Director - MiEarly Apprentice

Michigan Educator Workforce Initiative – Director, MiEarly Apprentice 

(Remote with some in-state travel) 

Who We Are 

Michigan Educator Workforce Initiative (MEWI) is a hub for educator talent. MEWI adopts a “systems-adjacent” approach, working closely with K-12 districts and higher education institutions to design and support innovative approaches to recruiting and developing teachers and school leaders. We are committed to hiring a team that represents the diversity our state offers. 

What We Do 

MEWI is an adaptive organization that plays the roles necessary to foster innovation and long-term, systematic capacity-building in the educator talent space. Depending on the context and project needs, MEWI acts as a “doer”, funder, supporter, or convener. MEWI designs, implements, funds, and supports innovative programs to recruit, develop, retain, and elevate new and veteran teachers and school leaders. MEWI captures insights and learnings from our work to share with systems leaders, policymakers, parents, and community leaders and convenes educators to share best practices, collaborate, and problem-solve. 

What You Will Do 

As a Director, MiEarly Apprentice, you will serve in a shared leadership model alongside MEWI's Director of Program for MiEarly Apprentice. Together, you will steward the program's growth, continuous improvement, and long-term sustainability. Building upon an established program model, you will refine program design, codify the program's approach, strengthen systems, and scale impact across the state. You will also collaborate closely with other members of the MiEarly Apprentice team, senior leaders, and stakeholders, including the U.S. Department of Labor, Educator Preparation Program leaders and faculty, district, school, and early childhood center leaders. 

Who You Are 

The ideal candidate for this role: 

• Has an entrepreneurial spirit. This person enjoys working in a fast-paced and ambiguous environment and does not get overwhelmed easily by shifting priorities or new projects 

• Is self-directed and independent. This person will work independently to build systems from the ground up, which requires discipline and focus. 

• Has excellent communication skills. This person is skilled at both written and verbal communication and can adapt communications for different audiences. 

• Is a strong manager of people and projects. This person has demonstrated success investing in and leading a team towards ambitious goals.  

• Is detail-oriented and a creative problem solver. This person anticipates challenges in advance and provides proactive solutions to complex problems.  

• Believes all students deserve to attend great schools. This person understands that our school systems are fundamentally broken but believes that - through innovation and partnership - they can be places where all students can thrive.  

Minimum Qualifications 

• Master’s degree (or higher) in education (preference for Early Childhood Education, Child Development, or comparable area),  

• 5+ years of experience in the early childhood sector as a teacher, center director, and/or administrator experience 

• A minimum of 5 years of experience leading and managing cross-functional teams towards ambitious outcomes 

• Knowledge of Michigan and national educator workforce issues and innovative solutions to address workforce challenges 

• Prior experience designing and leading large-scale professional and/or teacher development initiatives (e.g., program design, career pathway design, continuing education, performance management) 

• Prior experience with equity-focused and/or culturally responsive instruction 

• Knowledge of early childhood educator credentialing and certification structures, policies, and requirements 

• Proficient with software and technology including Zoom, Microsoft suite, and/or Google suite 

• (Preferred) Knowledge of and experience executing Registered Apprenticeship Programs 

• (Preferred) Prior experience working in teacher preparation and/or higher education serving early childhood teacher candidates 

• (Preferred) Experience supporting PreK classrooms in both Community-based organizations and school district settings 

• (Preferred) Connections to local, regional, statewide, and/or national ECE partners 

• (Preferred) Experience with Salesforce Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system 

Responsibilities  

• Shared Program Leadership – Partner with the Director of Programs to provide strategic leadership for the program, including jointly setting priorities, making key programmatic decisions, identifying continuous improvement opportunities, and ensuring fidelity to the program vision while adapting to evolving participant and partner needs. 
• Program Design –  Build upon and continuously improve existing MiEarly Apprentice program models, systems, and pathways in response to workforce and participants' needs, including:  
  • Developing and refining frameworks and tools to drive candidate progress through various pathways, including a mentor teacher framework 
  • Designing resources and professional learning materials for candidate and mentor teacher development 
  • Codifying program work through the creation of playbooks and manuals 
• Program Oversight and Management – Collaborate with Director of Programs to ensure a high-quality program experience that results in positive outcomes for program candidates, employer partners, and the students they serve, including:
  • Jointly determining program metrics in alignment with MEWI's strategic plan and annual objectives and key results; implementing ongoing step-backs and data cycles to ensure results 
  • Aligning team priorities and managing MiEarly Apprentice team members towards goals by providing job-embedded coaching supports and evaluating progress towards goals using MEWI’s performance management system 
  • Coordinating supports and managing relationships with partners, including higher education leadership and faculty, CDA providers, local workforce agencies, school districts, community-based providers, and others as needed 
  • Designing, refining, and implementing systems and processes for record keeping and data collection, in collaboration with partners, to ensure efficient program operations 
  • Developing and managing project plans that drive programmatic work; engaging internal and external stakeholders in plans and holding them accountable to deadlines  
  • Providing direct support to Mentor Teachers and their Apprentices, including conducting virtual and on-site coaching for Registered Apprenticeship Program participants and their mentor teachers 
• Organizational Leadership - Collaborate with MEWI Partners and other Directors to drive broader organizational impact by: 
  • Modeling and reinforcing MEWI’s values, norms, and ways of working by fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, continuous learning, and inclusion  
  • Providing input on key decisions, including MEWI’s organizational objectives and key results and priority projects 
  • Supporting the design of major events, including convenings with program partners and other key stakeholders to help raise MEWI’s profile and the important work of our partners 
• Contribute to the development of grant and program applications (e.g., program approval applications to the Michigan Department of Education)  
• Develop communication tools including presentations and written reports to share knowledge, information, and data with MEWI and MiEarly Apprentice stakeholder groups 
• Deliver presentations to community groups, funders, and other stakeholders to promote and share learnings from MiEarly Apprentice 
• Maintain strong record-keeping for federal and state programs and grants 
• Provide excellent customer service to stakeholders in a wide variety of roles 

Compensation 

The salary range for this position is $136,000-$172,000. MEWI employees are also invited to participate in a generous benefits package, including health, vision, dental, and retirement benefits.