Current employees: Please apply through the employee portal to be considered for this opportunity.
Pay Range:
$118,948.83 - $190,317.60 Annual
Department:
Department of County Human Services (DCHS)
Job Type:
Regular Non-Represented
Exemption Status:
United States of America (Exempt)
Closing Date (Open Until Filled if No Date Specified):
November 02, 2025
The Opportunity:
Multnomah County voters chose to invest in high-quality, culturally responsive, joyous early learning opportunities for all 3- and 4-year-old children in Multnomah County. This investment has transformed and impacted educational experiences for young children and their families, and we want you to help this program continue to thrive! Apply today to lead a multicultural workforce and manage a multi-million dollar budget with projected growth to over 11,000 Preschool For All seats by 2030.
As the Director of the Preschool & Early Learning Division (PELD), you will lead the countywide implementation of a universal preschool system, utilizing the community framework and vision for Preschool for All. You will be a visible and inspiring advocate for the importance of early learning, the value of early educators, and the need for high-quality, culturally specific and culturally responsive preschools. You will collaborate with both community partners and PELD’s various teams to develop creative and bold solutions to the next phase of the Preschool For All expansion, including building strong relationships with new and existing preschool providers, increasing the number of early educators and early learning spaces.
Your dynamic and strategic leadership, experience with media and intergovernmental communication, demonstrated commitment to equity, including but not limited to racial equity, and expertise leading programs that benefit children and families will support a newer Division within the Department of County Human Services and guide the initiative to build a preschool system that provides universal preschool within Multnomah County by 2030 to all families who want to participate.
Primary responsibilities include:
Workforce + Equity: Integrate equity principles as a key focus to all initiatives and activities with goals to influence a workplace where everyone can thrive and do their best. Hire, supervise, direct, and evaluate program staff while creating cohesive vision and collaborative teams that focus on eliminating oppression in the workplace. Implement, monitor, and evaluate division priorities, family experience, provider quality and satisfaction with a primary focus on reducing barriers for children, families and providers who are from Black, Indigenous and other communities of color. Foster a collaborative and inclusive work environment that promotes safety, belonging, and trust and one that adapts as the number of preschool providers and families increases.
Partnerships: Collaborate with parents, preschool providers, state leadership, Board of County Commissioners, department leadership, and community stakeholders. Determine the development and ongoing work of a diverse preschool advisory group that provides oversight using short and long-term strategic goals and plans using the Equity and Empowerment Lens. Include preschool providers, community organizations, and families in the decision making process.
Strategic Leadership + Framework: Develop an implementation plan by building on the existing framework for preschool in Multnomah County and maintaining alignment across systems. Build program foundation including structures, leadership, and policy direction for a newer, complex division. Direct division-wide priorities and initiatives. Lead the division’s budget development and resource allocation. Determine priorities for contracted services and staffing. Create achievable solutions to the challenges of workforce and infrastructure shortages. Lead management team to identify improvement opportunities to reach efficiency, effectiveness, customer focus and data driven results. Promote management practices within the union contract, county personnel policies, and workforce equity goals. Establish and maintain effective working relationships with the union(s). Support and implement Workforce Equity Strategic Plan and department-wide strategic business plan.
The ideal candidate will demonstrate the following competencies:
Building Relationships: Investing time to create mutually beneficial relationships with coworkers, customers, community members and/or clients based on trust, understanding, and respect. Is mindful of the feelings and expectations of others and uses tact, self awareness, and emotional empathy to navigate relationships and foster social harmony. Promotes the department’s trauma informed values.
Promoting Equity: Deconstruct barriers to a racially just system. Cultivate work environments that value truth-telling, courage and vulnerability, space to think and reflect, community mindedness, shared power, hope, and openness to difficult conversations.
Leadership and Creativity: Demonstrate understanding of the culture, political nature and interpersonal relationships that drive success at the County. Lead by example and move work forward through personal actions and collaboration. Provide meaningful feedback regarding the nature, design and intended outcomes of work in relation to the needs and demands of the County and the communities it serves. Seek, advocate for, and implement improved methods, systems and approaches to meet changing organizational needs.
Acting with Integrity: Act in a manner that is consistently truthful, ethical, reliable, trustworthy and transparent in words and actions.
Learning Agility: Awareness of changing workplace trends, and possess the ability and desire to adapt your own skills and knowledge while encouraging others to do the same. Able to identify issues and educate self and others regarding paths to problem resolution.
Key Knowledge & Experience:
Knowledge and understanding of the issues surrounding equity, inclusion, implicit bias, institutional racism and other systemic oppressions, including access to early care and education.
Knowledge of preschool systems or youth and family systems and best practices.
Knowledge and understanding of cultures, customs and social experiences of communities experiencing marginalization and barriers to opportunity, especially for Black and Indigenous child care providers and families, and families and providers of color.
Knowledge and understanding of trauma-informed practices that actively resist retraumatization of individuals and communities.
Knowledge and understanding of child care providers, including the unique strengths of in-home providers and their importance in the overall system of care.
Experience using a participatory management style to promote teamwork and a "learning" work environment for employees.
Experience in supervising and leading diverse teams.
Experience in building and leading complex programs.
To Qualify:
We will consider any combination of relevant work experience, volunteering, education, and transferable skills as qualifying unless an item or section is labeled required. Please be clear and specific about how your background is relevant. For details about how we typically screen applications, review our overview of the selection process page.
Minimum Qualifications/Transferable Skills:
Ability to promote a culture of respect, inclusiveness, and appreciation of diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and values.
Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience.
Six (6) years of relevant experience in increasingly responsible professional leadership or technical program experience with early education/human services, including at least three (3) years of leadership experience in a complex and diverse organization providing early education/human services delivery.
Must have a valid driver's license.
Must pass a criminal background check.
Must pass a reference check.
Screening and Evaluation
Required Application Packet:
Your completed application must include all of the following items:
A completed online application and/or resume.
A cover letter. Please attach a cover letter as a separate document that includes responses to the following questions in your cover letter:
Please describe how your background makes you a great candidate in this role described in the Overview and To Qualify sections of the job announcement.
Preschool for All is a truly unique opportunity to build a system of support for children and families in our community. Please include why leading this effort appeals to you and which part of this system you are most excited to work on.
Please describe any work experience and transferable skills related to policy development and implementation, program management, and budget management that include a focus on equity.
Please note: Your application and/or resume and cover letter should demonstrate your work experience/skills and how it is related to those shown in the Overview and To Qualify sections of the job announcement. Please be thorough, as these materials may be scored and determine your eligibility for an interview. The quality of your responses may determine if you are moved on to the next review. Please be clear and specific in the applicable sections of the online application/resume about how your background is relevant. Information stated in your cover letter must be consistent with your application and/or resume (when applicable).
Internal candidates: After you have submitted your application, please check your Workday inbox and complete the Veterans’ Preference Questionnaire prior to the application deadline.
The Selection Process:
For details about how we typically screen applications, review our overview of the selection process page. We expect to evaluate candidates for this recruitment as follows:
Initial review of minimum qualifications;
An evaluation of application materials to identify the most qualified candidates;
Consideration of top candidates through phone screen and/or interviews;
Background and reference checks.
Note: Application information may be used throughout the entire selection process. This process is subject to change without notice.
Additional Information
Type of Position: This is a salaried, at-will management position and is not eligible for overtime pay.
Location: 458 SE 185TH Avenue, Portland, OR 97233
Teleworking: At this time, this position can be designated as hybrid telework and requires a minimum of three (3) in person days. This designation of telework may be subject to change at a future time. Currently, all employees must reside in Oregon or Washington; the county cannot support ongoing telework from other locations.
Benefits: Multnomah County offers a generous benefits package. For more information about our benefit offerings, please visit: https://multco.us/benefits/new-employee-benefits
Pay Equity: The county regularly reviews pay equity for our workforce. When setting pay we consider applicants’ education, experience, seniority, training, and tenure in relation to other employees performing a similar level of work.
Serving the Public, Even During Disasters: Everyday, Multnomah County staff work together to serve as a safety net for our communities. During a disaster, this safety net becomes even more critical. All County employees have a role in serving the public during inclement weather, natural disaster, or other types of community emergency response. During these emergency responses, while typically there begins with a call for volunteers, county employees may ultimately be reassigned from their current position to a role in the emergency response in order to support the critical needs presented by our communities. For more information, please visit the Disaster Service Worker Information page.
In accordance with Oregon Law, Multnomah County is not collecting school attendance dates in the initial application process; please do not include these dates in your resume, cover letter and other application materials.
Diversity and Inclusion: At Multnomah County, we don't just accept difference; we value it and support it to create a culture of dignity and respect for our employees.
We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran or protected veteran status, genetic information and other legally protected characteristics. The EEO Know Your Rights poster is available for your reference. Multnomah County is a VEVRAA Federal Contractor. We request priority protected veteran referrals.
Veterans’ Preference: Under Oregon Law, qualifying veterans may apply for veterans’ preference. Review our veterans’ preference page for details about eligibility and how to apply.
Accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act: We gladly provide reasonable accommodation to anyone whose specific disability prevents them from completing an application or participating in this recruitment process. Please contact the recruiter below in advance to request assistance. Individuals with hearing or speech impairments may contact the recruiter through the Telecommunications Relay Service by dialing 711.
Questions?
Recruiter:
Anne Blumenauer
Email:
[email protected]Phone:
+1 (971) 9175769
Application information may be used throughout the entire selection process. This process is subject to change without notice.
Disclaimer: This announcement is intended as a general descriptive recruitment guide and is subject to change. It does not constitute either an expressed or implied contract.
Job Profile:
9602 - Division Director 2
Business & Strategy (2)