Director of Early Childhood Education & Family Engagement

Job Description

Job Description

Description:

POSITION SUMMARY

The Director, Early Childhood Education & Family Engagement provides ongoing programmatic leadership, strategic planning and management oversight for existing and new projects designed to enable children to learn, strengthen families and build stronger communities; handles day-to-day operations; liaison to the schools and communities served by the program.

This position will be hired and supervised by the Chief Executive Officer of LAEP.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

The essential functions include, but are not limited to the following:

• Oversees the daily operations of the LAEP Early Head Start program
• Develops, implements, and coordinates the delivery of Early Head Start services in a manner consistent with the requirements of contractual agreements, laws, regulations, funding documents, and standards
• Ensures program compliance with Office of Head Start performance standards.
• Regularly convenes Early Head Start managerial staff for planning, management, reporting, and problem solving.
• Provides supervision, guidance, and mentorship to the Early Childhood and Family Engagement team.
• Reports to OHS staff on overall programming including outcomes data, and growth towards School Readiness Goals, Family Engagement and other Head Start Initiatives
• Serves as a key member of the leadership team, representing LAEP in the community and participating in strategic planning and decision-making.
• Identifies, addresses, and resolves administrative or operational issues within the Early Childhood & Family Engagement department.
• Collaborates with Director of Marketing & Communication to communicate and market Early Childhood & Family Engagement projects and ensure that Early Childhood & Family Engagement internal communications are effective, constant, coherent, and coordinated.
• Collaborates with Development team and CEO to research and respond to new funding opportunities to sustain and grow the Early Childhood & Family Engagement Department.
• Establishes and maintains effective external collaborative relationships with a broad base of education, community, and business leaders.
• Maintains contact with school districts, educational organizations, and training partners for the purpose of aligning Early Childhood & Family Engagement programs with the latest developments in national, state, and local education.
• Facilitates the delivery of resources/information to parents, teachers, principals, and all other stakeholders at LAEP schools.
• Works with the CEO, leadership team, and the Board of Directors on organizational fiscal, strategic, and operational planning.
• Monitors budget and program finances to ensure fiscal accountability; follows appropriate forecasting procedures and monitors cash flow for programmatic revenue and expenses.
• Works in partnership with Early Head Start Policy Council members to develop, review and approve policies & procedures, and funding applications.
• Attends monthly Policy Council meetings and oversees the preparation for PC meetings and Parent Committee meetings.
• Represents program in state and county policy and advisory bodies; recommends policy changes to sustain initiatives.
• Participates in Los Angeles Education Partnership organizational activities.
• Keeps current on local, state, and national education reform issues and activities.
• Handles other actions and procedures as necessary and/or as identified to achieve organizational and programmatic successes.

People Leader

• Maintain a climate that attracts, retains, and motivates top quality personnel.
• Recruit, train, appraise, supervise, support, develop, promote, and guide qualified personnel.
• Effectively enable staff so they can act on behalf of LAEP by:

· Transmitting the LAEP’s values, vision, and direction.

· Engaging people in the meaning of the organization.

· Respecting and using the skills, expertise, experience, and insights of people.

· Providing direction and resources, removing barriers, and helping develop people’s skills, articulating expectations and clarifying roles and relationships.

· Communicating which includes helping people transform information into knowledge and learning.

· Encouraging people to question organizational assumptions and ask strategic questions.

· Ensuring quality decision-making.

· Anticipating conflicts and facilitating resolution.

· Engaging people in process as well as tasks.

· Encouraging people use their power, practice their authority, and accept their responsibility.

· Modeling behavior; and

· Coaching people to success.

Other duties

Performs other duties as required.

QUALIFICATIONS (KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES)

• BA/BS in early childhood, education, psychology/sociology, or closely related field. Advanced degree preferred.
• 5+ years of Head Start, early childhood education or related experience.
• 5+ years of management experience.
• Experience managing large, complex education initiatives is highly valued.
• Have a thorough understanding of how LAEP initiatives and district, state, and federal policy impact work at the grassroots school-site level, as well as at the administrative and policy levels.
• Experience as a Director or Senior Manager in nonprofit sector is strongly preferred
• Excellent administration skills
• Ability to handle multiple, high-leverage partner relationships in execution of overall organization strategy
• Proficiency with MS Office, Google, and other data systems
• Background or experience with 501c3 organization
• Self-Starter – ability to learn quickly and be resourceful in finding answers to questions or problems you are not familiar with
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and strong organizational skills
• Commitment to beloved community, educational equity, and the mission of LAEP
• Cultural competence to work in a multicultural environment
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills; experience in effectively communicating key data, including presentations to senior management, board, or other outside partners
• Personal qualities of integrity, credibility, and unwavering commitment to mission
• Proven ability to handle multiple tasks in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment
• Ability to manage a team, coach, and direct staff