Trying Together’s mission is to support high-quality care and education for young children.

Trying Together is a Pittsburgh-based nonprofit that supports the work of early childhood by providing advocacy, community resources, and professional growth opportunities for the needs and rights of children, their families, and the adults who interact with them. A fast-paced organization, Trying Together looks for dedicated and passionate staff who bring positivity to their work and a solution-oriented sensibility.

Trying Together encourages its team, partners, and communities to interact compassionately and honor the range of cultures, ideas, and identities that root each person. Young children develop and learn by example; this means that children whose early learning environments reflect just actions, equitable opportunities, diverse representation, and inclusive approaches experience healthier interactions and build relationships that enable them to thrive.

Trying Together provides a competitive compensation and benefits package.  Trying Together is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate and encourages qualified candidates of any gender, race, class, sexual orientation, faith, disability, or age to apply. All candidates will be evaluated on a merit basis.

Current Openings

• • ELRC Early Learning Program Engagement Specialist
  • Everyday Interactions Design Strategist
  • Rapid Response Team Coach

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ELRC Early Learning Program Engagement Specialist
Full-Time | Salary Range: $41,200

The Early Learning Resource Center (ELRC) Region 5 Early Learning Program Engagement Specialist (ELPES) serves as a representative between Child Care Works (CCW) and child care providers both regulated and relative. The Early Learning Program Engagement Specialist will support providers with: Provider Self Service; recruitment, enrollment, and determination eligibility in Child Care Works: enrollment in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP;) and provide additional assistance as needed. The Early Learning Program Engagement Specialist will provide outreach to relative providers to identify needs and connect them to resources and supports. This position reports to the ELRC Director of Early Learning Program Engagement.

Responsibilities:

Commitment to racial equity and inclusion and a willingness to do the ongoing personal work to bring about a more just society by actively participating in professional growth opportunities.

• Actively work with peers to create a culture of belonging at Trying Together.
• Willingness to disrupt practices that do not honor children’s, families’, educators’ and colleagues’ humanity.
• Provide comprehensive customer service by completing thorough provider orientations, address all phone calls and provider correspondence within 24 business hours as applicable, and attend to walk-in clients/providers.
• Establish provider agreements for all certified and relative providers and assist providers with primary subsidy concerns and questions.
• Teach and support regulated providers to use Provider Self Service to ensure their information is up to date.
• Advise providers of the PA Department of Human Services and Child Care Works regulations.
• Provide technical assistance and support for relative providers seeking to become a state certified and enroll in Child Care Works.
• Refer and engage child care providers to community resources and advocate for the providers in obtaining these services.
• Identify and assess barriers relative providers face with regards to providing quality child care and identify resources and supports as needed.
• Support relative providers to meet their professional development requirements.
• Collaborate with Allegheny County Family Centers to connect relative providers to community resources and supports as needed.
• Connect providers with a Quality Coach and Fiscal contact.
• Assist providers in enrolling in the Child and Adult Care Food Program and other provider resources.
• Operate as a liaison for the provider between all Child Care Works departments and programs.
• Organize and participate in provider outreach to help promote quality child care and positive child and adult interactions.
• Address system-generated alerts in a timely manner to maintain integrity within the PELICAN System.
• Maintain communication with other Child Care Works agencies within Pennsylvania regarding provider information and updates.
• Regularly participate in outreach and other meetings both locally and statewide.
• Maintain a high level of confidentiality when working with sensitive and personal client, vendor, employee, and contract information.
• Participate in initial and ongoing professional development for the purpose of providing effective provider engagement.
• Work collaboratively across departments within Trying Together to meet the mission and accomplish the work.
• Participate in initial and ongoing professional development for the purposes of continuous learning and expanding one’s professional knowledge base.
• Consistently use the NeonCRM platform to build relationships with constituents, record data that measure project performance, and support continuous quality improvement in the organization’s resources and services.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Associates, Business, or Technical Degree in Human Services, Early Childhood Education or related field. Will consider experience in lieu of a degree.
• Two years of relevant experience.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Intermediate to advanced computer skills, internet, and email.
• Knowledge of local, state, and national systems for early care and education.
• Must be able to work independently and as a team member.
• Attention to detail and advanced problem-solving techniques.
• Ability to multitask.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Good judgment and decision-making abilities.
• Must demonstrate enthusiasm and flexibility.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Outlook, Word, and Excel.

Required Clearances:

• Clean Act 33 Child Abuse Clearance.
• Clean Act 34 PA State Police Clearance.
• Clean Act 73 Federal Criminal History Clearance.
• National Sex Offender Registry (NSOR) Verification.

Required Training:

• Mandated Reporter Training (must be completed in the first month of placement).
• NeonCRM Training (required and recommended online courses must be completed in the first three months of placement).
• PQAS Professional Development Instructor Certification (must be obtained within the first year of employment for staff with a Bachelor’s Degree).

Benefits:

• Competitive compensation and benefits package.
• Appreciative inquiry and strengths-based review process.

Interested Applicants:

Applicants must apply at tryingtogether.applytojob.com/apply and upload their resume and three work-related references. Phone calls will not be accepted. Posting will remain open until filled.

 

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Everyday Interactions Design Strategist
Full-Time | Salary Range: $50,000 – $55,000

Relationships from a strengths-based approach are fundamental to this position. The Everyday Interactions Design Strategist supports program administrators, classroom teachers, assistant teachers, and home-based child care providers with developing new skills and continuously improving their daily interactions to achieve higher program quality. The Everyday Interactions Design Strategist engages program administration and staff that work with children in a collaborative process that involves reflective communication, professional growth, and goal setting to affirm the importance of human interactions in children’s lives. The Everyday Interactions Design Strategist’s approach begins by building on what professionals already do well and is based on the understanding that the “active ingredient” in a child’s growth is the developmental relationship between the child and the adults that care for them.

Responsibilities:

• Commitment to racial equity and inclusion and a willingness to do the ongoing personal work to bring about a more just society by actively participating in professional growth opportunities.
• Actively work with peers to create a culture of belonging at Trying Together.
• Willingness to disrupt practices that do not honor children’s, families’, educators’ and colleagues’ humanity.
• Recognize and build on the existing knowledge and skills of program staff through reflective practice, close observation, and peer discussion.
• Based on the work of Fred Rogers and the Fred Rogers Institute, facilitate learning communities for program leaders, assistant teachers, co-teachers, and head teachers to help strengthen daily interactions with children and assure quality programming based on developmentally appropriate practice.
• Facilitate supportive discussion between early learning team members with a focus on strengths, connection, and appreciation.
• Using a strengths-based and practice-based approach, ensure that the leadership team and staff sustain their learning by way of reflective thinking and goal setting.
• Provide feedback loops and support for the purpose of increasing program administration and teacher confidence and competence.
• Work with the early learning program’s leadership team to provide professional development for program leaders and classroom teaching teams.
• Develop and support the implementation of an individualized plan that identifies relational strengths, needs, and goals for each program’s staff.
• Visit early learning programs to capture video footage of authentic interactions between early learning professionals and children.
• Contribute to a community of support in which educators can reflect on their everyday interactions and unique approach to connecting with young children.
• Support the program leadership team and staff to develop programming that is both equitable and inclusive.
• Provide support and coordinate resources for program administration and staff on providing a better learning environment for a child exhibiting behaviors that put them at risk for suspension or expulsion.
• Follow the procedure for reporting suspected child abuse.
• Complete monthly monitoring reports or coaching logs for assigned visits and submit them according to timelines for the purpose of tracking and monitoring.
• Have a working knowledge of the Everyday Interactions Matter approach and philosophy.
• Consistently model the Everyday Interactions Matter philosophy in interactions with early learning leadership and educators.
• Have knowledge of local, state, and national systems for early care and education.
• Is willing and able to engage in honest self-reflection about progress and their contribution to the process.
• Can foster a program’s capacity building and assume a strengths-based approach.
• Can establish credibility as a resource worthy of the program’s respect and trust.
• Can facilitate a program’s own problem-solving process.
• Has the ability to maintain a project timeline and monitor progress toward goals.
• Must be able to work independently and as a team member.
• Must be able to interact with others in a positive and professional manner.
• Has the ability to work comfortably in a variety of settings.
• Can maintain confidentiality.
• Has good judgment and decision-making abilities.
• Must demonstrate enthusiasm and flexibility.
• Work collaboratively across departments within Trying Together to meet the mission and accomplish the work.
• Participate in initial and ongoing professional development for the purposes of continuous learning and expanding one’s professional knowledge base.
• Consistently use the NeonCRM platform to build relationships with constituents, record data that measures project performance, and support continuous quality improvement in the organization’s resources and services.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Master’s Degree in early childhood education, organizational leadership, or related field required.
• Two years of early childhood classroom experience and two years at an administrative level in an early care and education setting.
• Experience working with adult learners and knowledge of adult learning principles.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Intermediate to advanced computer skills, internet, and email skills.
• Ability to work occasional evenings and/or weekends.

Required Clearances:

• Clean Act 33 Child Abuse Clearance.
• Clean Act 34 PA State Police Clearance.
• Clean Act 73 Federal Criminal History Clearance.
• National Sex Offender Registry (NSOR) Verification.

Required Training:

• Mandated Reporter Training (must be completed in the first month of placement).
• NeonCRM Training (required and recommended online courses must be completed in the first three months of placement).
• PQAS Professional Development Instructor Certification (must be obtained within the first year of employment for staff with a Bachelor’s Degree).

Benefits:

• Competitive compensation and benefits package.
• Appreciative inquiry and strengths-based review process.

Interested Applicants:

Applicants must apply at tryingtogether.applytojob.com/apply and upload their resume and three work-related references. Phone calls will not be accepted. Posting will remain open until filled.

 

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Rapid Response Team Coach
Consultant | Hourly Pay: $35.00

The Rapid Response Team Coach is responsible for helping to implement a comprehensive strengths-based approach of providing strategies and support for Allegheny County early learning programs to ensure that young children at risk of being suspended or expelled are retained in their program. The Rapid Response Team Coach will work with the Collaborations and Supports Strategist and the ELRC 5 Quality Coaches to respond quickly to requests from early learning programs and families in Allegheny County when a child is at risk of being suspended or expelled. The Rapid Response Team Coach will provide technical assistance and coaching support to program directors, administrators, owners, and teaching staff to support the individual needs of children with the intention of retaining the child in the program. 

Responsibilities:

• Commitment to racial equity and inclusion and a willingness to do the ongoing personal work to bring about a more just society by actively participating in professional growth opportunities. 
• Actively work with peers to create a culture of belonging at Trying Together. 
• Willingness to disrupt practices that do not honor children’s, families’, educators’ and colleagues’ humanity. 
• Serve as a consultant to early learning program administrators and educators in collaboration with their Quality Coach. 
• Ensure that the Team responds within 48 hours after a referral is received. 
• Ensure that the Team works through a Pyramid Model in partnership with the early learning program administrator and educators, family, and child. 
• Work collaboratively with the program director, teaching staff, early intervention staff, Team, and Quality Coach to assess and develop strategies to support the family and child. 
• Ensure that there is follow up with the early learning program director, Rapid Response Team, early intervention staff, and Quality Coach. 
• Collect data from the beginning of the process till the conclusion of the intervention with the early learning program. 
• Ability to understand Parts B and Part C early intervention including timelines, policies and procedures, professional roles, and family involvement. 
• Serve as an active member of the Quality Initiatives and ELRC teams to effectively respond to the needs of the field and the systems they work within. 
• Meet regularly with the Quality Initiatives and ELRC teams to provide feedback and brainstorm new ideas. 
• Ability to maintain a project timeline and monitor progress toward goals.
• Must be able to interact with others in a positive and professional manner. 
• Recognize that children are best understood and supported in the context of family, culture, community, and society. 
• Ability to maintain confidentiality. 
• Excellent data collection and analysis skills. 
• Strong attention to detail. 
• Work collaboratively across departments within Trying Together to meet the mission and accomplish the work. 
• Participate in initial and ongoing professional development for the purposes of continuous learning and expanding one’s professional knowledge base. 
• Consistently use the NeonCRM platform to build relationships with constituents, record data that measure project performance, and support continuous quality improvement in the organization’s resources and services.
• Other duties as assigned. 

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Child Development, Early Childhood or related field, and five (5) years of related experience in early intervention, applied behavior analysis, or human/social services working with children and families. Master’s Degree preferred. 
• Ability to work with individuals from diverse backgrounds.
• Ability to work both independently as well as part of a team.
• Background and experience implementing functional behavior plans in classroom settings. 
• Experience coaching other professionals on implementing behavior and intervention plans with fidelity. 
• Must own a reliable vehicle.

Required Clearances: 

• Clean Act 34 PA State Police Clearance.
• Clean Act 73 Federal Criminal History Clearance.
• National Sex Offender Registry (NSOR) Verification.
• Valid Driver’s License and proof of insurance.

Required Training:

• Mandated Reporter Training (must be completed in the first month of placement).
• NeonCRM Training (required and recommended online courses must be completed in the first three months of placement).
• PQAS Professional Development Instructor Certification (must be obtained within the first year of employment for staff with a Bachelor’s Degree).

Applicants must apply at tryingtogether.applytojob.com/apply and upload their resume and three work-related references. Phone calls will not be accepted. Posting will remain open until filled.