The Preschool Development Grant (PDG) Program Coordinator will work with key stakeholders within the Center for Learning, Education & Employment and the TN Department of Education to implement the Preschool Development Grant, which focuses on providing intensive support to early learning programs across the state through training, planning and evaluation with a goal of building a high-quality early learning programs across the state of Tennessee. The goal for the PDG Coordinator is to increase access to developmentally appropriate environments and high-quality instruction with the focus on improving outcomes for all children. A person in this position has knowledge of instruction and developmentally appropriate practices for children birth-5 in Tennessee. This position will assist in team management, help support participating programs with observations, work one-on-one with program leadership and educators, design and deliver high-quality professional development, and assist in evaluating district progress. On a daily basis, this person will determine who needs support, create process tools, arrange virtual or face to face meetings amongst stakeholders, and then delicately facilitate communication at these meetings to keep project work on track. This person is a negotiator, diplomat, coach, consultant, trainer, and data-based problem solver, but above all, a collaborator and communicator intimately familiar with preschool educational systems and how they can be improved. This position will collaborate closely with CLEE’s Associate Director. They will have a general knowledge of the project budget and be able to help identify needs in program including but not limited to staffing. This is a home-office based, full-time, exempt University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) position. Participation in regular online meetings and training are required in order to collaborate with program staff as well as UTK staff and district team members. This person should be experienced in setting their own work schedule and taking the initiative to meet multiple stakeholder priorities. Travel throughout the state is a requirement of this position. This position will require moderate travel to assigned regional programs. This position is contract funded; continuation of employment will be dependent on continuous district participation and engagement and cannot be guaranteed for any length of time. Currently, the project is expected to conclude September 30, 2026.

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The Preschool Development Grant (PDG) Program Coordinator will work with key stakeholders within the Center for Learning, Education & Employment and the TN Department of Education to implement the Preschool Development Grant, which focuses on providing intensive support to early learning programs across the state through training, planning and evaluation with a goal of building a high-quality early learning programs across the state of Tennessee. The goal for the PDG Coordinator is to increase access to developmentally appropriate environments and high-quality instruction with the focus on improving outcomes for all children.

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Required Qualifications

• Education:

  • Bachelor’s Degree (Early Childhood Education Preferred)

• Experience:

  • At least 3 years experience in education

  • At least 2 years experience managing a team/project

  • Previous professional experience in a role requiring coordination and/or consultation with individuals or agencies

• Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

  • Ability to be self-reflective and actively engage in district-level process improvement

  • Skilled in implementing processes and professional development at a district level

  • The ability to speak and model lessons and teaching techniques in front of educators, large groups, district leaders, and project partners to effectively improve outcomes for students

  • Knowledge about reading processes, assessment, and instruction

  • Strong written and verbal skills

  • Ability to schedule and manage time effectively

  • Knowledge about developmentally appropriate practices in early childhood education

  • Ability to provide and receive constructive feedback

  • Skilled in training and/or coaching educators and aiding in professional development

  • Ability to navigate virtual / online platforms such as Google Workspace and Zoom

Preferred Qualifications

• Education:

  • Master’s Degree (Early Childhood Education Preferred

• Experience:

  • At least 5 years of experience in early childhood education

  • At least 3 years experience managing a team/project

  • At least 3 years experience in high-quality preschool content development

• Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

  • Ability to redeliver impactful training to educators and administrators

  • Understanding and knowledge of CLASS

  • Ability to engage and build relationships with project partners (educators, administrators, support personnel, other TDOE personnel) to effectively improve outcomes for students

Work Location

• Location: TN
• Remote

Compensation and Benefits

• UT market range: MR10
• Find more information on the UT Market Range structure here

• Find more information on UT Benefits here

Application Instructions

To express interest, please submit an application with the noted below attachments. To be assured of full consideration, completed applications with all requested materials should be submitted:

• Resume or CV
• Cover Letter
• List of 3 Professional References

About The College/Department/Division

Founded in 1988, CLEE is a recognized leader in adult learning, education, and workforce development, driving meaningful change in Tennessee and across the U.S. With a team that spans Tennessee and beyond, we collaborate with state and national institutions, early childhood programs, K-12 and post-secondary schools, service agencies, employers, and workforce organizations.

Our team’s passion to create change drives our innovation and excellence in all we do. This commitment fuels our work towards empowering every individual with limitless opportunities to thrive at all stages of life. We prioritize individuals from all backgrounds, with deep expertise in supporting people with disabilities and underserved populations.

Committed to staying at the forefront of emerging research, we partner with a wide variety of organizations, including those across the University of Tennessee system and beyond, to advance best practices in adult learning, education, and employment.

Additional Information on all postings provided by UTK

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• Work with CLEE Associate Director and program leadership to effectively implement scope of work.
• Manage Regional Access Coaches, PDG CLASS observers, and Pyramid Model trainers to ensure aligned and coordinated support to participating programs, schools, and educators
• Develop a strategic action plan based on needs identified on initial assessment, using in-person/virtual leadership team meetings and observations/walkthroughs to monitor progress
• Collaborate closely with CLEE Associate Director to ensure all aspects of the Preschool Development Grant are running smoothly and accurately
• Collaborate with second Program Coordinator on revisions of TN Early Learning Development Standards (TN-ELDS) and Early Learning Quality Rating Scale.
• Collaborate with team to develop high-quality content for training and professional development based Pyramid Model.
• Develop and present training and professional development in-person and virtually to districts across the state of Tennessee.
• Work alongside Associate Director to seek out and apply for additional funding opportunities

Evaluation and Support

• Use collected data to help in summarizing the program’s growth for mid-year and end-year reporting
• Continuous monitoring of improvement through scheduled walkthroughs
• Ability to interpret and coach leadership on data regarding the quality of their early learning programs
• Achieving reliability and observing educators and classroom environments using quality assessment measures such as Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS)
• Manage pre- and post-CLASS observations for selected teachers in the participating programs conducted by both CLEE Coordinator and assigned Regional Access Coaches
• Travel to programs to both provide direct support or support the assigned Regional Access Coach in coaching educators and program leadership based on needs determined in initial needs assessment and/or collected data.

Administrative

• Form collaborative relationships with all necessary program staff participating in PDG Initiatives in support of building a foundation for enhanced preschool excellence
• Provide in-person and virtual support to programs for planning and implementation of Pyramid Mode
• Delegate administrative tasks to administrative assistant to ensure communication and other applicable tasks are completed on time.