Education Specialist/Coach

Company: Urban Sprouts Child Development Center
Location: Saint Louis
Posted on: February 17, 2026

Job Description:

Job Description Job Description Education Specialist/Coach, Community of Practice A community of practice (CoP) is a group of individuals who come together to pursue a shared purpose, exchange knowledge, and foster learning and change. For leaders of a given field, having a CoP to rely on can be an essential source of support, continuous development, and well-being. In our case, this shared purpose is catalyzing excellence throughout our region’s early learning system so that all children and families, regardless of identity, have access to high quality, affordable education and care. The Educational Specialist/Coach provides instructional leadership and pedagogical guidance across Urban Sprouts Community of Practice while supervising and supporting the Curriculum Coaches. The Educational Specialist/Coach works collaboratively with Community of Practice leadership, Curriculum Coaches, and educators to promote Ideal Learning practices, support equitable access to high-quality care, and improve outcomes for young children throughout the region. Through coaching, observation, modeling, professional development, and reflective supervision, the Educational Specialist/Coach helps lead and promote best practices within our organization and in multiple programs throughout the region. This position will report to the Senior Director, Community of Practice. About the organization: Celebrating its 17 year anniversary this year, Urban Sprouts Child Development Center was recently awarded the What’s Right With the Region award by Focus STL for our commitment to equity and inclusion. That’s because racial and socioeconomic equity are at the heart of what we do: bringing high quality Reggio-inspired care and education to children and families impacted by racism and poverty. Our mission — Urban Sprouts is a joyful, diverse learning community. Through child-driven learning, we honor and empower each young scholar to develop into socially capable, creative, and inspired citizens. Key Responsibilities Provide instructional and pedagogical leadership to support high-quality, Ideal learning principles throughout the organization Supervise, mentor, and support Curriculum Coaches through reflective supervision, goal setting, and ongoing professional growth Guide and align coaching practices to ensure consistency, effectiveness, and fidelity to Ideal Learning principles Serve as a resource and thought partner to program leaders and educators on pedagogy, instruction, and child development Support Curriculum Coaches in working directly with caregivers to model effective teaching strategies and classroom practices Observe classrooms and coaching interactions to provide feedback that strengthens instructional quality and coaching effectiveness Lead and support the planning and delivery of professional development opportunities for educators and coaching staff Promote culturally responsive, inclusive, and equitable practices across all programs and coaching work Collaborate with leadership to assess instructional needs and support continuous quality improvement efforts Support implementation of curriculum frameworks, best practices, and program standards at various sites Assist with documentation, data reflection, and reporting related to instructional quality and coaching outcomes Foster strong relationships with staff, families, and community partners to support Urban Sprouts’ mission You Might Be a Good Fit for This Position If… You have substantial experience working in early childhood classrooms, a deep understanding of developmentally appropriate practice and Ideal Learning principles You bring prior experience coaching, mentoring, and supervising educators or instructional staff You are confident leading pedagogical work and supporting others in strengthening instructional practice You have experience working with diverse, urban early childhood communities and center equity and inclusion in your leadership approach You value culturally responsive teaching and intentionally integrate inclusive practices into curriculum and coaching You enjoy supporting adult learners through reflective supervision, collaboration, and shared problem-solving You are comfortable observing classrooms and coaching interactions and providing constructive, strengths-based feedback You are adaptable and able to support multiple sites and teams across the organization You are able and willing to travel between program locations as needed You are passionate about early childhood education and committed to improving outcomes for children, families, and educators Compensation & Benefits Salary commensurate with experience. Our generous benefits include: Medical Health Insurance of which we pay 75% of the premium to start and 90% of the premium after your one year service anniversary Dental & Vision insurance of which we pay 75% of the premium to start and 90% of the premium after your one year service anniversary Free snacks and beverages Free CPR/First Aid training as well as other trainings throughout the year 2 Paid Mental Health Days a year One Week of Paid Sick/Vacation time to start, Two Weeks after Two Years, Three Weeks after Five Years One Week of Paid Holiday Vacation time during our annual winter break One Week of Paid Holiday Vacation during our annual Spring break Three Day Paid Fall Break during Thanksgiving All Federal Holidays Paid, to include Juneteenth and MLK day Special Staff Appreciation Event in Summer (typically involving free travel) 403 B (comparable to 401K) retirement plan *Non Discrimination Policy* Urban Sprouts is an equal opportunity employer. We shall NOT discriminate against any person including and not limited to during employment recruit, board membership, advertisements, compensation, termination, upgrading, promotions, and other conditions of employment against any employee, applicant, volunteer, family, child on the basis of race, color, religious creed, gender, gender expression, national origin, sexual orientation, age, ancestry, disability, marital status, cultural heritage, or political beliefs or for any other discriminatory reason. E04JI800ve1d408n61d

Keywords: Urban Sprouts Child Development Center, Saint Charles , Education Specialist/Coach, Education / Teaching , Saint Louis, Missouri