Job Description

Competition # : 39693

Department: Education & Early Childhood Development

Location: Eastern Region (Antigonish, Port Hawkesbury, Sydney)

Type of Employment: Term

Union Status: NSGEU - NSPG

Closing Date: \xe2\x80\x8b7/7/2023\xe2\x80\x8b (Applications are accepted until 11:59 PM Atlantic Time)

About Us

The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development is leading the transformation of the early years and public education system in Nova Scotia. We are doing this by designing an innovative curriculum, facilitating excellence in teaching and learning, ensuring an inclusive education experience, and working closely with our partners in education. This will provide children, students, and families with a strong foundation for success. This department is a perfect fit for those that want to be part of the future of public education in the province by supporting student learning in a progressive and responsive policy environment.

About Our Opportunity

The Early Childhood Development Consultant (ECDC) provides expertise and specialized consultation in the planning, development, and implementation of early childhood development programs, including initiatives related to the core principles of the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement.

As an ECDC, you will engage with regulated early learning and child care programs, providing guidance, tools, and strategies for meeting the individual needs for children and families served and provide developmentally appropriate learning opportunities aimed at supporting short and long-term developmental outcomes for young children.

This position reports to the Early Childhood Development Consultant (ECDC) Team Lead.

Primary Accountabilities

• Use mentorship and coaching techniques to support educators to reflect critically with the aim to strengthen or enhance early childhood pedagogy practices.
• Assessing the needs of families and community to support their integration of those needs into equitable, relevant, and responsive early learning programs.
• Supporting the administration, organization, and operation of regulated child-care facilities and family home child-care agencies; and
• Providing a collaborative and relational approach that supports an integrated work model with subsidy and licensing colleagues.

Qualifications and Experience

To be successful in this role you have a Bachelors\xe2\x80\x99 degree (Early Childhood Education, or a related field), and five years of related experience in an early learning and care program with demonstrated experience in coaching and mentoring capacity. An acceptable combination of education and experience may be considered.

You work well independently, and in team environments you apply the concepts of equity, diversity, and inclusion to all areas of your work and will support your colleagues to do the same, including extensive knowledge in culturally responsive practice. You can build productive relationships with non-governmental and governmental members (both internally and externally). When dealing with clients, you exercise tact, diplomacy, and sound judgment.

You are proficient using Microsoft Office programs (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint), have strong interpersonal, communication (written and verbal), and organizational skills with attention to detail and accuracy while balancing priorities.

In addition, you also possess the following:

• Knowledge of Nova Scotia\xe2\x80\x99s Early Learning Curriculum Framework including best practice models in the development of high-quality early learning programs for children; and
• Extensive/current knowledge of the philosophical approaches/models related to inclusion, developmental intervention, family centered practice and community collaboration.
• Skills with implementing evaluation tools specific to the assessment of program quality and effectiveness.

Assets considered for this position:

• Knowledge of licensing and childcare subsidy; and
• Bilingualism

We will assess the above qualifications and competencies using on or more of the following tools: oral presentations, interview(s), and reference checks.

Equivalency

Applicants relying on education and experience equivalencies must demonstrate such equivalencies in their application.

Benefits

Based on the employment status and Union agreement, the Government of Nova Scotia offers its employees a wide range of benefits such as Health, Dental, Life Insurance, Pension, General Illness (Short and Long Term), Vacation and Employee and Family Assistance Programs. Click to learn more about our various benefits offering and eligibility criteria.

Working Conditions

• This position requires travel within Nova Scotia.
• Must have a valid Nova Scotia driver\xe2\x80\x99s license.

Additional Information

These is for a TERM employment opportunity, with an anticipated end date of August 1, 2025. The appointment status (\xe2\x80\x98term\xe2\x80\x99, \xe2\x80\x98temporary\xe2\x80\x99 or \xe2\x80\x98casual\xe2\x80\x99) is dependent on the start date of the successful candidate.

The location of this position is within our Eastern Region but is flexible depending on the successful candidate, as it can based out of one of our several offices within the region (i.e., Sydney, Port Hawkesbury, Antigonish, etc.)

What We Offer

• Career development where you have access to career guidance, tools, resources, and ongoing training for every stage of your career
• Engaging workplace: our employees feel valued, respected, connected, and tuned in, we have forward-thinking policies and strategies
• Countless career paths
• Department specific flexible working schedules

Pay Grade: PR 13

Salary Range: $2,543.38 - $3,091.70 Bi-Weekly

Employment Equity Statement:

Our goal is to be a diverse workforce that is representative, at all job levels, of the citizens we serve. The Government of Nova Scotia has an Employment Equity Policy, and we welcome applications from Indigenous People, African Nova Scotians and Other Racially Visible Persons, Persons with Disabilities and Women in occupations or positions where they are under-represented. If you are a member of one of these equity groups, you are encouraged to self-identify on your electronic application.

This is a bargaining unit position initially restricted to current civil service employees represented by the Nova Scotia Government Employees Union (NSGEU). If applying from outside a government office, employees must apply correctly via this link:

Failure to apply correctly means that your application will not be given first consideration as a bargaining unit applicant, and will only be included if external applications are pursued.

External applicants and current casual employees will only be considered if there are no qualified civil service bargaining unit candidates. PLEASE NOTE: Candidates will not be considered for an interview if applications are incomplete or are missing information.

Offer of employment is conditional upon the completion of all applicable background checks and confirmation of credentials, the results of which must be satisfactory to the employer. We thank all applicants for the interest, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. All questions and concerns may be directed to Competitions@novascotia.ca.

Government of Nova Scotia