Jennifer Shields

Appointed to drive the vision, strategy, and innovative philosophy of FACCM and APPLE Accreditation Program through efficient management of daily operations, participation in organizational legislative affairs and enhancing member relations. Support the FACCM Board of Directors and the childcare industry by developing and maintaining professional relationships with members, partners, state legislators, agencies and policy makers.

• Launch corrections and strategies to turn the organization from a multiple year profit loss to revenue generating operation resulting in a 30% increase in income in a 3-year period.
• Identify problematic procedures and streamline financial practices to stabilize and promote revenue growth to guarantee organizational health.
• Oversee FACCM and APPLE staff, ensuring professional development opportunities, workflow efficiency, and procedural systems accuracy.
• Review, revamp and re-align organizational policies and procedures to ensure legal requirements and regulations are adhered to.
• Provide legislative analysis, feedback, and administrative contributions to the FACCM Board of Directors Legislative Committee.
• Develop comprehensive strategy resulting in APPLE Accreditation Program expansion and FACCM membership growth.
• Engage in childcare small business advocacy on the state and national level by creating and implementing membership collaboration opportunities, participating in state-wide leadership alliances, and facilitating cohesive solutions for industry issues

Recruited to solidify compliance with licensing and contracting requirements for the 78 schools within the Florida Region. Directly report the Regional Manager and work in collaboration with District Managers, School Directors and support leadership to establish and maintain systems to sustain company compliance within the child care industry, therefore ensuring exemplary quality child care is available to the children and families served.

• Direct and intensive support to a targeted list of schools in a critical state with licensing, contracting and business operations in order to obtain gains in compliance and good standing with contractual obligations.
• Created and implemented company-wide licensing and contracting compliance tools, job aides, trainings, and work processes for all schools in meting state requirement expectations.
• Responsible for leading the coordination and implementation of the Early Learning Performance Funding Program for 68 schools.
• Representative for all government relations and state child care provider special interest group membership.
• Liaise, coordinate and promote strategies to best navigate and strengthen relationships between schools and licensing and contracting authorities through effective verbal and written communications.
• Responsible for staying abreast of all state child care legislative rule and regulation updates; proactive in streamlining communications regarding pertinent information to share with corporate, district and school managers.
• Active in collaboration with inter-departmental company strategies including the regulatory compliance team, legal team, grants team, education team, and training team.

Promoted to lead provider services staff in state contract execution and maintenance, quality compliance monitoring and providing professional development opportunities for child care professionals. Directly report team progress and status weekly to Executive Director.

• ·Hire, train and manage all staff responsible for delivery of services to child care professionals on behalf of the organization through regular performance review assessment.
• Establish and maintain professional relationships with 180+ child care provider sites through effective, timely communications regarding Coalition requirements, expectations, monitoring and initiatives.
• Liaison between child care providers and county, state and federal agencies to ensure local adherence to policies and procedures.
• Collaborative communications with Leadership Team to ensure agency goals are met, including the ability to make recommendations, and listen to those given to generate improvement.
• Motivate staff and child care providers to embrace, understand, and participate in the Coalition’s mission and vision.
• Establish, organize, budget and implement professional development conferences, trainings, workshops, meetings, and community outreach for staff and child care providers.
• Serve on several internal and inter-agency committees to facilitate and maintain integral relationships in the early childhood education community.
• Solely responsible for completing complaint review process for entire agency concerning received client and provider complaint communications.

Accountable for capability to problem solve logically, communicate effectively, versatile management of numerous tasks related to providing child screening data to parents, child care providers, appropriate Coalition staff and community partners.

• Coordinate child screening schedules and child care provider relations.
• Assist in preparation of reports and analysis for OEL as requested by the state.
• Notify clients, providers, and cooperating agencies of developmental concerns, initiate learning improvement plans, and aid in acquiring additional services for children.
• Responsible for conducting provider trainings for department and non-department related topics.
• Ability to substitute, or assist any department team member in case of absence or help request.

Promoted to foster constructive interaction with customers and co-workers through strong leadership skills, ability to adapt to the needs of the business, staff, clients and the community. Guided and provided teachers with training requirements and professional development. Responsibilities encompass all managerial duties with full knowledge of all operational functions within the company.

• Perform routine assessments of staff to evaluate progress and provide feedback of evaluations. Facilitate staff training and development, team meetings and managing conflict.
• Maintain and update financial database and files for academy families and cooperating agencies with discretion, confidentiality, and professionalism.
• Engage small or large groups of people, using clear and concise language when managing conferences, conducting staff engagements, and leading parent gatherings.
• Leader in NECPA accreditation and state food program requirements execution.
• Monitor academy compliance with state licensing, funding contracts and organization requirements.
• Identify and hire new staff members through interviewing applicants in compliance with company requirements and offer recommendations.
• Organize and compile documentation and data entry for each child’s account portfolio.
• Flexibility required as a lead VPK teacher in the morning and a supervisor in the afternoon.
• Provide leadership by following company policy and procedure.

Accountable for introducing scheduling that acquires a full breadth of developmental skills necessary to be successful lifetime learners and ensures kindergarten readiness.

• Use available resources to resolve conflict, identifies key issues, and takes into consideration both school and child needs.
• Provide feedback to students, families, and coworkers specific to the enhancement of the classroom and individual needs via family communication documents.
• Regularly attend professional development opportunities to remain in compliance with state certification requirements regarding childcare supervision and safety.