The Oregon Department of Early Learning & Care is excited to announce a permanent opening for a Deputy Director of Programs (Business Operations Administrator 2). We are looking for a collaborative, dynamic and innovative leader to lead our Programs Division, inclusive of our early learning programs, professional development, and licensing and compliance functions. This position requires someone with broad experience in program operations, change management and managing effective teams. Oregon is home to over 275,000 children, birth to kindergarten entry. Our state has an opportunity to change how it supports these children and their families and, in doing so, put itself on the path to an even brighter future. Overwhelming evidence tells us that investing in young children and their families has a lasting impact across their lifetime. Now is your chance to be part of an agency that will have positive impacts on current and future generations of young children and their families. This position will work a hybrid schedule of working both remotely and in the office. More about us: This position is part of the Oregon Department of Early Learning & Care (DELC) which is an agency that prides itself on enabling Oregon's young children and families to learn and thrive. We are responsible for overseeing the state’s Baby Promise, Early Childhood Equity Fund, Healthy Families Oregon, Prenatal to Kindergarten, Preschool Promise and Relief Nurseries programs, licensing Oregon’s child care providers and developing systems that coordinate regional cross sector partnerships through Early Learning Hubs. DELC partners with local Child Care Resource and Referral organizations to provide professional learning, coaching, consultation and other quality improvement opportunities for early learning and care providers. Considering a career with us means that you value dedication, integrity, and collective wisdom and that you are eager to employ values rooted in equity to benefit Oregon’s children and families. We value diversity and support a positive and welcoming environment where all of our employees can thrive. Those who fill these positions will join a new team of dedicated and passionate professionals. Our teams promote a collaborative, proactive culture of continuous quality improvement with a focus on quality implementation and impactful outcomes for children and families. As our state, counties, and cities become more diverse, it is imperative now more than ever that we focus on evolving practices to achieve increased equity, diversity, and inclusion in all of our offices. As always, our goal is to lead with courage externally and internally. This means challenging ourselves to do things differently and refining current practices that ensure we continue to make strides towards equity. The Department of Early Learning & Care supports a work life balance, where employees are supported in an environment where they can thrive. What you will do: This position advises the DELC Director on programmatic policy and strategy, and at times, represents them in high-profile engagements which may include the Governor’s Education Cabinet agencies, the Governor’s Education Policy Advisor, and the Legislature. The Deputy Director of Programs is one of two Deputy Directors for the agency and serves on the agency’s executive leadership team, coordinating with the other agency executive leaders to direct executive level work. This position ensures the coordination and alignment of all early learning programs and policies; integrates early learning programs into the DELC Strategic Plan and Strategic Equity Vision; oversees innovation and partnership efforts; and regularly interacts with legislative and state agency executive leaders to develop cross-sector efforts. This will include the integration of the Child Care Licensing Division alongside programs and professional learning to ensure alignment and coordination of services provided by the agency.
