Specialist, Early Years

**Job Description**:
**_ **Join our diverse team and be part of our vision. Think big. Channel your creativity. Make a difference._**
**_At Peel Region, we can create lasting impact, together.**_**

**Specialist, Early Years**

**Human Services - Early Years and Child Care Services**

**Status: 1 Contract Full Time (13 Months)**

**Salary Range: $79,977.60 - $99,972.00**per annum (plus comprehensive benefits, where applicable)**

**Hiring Range**:$79,977.60 - $89,974.80 per annum**

**Work Mode: Hybrid **_see below for more details about this work mode._**

**Location: 10 Peel Centre Drive, Brampton, Ontario**

**Hours of Work: 35 hours per week**

**Who we are**:
The Early Years and Child Care Services Division is responsible for the local planning, funding and oversight of licensed child care services and EarlyON programs in Peel. Through collaboration and advocacy efforts with internal and external partners, we work together to achieve our goals.

As a Specialist within the Early Years and Child Care Division, you will serve as the primary point of contact for child care service providers, offering guidance to strengthen their overall economic sustainability. Your support will cover areas such as governance, staffing, marketing, enrollment, funding, financial literacy, business management, quality programming, and compliance with provincial safety standards. You will also help programs navigate ongoing compliance with municipal funding guidelines, reporting requirements, provincial regulations, contractual obligations, and sector best practices.

**What you will do in this role**:

- Conducts needs analyses for childcare programs, in order to determine compliance, identify deficiencies, develop reports and provide appropriate support and/or make referrals
- Determines if existing business practices and programs are in place to support economic viability, etc
- Escalates decisions/actions outside of established best practices and processes to internal stakeholders, with a supporting recommendation to the supervisor, if required
- Reviews documentation, analyzes information and develops conclusions and recommendations
- Negotiates resolution of contentious issues with programs, staff and families
- Reports non-compliance as required to municipal and provincial oversight
- Supports child care programs during closures, sales and asset transfers
- Develops and maintains strong collaborative and strategic relationships with internal and external partners as required
- Recommends and follows up on courses of action with early years and childcare programs when deficiencies are determined

**What the role requires**:

- Diploma/Degree in Early Childhood Education, or combination of education and experience may be considered
- Registered Early Childhood Educator and current member in good standing with the College of ECE is a preferred asset
- 3-5 years' experience managing or overseeing a child care program
- Advanced understanding of the legislative environment affecting early years and childcare programs, at both the municipal and provincial levels
- Expert understanding of early learning and child care, including best practices
- Knowledge of best practices for not for profit and commercially operated child care centres
- Knowledge of related provincial and local regulations and licensing requirements
- Ability to determine and assess various needs and refer/link to appropriate supports and resources
- Advanced knowledge of validated quality assurance assessment tools for child care
- Extensive knowledge of client databases, such as OCCMS, is an asset
- Ability to travel with access to reliable transportation

**Skills/Abilities**:

- Strong analytical, decision making and problem solving skills
- Strategic critical thinking and decision making skills
- Strong coaching, consultation and facilitation skills
- Working knowledge of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint)
- Presentation and Facilitation skills
- Strong written skills
- Demonstrate a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion through continuous development, modeling inclusive behaviors, and proactively managing bias
- Comprehensive Health, Dental, Vision benefit plan including psychological health, effective start date (where applicable)
- Automatic enrolment into OMERS pension plan (where applicable)
- Accrue Vacation on a monthly basis (where applicable) starting at 3 weeks per annum
- 3 Paid personal days and floating holidays
- Flexible hours supporting your wellness and wellbeing
- Annual performance review and merit increases based on performance (where applicable)
- Supportive leadership and a culture of respect and inclusion
- Access to tuition reimbursement (where applicable) and learning and development resources

**Be bold. Think big. Join us.**

**Work Mode & Job Location**:
It's important to note that your off-site work location must be within the province of Ontario. This ensures that we're compliant with all regul