are met on time 
• Strengthen communication strategies to amplify study findings and key milestones across diverse audiences and media channels 
• Assess and recommend staffing, resources, community engagement strategies, processes, and system building opportunities to ensure study success 
• Develop and present reports for leadership, advisory bodies, community stakeholder groups, and professional conferences 
• Identify and recommend additional complementary data to collect alongside the Early Development Instrument. Includes the assessment, recommendation and implementation of a survey of student parents to provide actionable data with the EDI results 
• Publicly present on the kindergarten readiness study plan, outcomes and implementation to a diverse set of audiences, including the Agency Commission 

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications: 

Any combination of training and experience that would provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the required qualifications would be one of the following: 

• A minimum of ten years full-time, progressively responsible, related experience.  
• Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited four-year college or university with major coursework in a related field may be substituted for 4 years of experience. A Master’s Degree may be substituted for an additional year of experience or a Ph.D. may be substituted for an additional 2 years of experience. 

Additional Requirements  

Travel within Alameda County as necessary to carry out job duties. Some travel outside Alameda County occasionally required. 

Knowledge of: 

• Principles and practices of systems change and systems thinking 
• Practices and techniques of conducting needs assessments, data analysis, and report preparation 
• Equitable evaluation methods, including participatory, empowerment, and mixed methods approaches 
• Principles and practices of effective, clear and accessible presentation of complex information 
• Principles and practices of management and supervision, including team leadership, training, work planning and resource allocation 
• Principles and practices of project management, contract administration, budgeting, and report preparation 
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Office 365 preferred) 
• Knowledge of early childhood topics, such as early care and education, child development, mental health, parenting support, maternal health, and public policy 
• Principles and practices of equity, social justice, and cross-cultural sensitivity 

Ability to: 

• Build and maintain strategic, collaborative relationships with diverse stakeholders, including staff, government agencies, community organizations, research partners, and parents/caregivers 
• Use data to effectively communicate to various audiences, balancing evaluation rigor with accessible messaging in a highly political context 
• Design and manage sophisticated evaluation study methods and dissemination strategies 
• Demonstrate experience and leadership in data democratization, decolonization, and equitable practices 
• Read, analyze and interpret professional publications, policy documents, financial reports and related business documents and information 
• Stay informed on best practices, theories of change, and evaluation methods, particularly in areas like community studies and kindergarten readiness 
• Design data collection strategies, implement procedures to evaluate accuracy of data, ensure data integrity and security 
• Manage complex, multi-stakeholder projects to achieve organizational goals 
• Communicate evaluation needs, concepts, and conclusions effectively through both written and verbal formats 
• Communicate complex data issues clearly and effectively, orally and in writing, to staff, the Commission, partners, and the public, including ability to write and produce reports 
• Represent the agency in meetings with cultural awareness, sensitivity, political acumen, and sound judgment 
• Assess partner capacity building needs and develop and deliver trainings and presentations to diverse audiences 
• Serve effectively as a member of the leadership team 
• Address complex problems by analyzing multiple variables, synthesizing information, considering alternatives, and drawing valid conclusions 
• Organize, coordinate, and supervise professional and administrative staff 
• Promote teamwork and integration within and across the agency 
• Collaborate with Agency Leadership to develop a wide variety of short- and long-range plans 
• Analyze, develop, and monitor budgets 
• Demonstrate flexibility; adapt and keep a positive attitude amidst change and uncertainty 

Salary : $127,000 - $174,000