PT Early Childhood Education Manager

Are you a person of compassion? An advocate for justice? Someone who stands up for the rights of the vulnerable and speaks out for the marginalized, the exploited and the forgotten?  Do you believe in our calling as Christians to welcome the least of these and love our neighbor? If you answered ‘yes’, to any of the above, World Relief, and millions of people around the world need you. At this pivotal moment in time, we are rapidly expanding and growing our team to meet the increasing needs of our world. We are looking for people who want to use their gifts and talents to make a real and tangible difference in our world and the lives of the suffering.   If you’re looking for a purpose-driven career in which you can grow your talents, while also standing up for the rights of the vulnerable, we want you to join us today.     ORGANIZATION SUMMARY World Relief is a global Christian humanitarian organization whose mission is to boldly engage the world’s greatest crises in partnership with the church. The organization was founded in the aftermath of World War II to respond to the urgent humanitarian needs of war-torn Europe. Since then, for 80 years, across 100 countries, World Relief has partnered with local churches and communities to build a world where families thrive and communities flourish. Today, organizational programming focuses on humanitarian and disaster response, community strengthening and resilience, and refugee & immigrant services and advocacy. This position is reliant upon funding and may be subject to modification or termination based on resource availability. POSITION SUMMARY: World Relief Chicagoland’s Adult Education program serves adult English learners at all stages of their language learning journey. During in-person classes in Lombard, parents are invited to bring their young children to participate in Early Childhood Learning programming centered on family literacy and kindergarten readiness.  The Early Childhood Education Manager is both the lead classroom instructor and the manager of the Early Childhood Learning team, including an Assistant Instructor, volunteers, and practicum students. This position ensures high quality instruction aligned to Illinois State Readiness Measures while maintaining a culturally responsive, trauma-informed, nurturing, and language-rich environment for children ages 0–5.  In addition to instructional leadership, this role is responsible for program data tracking, reporting, and documentation to support grant funding and measure progress in child development and family literacy outcomes. This position plays a key role in connecting staff and volunteers with immigrant and refugee families, ensuring a welcoming environment and holistic family support. This is a part-time position for 32 hours per week. Hybrid schedule: Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 8AM-1PM at the LIFT Center in Lombard, one day a week in Carol Stream at the WR Office, and the rest work from home. ROLE & RESPONSIBILITIES:

This role is responsible for supervising others and includes responsibilities consistent with supervising employees, including but not limited to monitoring daily work activities, tracking and approving timesheets including approving time off, monitoring performance including entering goals, progress check-ins, and weekly or bi-weekly check-ins, documenting performance concerns, entering staff promotions, transitions, and separations in HRIS within required time frame. Managers at World Relief are also considered spiritual leaders and are expected to lead staff in a manner consistent with our Christian values, including but not limited to praying with staff, leading devotionals, and fostering a Christian environment in interactions with staff throughout World Relief.

Serve as the lead instructor, preparing and delivering multi-level daily lesson plans using the WR Early Childhood Curriculum. 

Ensure classroom instruction aligns with Illinois State Readiness Measures across developmental domains. 

Integrate fine and gross motor activities into a language rich, play based learning environment. 

Foster children’s social emotional learning, English language development, and age-appropriate play skills. 

Model best practices in early childhood education for the Assistant Instructor, volunteers, and practicum students. 

Observe and guide instructional staff in appropriate use of educational materials and classroom strategies. 

Supervise the Assistant Instructor, providing coaching, task delegation, performance feedback, and ongoing professional support. 

Oversee, train, and schedule volunteers and practicum students; ensure adequate daily staffing levels. 

Grade and evaluate practicum students on classroom work and assigned projects. 

Coordinate coverage when volunteers are absent and communicate staffing needs to the Adult Education Site Coordinator. 

Cultivate a positive, collaborative team environment that supports cultural humility and learner centered practices. 

Build trusting relationships with parents, providing updates about child progress and reinforcing family literacy goals. 

Engage parents in conversations about child development, safety, nutrition, and hygiene. 

Support immigrant and refugee families in navigating early childhood expectations in the U.S. education system. 

Serve as a liaison between the Early Childhood Program and Adult Education staff to ensure whole family support. 

Track and record key program metrics, including:  Child attendance, Developmental progress indicators, Family literacy benchmarks, Volunteer hours and staffing patterns

Maintain accurate, timely reporting required for grant compliance and program quality monitoring. 

Support evaluation processes, including assessments, documentation, and progress summaries. 

Collaborate with program leadership on continuous improvement, data analysis, and reporting needs. 

Ensure the classroom meets high standards for safety, organization, and cleanliness. 

Oversee snack preparation, serving, and cleanup with attention to developmental and health needs. 

Model safe classroom practices and instruct children and families on safety and hygiene routines. 

Maintain appropriate storage and setup of learning materials. 

Foster positive working relationships with Early Childhood staff, Adult Education team members, and broader World Relief Chicagoland staff. 

Report working hours and child attendance accurately and promptly. 

Direct concerns regarding children or families to the Director of Children & Youth and the Director of Adult Education.

Demonstrate flexibility, patience, and a collaborative spirit when working with children, families, volunteers, and colleagues. 

Attend staff meetings, trainings, and cross departmental collaboration opportunities. 

Perform additional duties as assigned by the Career Education & Learning Innovation Senior Manager.

JOB REQUIREMENTS:

Mature and personal Christian faith

Committed to the mission, vision, and values of World Relief

Desire to serve and empower the Church to impact vulnerable communities

Able to affirm and/or acknowledge World Reliefs Core Beliefs, Statement of Faith, Christian Identity and National Association of Evangelicals' For the Health of The Nation document

Heart for serving immigrant and refugee families and empowering local churches. 

Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, Family Studies & Human Development, or related field. 

Minimum 2 years of relevant experience, preferably in early childhood instruction and/or program coordination. 

Reliable transportation to commute between educational and office locations. 

Valid Driver's License

Passion for inclusive, culturally responsive early childhood learning environments.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Bi-lingual strongly preferred. Fluency in other languages is a plus.

Prior experience in early childhood education, including leadership or supervisory experience. 

Strong interpersonal, cross-cultural, and communication skills. 

Ability to multitask, prioritize, and meet deadlines. 

Strong organizational and coordination skills. 

Experience working with volunteers or student practicum programs. 

Proficiency in Microsoft Office and comfort with data tracking systems. 

Adaptable, flexible, and capable of working independently.