Professional Development Specialist

Child Care Answers; Indianapolis (IN); Hybrid; USD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Child Care Answers is seeking a professional development specialist to build and lead its PD services for early childhood professionals in central Indiana. You will design, launch, and grow a central hub for high-quality, need-based learning, with a focus on accessibility and impact.

In the first year, you will define structure, services, partners, and success metrics, then lead opportunities, recruit experts, and create a simple system for requesting training.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required in early childhood education, child development, or education.
• Minimum of four years in early care and education with at least two years designing or delivering PD for adult learners.
• Experience coordinating with outside trainers, experts, or partner organizations.
• Conversational skills in another language a plus.

Responsibilities

• Builds and leads the plan for professional development services.
• Gathers input from stakeholders to shape PD around real needs.
• Plans, schedules, and delivers trainings and communities of practice, in person and virtual.
• Develops a system for professionals to request PD and tracks requests for trends.
• Partners with other PD providers and represents the organization at events.
• Maintains records and prepares reports on PD activities and outcomes.

Skills

Adult learning

Interpersonal skills

Strategic planning

Education

Bachelor's degree in ECE / education

Tools

Microsoft Office

Zoom

Microsoft Teams

Learning Management Systems

Canva

Job description

Job Summary

The professional development specialist is an early childhood expert who will help build and lead Child Care Answers' professional development services. This is a new position at Child Care Answers. With support from the Leadership team and colleagues across the organization, the specialist will help design, launch, and grow a central place where child care professionals across central Indiana can find, request, and access high-quality learning that meets their real needs.

In the first year, this role will guide our plan for professional development services by defining the structure, services, partners, and how we will measure success. The specialist will lead professional development opportunities, identify and organize experts in the field, and build a simple, reliable system for child care professionals to request the training and support they need.

The specialist will also work alongside other professional development providers to understand what child care professionals are asking for, reduce duplication, and fill gaps. Through this work, the specialist helps Child Care Answers strengthen the early care and education workforce and improve the quality of care for children and families.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Child Care Answers will make reasonable accommodations to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these functions.

• Builds and leads the plan for Child Care Answers' professional development services
  
  
  
  • Develops a written plan for our professional development services, including their purpose, offerings, audiences, partners, timeline, budget needs, and measures of success
  
  
  • Gathers input from child care professionals, Child Care Answers staff, Alliance members, and community partners to shape professional development services around real needs
  
  
  • Presents the plan and regular progress updates to the executive director and Leadership team, and adjusts the plan as the hub grows
  
  
  • Sets annual goals for professional development services and tracks progress toward them
  
  
  
  


• Leads professional development opportunities for child care professionals
  
  
  
  • Plans, schedules, and delivers trainings, workshops, learning series, and communities of practice, both in person and virtually
  
  
  • Ensures content reflects best practices in early childhood education, adult learning, and Indiana licensing and quality requirements
  
  
  • Coordinates logistics, registration, materials, and follow-up for each opportunity
  
  
  • Collects participant feedback and uses it to determine and improve future offerings
  
  
  
  


• Identifies and organizes experts in the field
  
  
  
  • Seeks out qualified trainers, coaches, and subject-matter experts to meet identified needs
  
  
  • Builds and maintains a roster of experts, including their areas of expertise, credentials, and availability
  
  
  • Coordinates agreements, scheduling, and expectations with experts, and reviews the quality of their sessions
  
  
  
  


• Develops a system for child care professionals to request professional development
  
  
  
  • Designs a clear, easy-to-use process for professionals to request training, coaching, or resources
  
  
  • Works with colleagues to select or build the tools that support the system, such as online forms, databases, or scheduling software
  
  
  • Responds to requests in a timely manner and matches professionals with the right opportunity or expert
  
  
  • Tracks requests to identify trends and unmet needs that inform Child Care Answers' professional development services plan
  
  
  
  


• Partners with other professional development providers
  
  
  
  • Builds relationships with professional development providers, higher education personnel, state and local agencies, and community organizations across central Indiana
  
  
  • Shares what child care professionals are requesting and works together with professional development partners and Child Care Answers staff to coordinate offerings, reduce duplication, and fill gaps
  
  
  • Represents Child Care Answers at partner meetings, coalitions, and events
  
  
  
  


• Tracks impact and supports organizational goals
  
  
  
  • Maintains accurate records of professional development activities, participation, requests, and outcomes
  
  
  • Prepares reports and data summaries for leadership, funders, and contract deliverables
  
  
  • Contributes information and input to grant proposals and funding opportunities related to professional development
  
  
  • Collaborates with colleagues across Child Care Answers to provide support to all audiences as needed
  
  
  
  

Education, Experience, and Requirements

• Education: Bachelor's degree required in early childhood education, child development, or education


• Experience: Minimum of four (4) years of experience in early care and education, with at least two (2) years designing or delivering professional development, training, or coaching for adult learners; preference for experience building a new program, service, or initiative from the planning stage


• Strong knowledge of early childhood best practices, adult learning principles, and Indiana child care licensing and quality systems (such as Paths to QUALITY™)


• Experience coordinating with outside trainers, experts, or partner organizations


• Conversational skills in a language other than English a plus


• Expertise with Microsoft Office Suite and virtual meeting platforms such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams; must be comfortable working with multiple data systems and learning how to use work-related tools; experience with registration or learning management systems and Canva preferred

• Additional Requirements:
  
  
  
  • Position is hybrid, with flexibility to work from home with some onsite office requirements
  
  
  • Travel to child care programs, partner sites, and offsite events required
  
  
  • Valid driver's license; must provide own transportation and proof of automobile insurance
  
  
  • Some nights and weekends as determined by training schedules, events, and other all-staff required events
  
  
  
  

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

The successful employee will demonstrate individual competency in the following areas:

• Early Childhood Expertise: The specialist brings deep knowledge of child development and early care and education practice. They can recognize what high-quality professional development looks like and judge whether a training or expert will meet child care professionals' needs.


• Strategic Planning and Program Building: The specialist can turn a vision into a practical plan. They set clear goals, build step-by-step, and adjust as they learn, so Child Care Answers' professional development services grow in a way that is coordinated, realistic, and responsive to strategic priorities.


• Written and Verbal Communication Skills: The specialist must clearly explain goals, plans, and opportunities to audiences in person, virtually, by phone, and in writing. Facilitating trainings and speaking in front of groups should be an area of comfort and confidence.


• Social Perceptiveness and Professionalism: The specialist must be socially aware of socio-economic, geographic, cultural, linguistic, and intellectual differences as they work with different audiences, both internally and externally. They demonstrate professionalism in appearance and actions, handle difficult situations calmly and respectfully, and support a positive work environment.


• Interpersonal and Influencing Skills: The specialist shows compassion, positivity, patience, and active listening every day. They build trust with child care professionals, experts, and partner organizations; they use influencing skills to align efforts and build commitment toward shared goals.


• Innovative Thinking: The specialist is a creative thinker who asks questions, seeks out diverse perspectives, and brings new ideas to life. These skills are essential for building fresh connections and networks.


• Problem Solving / Decision Making: The specialist logically resolves problems, develops alternative solutions when faced with obstacles, and takes responsibility for results. They are highly organized and manage multiple priorities to keep the hub on track with goals and deadlines.

All offers of employment at Child Care Answers are contingent upon clear results of a thorough background check and drug screen.