Introduction

WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU
POSITION HIGHLIGHTS
- Hybrid.
- Full Time, 40 hours per week.
- Monday through Friday.
- First Shift, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM
- Location: 450 Columbus Boulevard in Hartford, CT.
- Statewide travel is required for this position.
The Early Care and Education Division funds early care and education programs across the state through different grants and contracts. These funds support child care centers, family child care providers, Head Start programs, and public schools to provide affordable, high-quality early care and education services. OEC currently funds Early Start CT and Smart Start. We serve over 20,000 children in state funded program across the state annually. The ECE Division provides support and resources to over 450 providers and oversees approximately 280 contracts.
The Education Services Specialist will work as part of a team to expand and enhance early care and education programs funded by the OEC. The Education Services Specialist can expect to support and engage state funded providers both virtually and in person in an assigned area.
Some key responsibilities include:
- Working collaboratively with a team to guide the Early Care and Education community.
- Assisting in the development and administration of state funded programs in CT.
- Engaging with state funded providers to offer support and resources.
- Participating as a team member in the Early Care and Education Division as part of OEC’s larger goal of improving the equitable access to affordable, high-quality care and education for Connecticut families.
ABOUT US
The OEC is a unique state agency in CT that helps families with young children achieve better life outcomes. As a relatively new state agency, OEC is mandated in its enabling statutes to be data-driven, human-centered, and results-focused. We touch the lives of over 200,000 young children, parents, and caregivers annually through our integrated focus on early care and education programs and safety supports, our home visiting programs, and other critical early childhood services. By scale of funding, OEC is one of the largest departments of CT state government, deploying and leveraging approximately half a billion dollars each year in service of vulnerable families and communities. CT is a leader in the coordination of early childhood programs throughout the country. Whereas early childhood programming in most states is fragmented across multiple programs families must navigate, only a handful of states have created agencies dedicated to integrating support families with young children require and only CT has a clear data-driven mandate. New parenthood and early childhood are extremely important moments in a person's life and experiences during this time can have significant and long-lasting impacts. OEC acts on the overwhelming evidence that intervention early in life is the most promising way to break the cycle of poverty.
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Selection Plan
FOR ASSISTANCE IN APPLYING:
Check out our Applicant Tips on How to Apply! Need more resources? Visit our Applicant Toolkit for additional support throughout the recruitment process.
BEFORE YOU APPLY:
- Meet Minimum Qualifications: Ensure you meet the Minimum Qualifications listed on the job opening by the job closing date. You must specify your qualifications on your application. The minimum experience and training requirements listed must be met by the close date on the job opening, unless otherwise specified.
- Educational Credits: List your earned credits and degrees from accredited institutions accurately on your application. To receive educational credits towards qualification, the institution must be accredited. If the institution of higher learning is located outside of the U.S., you are responsible for providing documentation from a recognized USA accrediting service which specializes in determining foreign education equivalencies to the contact listed below by the closing date listed on the job posting.
- Resume Policy: Per Public Act 21-69, resumes are not accepted during the initial application process. As the recruitment process progresses, candidates may be required to submit additional documentation to support their qualification(s) for this position. This documentation may include: a cover letter, resume, transcripts, diplomas, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, licensure, etc., at the request and discretion of the hiring agency.
- Preferred Shift/Location: Select all location(s) and shift(s) you are willing to work on your application. Failure to do so may result in not being considered for vacancies in that specific location or shift.
- Timely Submission: All application materials must be received by the job posting deadline. You will be unable to make revisions once you officially submit your application to the State. Late submissions are rarely accepted, with exceptions only for documented events that incapacitate individuals during the entire duration of the job posting. Request exceptions by emailing DAS.SHRM@ct.gov.
- Salary Calculations: For current state employees, salary calculations are not necessarily comparable from one of the three branches of state government (i.e., Executive, Legislative, Judicial) to the other.
- Note: The only way to apply to this posting is via the ‘Apply’ or ‘Apply Online’ buttons on the official State of Connecticut Online Employment Center job posting.
AFTER YOU APPLY:
- Referral Questions: This posting may require completion of additional Referral Questions (RQs), which must be completed by the questionnaire’s expiration date. If requested, RQs can be accessed via an email sent to you after the job close date or by visiting your JobAps Personal Status Board (Certification Questionnaires section).
- Prepare For An Interview: Interviews are limited to those whose experience and training are most aligned with the role. To prepare, review this helpful Interview Preparation Guide to make the best impression!
- Stay Connected! Log in daily to your JobAps Personal Status Board to track your status and check email (including spam/junk folders) for updates and tasks.
- The immediate vacancy is listed above, however, applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in this job class.
- Note: This position will be filled in accordance with contractual language, reemployment, SEBAC, transfer, promotion and merit employment rules. Candidates who are offered and accept a position with the State of Connecticut are bound by the State Code of Ethics for Public Officials and State employees, available at www.ct.gov/ethics.
QUESTIONS? WE’RE HERE TO HELP:
Due to high volume, we are unable to confirm receipt or provide status updates directly. For recruitment updates, please check your Personal Status Board and review our Frequently Asked Questions. If you have additional questions about the recruitment process, reach out to Brittney Woodley at brittney.woodley@ct.gov. Join the State of Connecticut and take your next career step with confidence!
PURPOSE OF JOB CLASS (NATURE OF WORK)
In the Departments of Aging and Disability Services, Developmental Services, and Education and the Office of Early Childhood this class assists in planning and executing a program for the improvement of education in the state, responsible under supervision for carrying out specific assignments of limited difficulty and scope.
EXAMPLES OF DUTIES
- Assists in the
development and administration of educational programs and services offered by
the state;
- Provides professional
leadership and guidance to school authorities, professional organizations,
students and various community groups and individuals;
- May personally
administer certain phases of educational program within the framework of bureau
policy;
- May assist in directing
the routine functioning of the bureau;
- Performs related duties as required.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY
- Knowledge of the philosophy and methods of education with
particular reference to the field concerned;
- Teaching skill;
- Ability to
- prepare reports;
- deal effectively with others.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - GENERAL EXPERIENCE
- A Bachelor's degree and four (4) years of professional experience.
- Department of Aging and Disability Services: A Master's degree and three (3) years of professional experience.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Experience working in Early Care and Education organizations in private or public settings.
- Experience managing grants and compliance with State or Federal requirements of Early Care and Education organizations.
- Experience collecting and using data for compliance reporting.
- Experience coordinating and collaborating within a team to plan and facilitate hybrid meetings with internal or external stakeholders.
- Bilingual in English and Spanish, in written and verbal communication.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
Incumbents in this class in certain positions may be required to possess an appropriate certificate issued by the State Board of Education.
Conclusion
AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
As defined by Sec.
5-196 of the Connecticut General
Statutes, a job class is a position or group of positions that share general
characteristics and are categorized under a single title for administrative
purposes. As such, a job class is not meant to be all-inclusive of every task
and/or responsibility.