Job Description

  Nine PBS: Director of Early Education  

Who We Are: As an essential community institution, Nine PBS magnifies and deepens understanding of our community to help our region flourish. We convene meaningful conversations, we share thought-provoking content, and we host events that engage and inspire our region. Our unique facilities and connections offer opportunities for memorable experiences for audiences of all ages.

Our History: We are a community-licensed public media station. For 70 years, we have been a foundational pillar in the St. Louis community by providing trusted, community-centered content and resources. Our core purpose is to magnify and deepen understanding of our community to help our region flourish.  

Our Values: Nine PBS is rooted in our four values: Community, Trust, Equity, and Learning. These guide every aspect of our work - both in how we interact with one another as teammates, as well as how we engage with the community.  

Our Culture: Nine PBS is an equal opportunity employer with a leadership team and culture that prioritizes a welcoming environment where everyone can thrive.

Our Team: One of our strategic goals is to create and sustain a positive, high-performing, and connected culture that prioritizes the well-being and belonging of every member of our team. Get to know the amazing individuals you will be working alongside if you are selected for this position: . 

Position Description: In collaboration with the Chief Impact Officer, the Director of Early Learning plays a key role in setting the strategic direction of Nine PBS’s community-related early learning work, with a focus on increasing school readiness through our Early Learning Initiatives.  Using a “highest need for highest impact” our Early Learning team connects partners, childcare providers, and families with trusted PBS KIDS resources, opportunities, and information to advance outcomes for our youngest and most under-resourced learners.​ 

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This role manages a multi-functional team with the goal of meeting the community where they are and identifying community priorities using the Nine PBS Community Engagement Model. The Director of Early Learning will ensure that our work with the community is aligned with our Early Learning impact logic model and that activities are carried out in an effective and efficient manner, internally across teams and externally with partners. They must be a team player, working simultaneously across multiple engagement projects with both a local and national focus.

The Director of Early Learning is responsible for the vision, management, and execution of Nine PBS’s community-related early learning efforts, including strategy and program development. They represent Nine PBS’s community-related early learning work internally, providing strategic leadership, oversight, and project management for key educational initiatives and externally managing projects with strategic partners who engage within our trusted network. 

The ideal candidate for this position must be a strong leader with the ability to drive initiatives, communicate across teams, develop short- and long-term strategy, and have a well-rounded leadership capacity to set clear expectations and hold staff accountable for their work. They will also be well-versed in making data-driven decisions that enable them to serve as a thought-partner to the Chief Impact Officer and Senior Director of Grants Management.

Primary Responsibilities: The following primary responsibilities are vital to successfully meeting the expectations of this position in an effective and efficient manner. This is not an exhaustive list and areas of focus may fluctuate between the primary and secondary responsibilities, as needed. 

• Lead the Early Learning community-related work to ensure the greatest possible impact across the region with a demonstrated ability to conceptualize, conceive, coordinate, manage, and implement early education initiatives. 
• Provide ongoing leadership, oversight, coaching, and development to staff to ensure their activities are aligned with the Early Learning logic model and fulfill grant requirements and ensure long-term durable success.  
• Collaborate across the organization to manage early education initiatives, including identifying initiative goals, outcomes, timelines and reporting. 
• Ensure information from community conversations is shared consistently in an accessible format across the organization. 
• Ensure timely and complete entry of all data into the Notion and Apricot data management system. 
• Work collaboratively to plan and oversee the implementation of research-based strategies, models, and practices to deepen the impact and awareness of Nine PBS, PBS LearningMedia, and PBS KIDS resources across the region.
• Execute and expand a comprehensive early learning strategy to meet and exceed impact goals. 
• Work collaboratively with the impact team members to contribute to grant proposals and reports. 
• Provide direction and support for deliverable implementation, design and evaluation using a continuous improvement model for maximum impact.
• Support tracking of Early Learning community-focused budgets by approving supply purchases and providing detailed communications of upcoming purchases. 

Secondary Responsibilities: These are additional activities that are expected to be performed with this position.   

• Work closely and cross-functionally across Nine PBS to ensure community priorities are clearly communicated to support content creation and align with intended initiative outcomes. 
• Organize and prepare materials for regular internal and external meetings. 
• Take the initiative to identify opportunities, innovative approaches, and ways to advance Nine PBS early learning engagement efforts.   
• Identify resources needed to execute all job responsibilities for self and team. 
• Work effectively with external constituents, always representing Nine PBS with integrity. 
• Stay attuned to professional and early learning activities across the public media system and field of professional learning to share insights and findings with Impact team. 
• Experience in community engagement through community listening sessions and conversations in an affirming way with the goal of identifying and lifting up community priorities to improve outcomes. 
• Proven ability to handle public and internal interactions in a collaborative way with diplomacy and tact.
• Ability to prioritize, work independently under pressure, meet deadlines, and set strategy. 

Qualifications : Bachelor’s degree with at least 3-5 years of experience in education, community engagement, project management, child development, or other related fields. Demonstrated experience leading teams effectively. Proficient in Excel, PowerPoint, Word and other MS Office applications. Technology savvy with the ability to learn new platforms/software. Experience in the non-profit sector is required.

Hybrid Schedule: This position is eligible for a hybrid schedule. Expected to be in the office 2-3 days per week, attend all-staff meetings in person, and other events as required by the VP and Chief Impact Officer. 

Additional Expectations and Core Competencies: Success in this role is not only measured by meeting the expectations outlined above, but also in how the work is performed. The following competencies are required for this role. 

• Approach all interactions solution focused.
• Be open to feedback and demonstrate a growth mindset.
• Provide respectful feedback to others, as needed.
• Demonstrate a commitment to creating a welcoming environment by modeling behaviors that make everyone feel included. 
• Effectively and proactively communicate with supervisor, teammates, and others across the organization to create a collaborative work environment.
• Demonstrate effective time management.
• Demonstrate good judgment. 
• Demonstrate effective working relationships with others. 
• Lead with integrity and role model positive behavior for the organization.
• Delegate, empower, and motivate while coaching staff to develop their full potential. 
• Provide a supportive environment for enhanced performance and professional growth. 
• Build high-performing and cohesive teams. 
• Think strategically and advance identified priority areas within the team and across the organization. 

Application Instructions  

Company: Nine PBS

Vacancy Type: Full-Time 

Job Location: St Louis, MO, US

Salary Range: $84,000-$88,000 

Application Timeline: April 30th – May 14th, 2025 

Application Process : For a candidate to be considered for employment, the following materials must be submitted as a complete application to jobs@ninepbs.org : 

• Resume 
• Cover Letter 
• 3 Professional References (will not be contacted unless an offer is being made) 

Provide a word document that includes responses to the following three questions:

1. What have you read in this job posting that is interesting and inspiring to you? (no more than 150 words)
2. How are you uniquely qualified to enhance the Nine PBS team and our work? (no more than 150 words)
3. What would success look like for you in this position? (no more than 150 words) 

Nine PBS  

As an essential community institution, Nine PBS magnifies and deepens understanding of our community to help our region flourish. We tell stories that move us. We meet people where they are the most comfortable consuming content. Nine PBS’s platforms include four distinct broadcast channels (Nine PBS, Nine PBS KIDS®, Nine PBS World, and Nine PBS Create), ninepbs.org, social media, the free PBS Video App, streaming services, live and virtual events, and the Public Media Commons. Since 1954, Nine PBS has accepted the community’s invitation into their homes, schools, and businesses. Follow Nine PBS on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn, and TikTok . 

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