Program Manager

At UBC, we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, and learning for all faculty, staff and students. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness, brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace, and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career. 

Job Summary

UBC Child Care’s (UBCCC) programs are located on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓ əm (Musqueam) people. “Place is any environment, locality, or context with which people interact to learn, create memory, reflect on history, connect with culture, and establish identity. The connection between people and place is central to First Peoples perspectives of the world” (B.C. Ministry of Education, 2016). UBCCC recognizes that much work remains in the decolonization of Canadian society and its institutions. Our youngest citizens, the children we care for, are growing up in British Columbia within a context of changing Indigenous and non-Indigenous relations.  UBCCC’s Early Childhood Educators are critical in promoting and bringing forward conversations about healing and social justice. This Truth work will be guided by UBCCC’s Program Managers and UBCCC’S Indigenous Relations and Engagement Pedagogist. 

Together there are over 750 licensed child care spaces for children and families in 31 different locations with 37 different community care facilities licenses. UBCCC employs over 240 Early Childhood Educators and is the largest university-operated child care in North America. UBCCC is a place rich in dialogue, collaboration, discussion and pedagogical excellence.

UBCCC’S mission is to cultivate innovative and transformative pedagogies that foster early childhood spaces rich in infinite possibilities for children, Educators, and families.

UBCCC’S purpose is to provide exemplary child care by offering a continuum of quality care and education for UBC families in their pursuit of excellence in research, learning and engagement to foster global citizenship and advance a sustainable and just society across British Columbia, Canada and the world.

UBCCC’S Program Managers are guided by UBCCC’S mission statement, the British Columbia Early Learning Framework, The Early Childhood Pedagogy Network and the Early Childhood Educators of British Columbia’s code of ethics.

UBCCC is responsible for providing exceptional quality child care and education to student, faculty, and staff families within the University community.

The Program Manager is responsible for managing several child care programs. This position oversees all aspects of those child care programs including pedagogical practices, family relations, team development, environment development and maintenance and organizational issues including financial management. The Program Manager mentors the Senior Educators as individual program leaders and participates in the day-to-day management of UBCCC’S hiring and progressive discipline processes under the direction of the Associate Director, Program Development and the Director.

The Program Manager works in a central office with many distractions and in the child care programs, including outdoors in inclement weather. May be required to deal with distressed parents or educators. Work day will include evening meetings.

Organizational Status
The Program Manager reports to the Associate Director, Program Development and works with the Management team to build the capacity of UBCCC’S child care programs they lead in the provision of creative, inclusive children's pedagogy that considers the wellbeing and learning of children as well as the diverse needs of their families.

Work Performed

• Manages several child care programs in a portfolio within UBCCC.

• Leads, mentors, develops and coaches the Senior Educators and the program educators in regards to pedagogical theory and pedagogical practices.

• Monitors and evaluates pedagogical practices of UBCCC’S child care programs.

• Develops and reviews the organizational vision/philosophy for UBCCC, working closely with the Director, Associate Director, Program Development, Indigenous Relations and Engagement Pedagogist and the other Program Managers.

• Articulates the vision/philosophy to Senior Educators, program educators and families.

• Directs and supports Senior Educators and program educators in implementing UBCCC’S vision philosophy.

• Works directly with each child care program in creating and implementing program specific visions/philosophies.

• Supports and coaches the Senior Educators and the program educators in the provision of child supportive environments.

• Orients, trains and manages new Senior Educators in their child care programs.

• Manages and monitors overall child care programs, including administrative duties and systems (e.g. Workday).

• Coaches child care teams in the skills of communication and demonstrating an atmosphere of respect.

• Observes, monitors and evaluates programs in operation and adult/child interactions.

• Receives feedback from stakeholders.

• Listens and responds to staff concerns.

• Fosters staff team development.

• Follows the principles of UBC progressive discipline, attendance management and departmental procedures.

• Manages employee professional development for Senior Educators by developing goals, identifying professional development opportunities and planning development activities and evaluation the professional development of staff.

• Advises Associate Director, Program Development regarding organizational professional development needs.

• Communicates and implements labour, human rights and employment standards.

• Manages problem solving and conflict resolution.

• Determine requirements for external human resources such as work/learn students and volunteers.

• Orients external human resources.

• Participates in strategic and business planning, budget preparation and policy development for UBCCC.

• Manages revenue, expenditures and accounts receivable, including government funding, parent subsidies and funding for children requiring extra support.

• Manages enrolment for the programs in their portfolio via working closely with the Associate Director, Operations.

• Maintains communication and liaises with other Child Care programs, community agencies and training institutions.

• Ensures a safe and healthy environment.

• Assesses risks to the provision of safe and healthy environments.

• Ensures staff and children practice emergency procedures.

• Responds to facility emergencies and physical or emotional trauma.

• Manages health practices.

• Ensures safe food handling.

• Promotes awareness of health and nutrition to educators.

• Assesses and approves maintenance needs of Child Care programs within their portfolio.

• Supports senior educators in equipment repair and maintenance of Child Care programs. Approves and may submit work orders, order equipment or seek government funding for repairs.

• Participates in design of new and existing facilities.

• Creates and sustains family-friendly environments and supports a culture of respect.

• Communicates with families regularly both verbally and in written form.

• Assists the Director in investigating and responding to complaints from parents, and/or the public and recommends remedial action where warranted.

• Participates in organizational policy development. Recommends new policies or policy changes in a wide range of UBCCC’S operations. Provides evaluation feedback to the Director about the impact of policies.

• Protects and respects the rights of children and supports the Senior Educators in those actions including:

  • determining intervention,

  • consulting with outside resources and/or parents,

  • recording and observing,

  • reporting to appropriate authorities and

  • following up on actions.

• Determines staffing needs including:

  • advertising,

  • screening,

  • interviewing and hiring the program educators.

Consequence of Error/Judgement

• Lack of attention to the program quality could lead to client dissatisfaction and withdrawal.

• Lack of attention to staff skill development could impact quality of program for children and client satisfaction.

• Lack of attention to safety and emergency procedures could result in injury to children or coworkers.

• Poor communications with staff could lead to dissatisfaction within the child care team, which may affect quality of care to children and employee turnover.

• Poor, inappropriate or negative communications with parents could lead to dissatisfaction with service, which could lead to withdrawal.

• Lack of attention to maintaining full enrollment could lead to loss of revenue.

Supervision Received
Works independently. Receives general direction from the Associate Director, Program Development.

Supervision Given

Works as part of a management team with functional supervision for an assigned portfolio of Child Care programs. Works in co-operation with the management team including the Director, Associate Directors, School Age Program Manager, Indigenous Relations and Engagement Pedagogist, Administrator, and the Senior Educators as well as the program educators. Direct reports are the Senior Educators of their assigned child care program portfolio.

Qualifications:

Basic ECE

Additional Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications
Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline. Minimum of three years of related experience, or the equivalent combination of education and experience.

- Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one’s own

- Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one’s own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion

Preferred Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree in Early Childhood Care and Education or a relevant discipline, including Early Years Pedagogy.

• Minimum of five years supervisory experience or the equivalent combination of education and experience.

• Experience in Early Childhood Education leadership is essential.

• Human Resources training and/or experience managing and directing employees an asset.

• Demonstrated professional creativity.

• Excellent critical and strategic thinking ability.

• Effective oral and written communication skills.

• Demonstrated history of initiative and follow through.

• Outstanding interpersonal, problem-solving and conflict resolution skills.

• A satisfactory Criminal Record Search.

• Demonstrated ability to build, manage and maintain high-quality and productive relationships across cultural differences.

• Demonstrated ability to effectively communicate and interact with empathy, understanding and, respect of diverse and divergent perspectives and behaviors.

• Excellent critical and strategic thinking ability.

Salary & Benefits:

$6,747.50 - $9,701.42 CAD Monthly