We are hiring!

Position: Executive Director – Maternity Leave Contract (13 months)

Deadline for application: December 10, 2021

The Association of Early Childhood Educators Ontario is the professional association for Early Childhood Educators (ECEs) and its primary purpose is to advocate for respect, recognition and appropriate wages and working conditions for all ECEs. We work collectively and collaboratively with communities to build and support a strong collective voice for early childhood educators so they can participate in and influence positive change that benefits ECEs, children, families and communities.

Job Description: Responsible for the successful leadership and management of the organization according to the strategic direction and coordinating the organization’s staff team, activities, projects and policy development. This position reports directly to the Board of Directors (the board).

Primary Responsibilities:

 Public relations & public policy

• Monitor, research, evaluate and respond to public policy, budgetary and sector developments centring their impacts on the early childhood (EC) workforce and the broader sector, for example (prepare written submissions, Op-Eds, open letters, etc., depute/discuss in government consultations and meetings, and in media interviews)
• Engage and listen to the EC workforce and create opportunities for their voices to lead across the organization’s work
• Establish and maintain professional working relations and cooperative arrangements with members, community stakeholders, other organizations, the College of ECE and government
• Represent the AECEO in the sector, broader social justice community and in the media through public speaking (webinars, panels, etc)
• Research, develop and coordinate outreach and advocacy materials, fact sheets, presentations, press releases and targeted communications

Project management

• Coordinate and oversee the work of staff team and volunteers, ensuring the completion of project deliverables/agreements
• Work with staff team on the development and implementation of member engagement, recruitment, and retention strategies
• Prepare reports to funders as required
• Lead the development, implementation, and coordination of advocacy campaigns

Communications

• Collaborate to manage the organization’s social media accounts
• Collaborate to plan, develop, and coordinate marketing strategies for, but not limited to, events, programs, promotional strategies and materials, and outreach
• Contribute to the content, publication, and dissemination process for the AECEO’s quarterly eceLINK magazine

Financial

• Lead the staff team in the development and monitoring of annual and projects budgets ensuring the organization operates within budget guidelines
• Establish and maintain relations with funders and project partners
• Research availability of ongoing and project funding and develop grant or funding proposals that will support organizational projects and strategic plans

Legal

• Ensure the organization maintains legal counsel when necessary
• Ensure all legal obligations are met

Qualifications

Degree in Early Childhood Education, Communications, Humanities, Social or Political Science or a related field of study, or equivalent combination of education and experience. Experience critiquing, developing, and advocating for social policies related to the ECE workforce an asset. 

Skills, knowledge, and experience

 Required

• Strong writing skills
• Confident public speaker
• Experience in public policy analysis and development, and government decision-making processes
• Demonstrated familiarity and competency with standard office software and video conferencing technology e.g., Microsoft Office 365, Zoom, Google Meet,
• Strong collaborative leadership skills
• Project and time management skills
• Ability to build and maintain strong and collaborative relationships with diverse partners and stakeholders
• Ability to work evenings and weekends and flexible hours
• Ability to work within anti-racist and anti-oppressive frameworks

 Preferred

• Experience coordinating project/staff team
• Experience working with racialized communities, knowledge of anti-racism work, and the ability to work within racially diverse teams
• Knowledge and understanding of critical theories of early childhood
• Understanding of care ethics and commitment to creating a caring, non-hierarchical, organizational culture

Asset

• Registered Early Childhood Educator
• G drivers license or equivalent full drivers license

This is a full time, salaried, 13-month contract position to cover a maternity leave.

The AECEO is committed to leading with our values and ethics. This means we value the lived experiences of our applicants and believe potential and passion can be as valuable as credentials. We encourage applications from Black, First Nation, Métis, Inuit, and racialized individuals; Two-Spirit, non-binary, trans, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer people; disabled people; and members of other equity-seeking groups. As part of our learning and growth, we have made a commitment to implementing anti-racist hiring practices (see below).

If you are contacted by the AECEO regarding this job opportunity and require an accommodation due to disability to participate in the recruitment and selection process, please advise and we will work with you to meet your needs.

Start Date: February 14^th, 2021

Salary: 67,000/year, plus benefits after 3 months

Work location: Remote/from home

Please submit cover letter, and resume to [email protected] by 5pm, December 10, 2021. Only candidates who are selected for interviews will be contacted. Interviews will take place in early-mid January 2022. A writing sample will be requested from candidates when confirming an interview.

Download job posting PDF

As part of our ongoing learning and commitment to working within an anti-racist and anti-oppressive framework, the AECEO has committed to the following Anti-racist hiring practices:

• Public commitment to anti-racist hiring practice in job postings
• Share job postings on diverse job boards/through networks
• Create standardized interview questions
• No social media screening of applicants/candidates
• Diversity in hiring committee
• Commitment from hiring committee members to anti-bias and anti-racist hiring