Jefferson Center Manager- Internal Applicants Only

Position Summary:  
The Center Manager provides leadership and supervision of Head Start/Early Head Start and ECEAP site activities for Jefferson, East Valley and Fairview Center locations; direct reports include the Assistant Center Manager, Education Coach and all teaching staff. This person will implement and monitor all content work plans in conjunction with team members, ensuring that work is done in accordance with Head Start and ECEAP Performance Standards, USDA requirements, state licensing requirements and agency policies and procedures.

Benefits: 
•    Medical/Dental/ Vision Plans
•    Sick Leave (5 hours per payroll)
•    Annual Leave (accruals may vary dependent on length of service)
•    11 Paid Holidays
•    Employee Assistance Program
•    Basic Life Insurance
•    403 B (Employer match after 1 year or 1,000 hours)
•    As an employee of an Early Learning Non-Profit organization, you may be eligible for student loan forgiveness and childcare subsidy benefits. Additional information will be provided upon hire.
•    EPIC Educational Scholarship opportunities towards degrees in Early Childhood or related field

Essential Job Functions:
1.    Ensure that EPIC’s early childhood programs are operating at a high level of quality at all times so that children’s welfare, safety and school readiness are of primary focus.
2.    Be committed to promoting and maintaining a strong focus on safety within our centers, playgrounds, buses, and any setting where children are present. Be familiar with and actively encourage EPIC’s “Speak Up, Speak Out” approach.
3.    Collaborate with key community partners including, school districts, Department of Children Youth and Families (DCYF), health agencies and others.
4.    Provide overall leadership and supervision of Jefferson, Fairview and the East Valley site, assuring full implementation of the work plan and compliance to agency policies and procedures, state licensing requirements, ECEAP and Head Start/ USDA requirements. Model professional behavior, open communication and effective conflict resolutions skills.
5.    Maintain safe and sanitary facilities by ensuring that facilities are staffed with adequate and qualified employees, staff-to-child ratios are maintained at all times, child abuse and neglect policies are enforced and staff are trained to child supervision guidelines and licensing requirements.   
6.    Involve parents in all aspects of the program by recruiting parents as volunteers, encouraging staff to involve parents in the classroom, empowering parents to serve on Policy Council, center committees, interview panels, and supporting parents in performing center activities such as self-assessment tasks.
7.    Serve as the Instructional Leader for HS/EHS and ECEAP classrooms in the following manner:
•    In collaboration with the Content team, lead educational staff through implementation of curriculum, instruction and assessment and support education staff to reach (and exceed) standards of high quality education services, in collaboration with the Head Start Content team,. 
•    Participate in Instructional and Professional Leadership development activities and support instructional leadership within education teams at the center. 
•    Commit to and engage in Head Start’s vision for high quality educational, family support and health services. 
•    Support staff to analyze and use data to inform program decisions. 
•    Partner with instructional leaders from LEA’s to support transition, provision of special services and to become familiar with Kindergarten readiness expectations. 
•    Provide regular classroom and program support for implementation of instructional strategies, curriculum and child outcomes. 
•    Review and approve lesson plans to assure alignment and compliance with program standards. 
•    Maintain and track documentation of educational supports using Seedlings protocols and tracking system.

8.    Ensure that proper reporting procedures, tracking and documentation for Child Abuse and Neglect are followed as required by agency policy, state law and Head Start requirements.  This includes instances of unprofessional behavior, child abuse and neglect, failure to supervise and other policy violations involving staff.  
9.    Provide leadership and facilitate sites’ work in meeting the in-kind requirement by proactively seeking out in-kind opportunities, managing the in-kind documentation and implementing the volunteer program.  
10.    Provide leadership in organizing and facilitating site-based staff meetings, parent meetings, Socializations, Family Nights and all other center activities as required.  Actively participate in agency management meetings and Policy Council.  Serve on other relevant community committees, boards, etc. as approved by supervisor.  
11.    Supervise and support applicable direct reports by conducting regular meetings and performance evaluations in accordance with established guidance.  Conduct scheduled and unannounced visits to work areas, classrooms, play areas and center activities.
12.    Assure that all reports, records and data are maintained and submitted accurately and timely; proactively addressing and resolving concerns as they emerge. 
13.    Perform classroom and other center duties, as a priority, when needed.
14.    Implement agency’s plan for ongoing program monitoring and self-assessment activities, to determine program trends or issues and strategize to ensure completion of follow-up.
15.    Over-see sites’ accounting functions, monitor expenses and control spending to ensure expenses are within budgeted amounts.
16.    Assure that all reports, records and data from the sites are maintained and submitted accurately; proactively addressing and resolving concerns as they emerge.  
17.    Complete additional tasks and projects that are assigned by the Head Start Director.
18.    Assist the Human Resources Department in the sites’ personnel management functions to include the selection, placement, orientation and discipline of staff as required by the Human Resources Department. 
19.    Promote the professional growth and development of all staff by encouraging higher education and holding staff accountable to education requirements for their position. Facilitate the support of staff through on-going coaching and the agency training plan.

Other Job Functions:
•    Articulate EPIC’s mission, values and policies to staff and clients; demonstrate commitment to mission, values and policies in the performance of daily duties.
•    Adhere to the values that reflect the working culture at EPIC; honoring and modeling these values as duties are carried out on a daily basis.
•    Communicate effectively by sharing concerns openly and honestly with appropriate staff members.  Observe confidentiality in all dealings related to program, staff and families.

Working Conditions/Physical/Mental Abilities and Processes:
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions.
•    Duties are performed primarily in an office setting. 
•    Work requires long periods of sitting or standing.
•    Work requires walking, stooping, kneeling, light lifting, speaking, hearing, seeing and the ability to articulate clearly; use of hands to finger, bending and reaching.
•    Ability to feel or operate objects and equipment; reach with hands and arms.
•    Ability to work with personal computer for long periods of time.
•    Frequent travel to and from site within geographic service area.

Additional Skills and Conditions:
•    Excellent people skills.
•    Sound and mature judgment.
•    Work positively in a team setting.
•    Demonstrate creativity, hard work, and be willing to try new approaches.
•    Proficiency in computers, including MS Word, and MS Excel.
•    Excellent communication skills and attention to detail.
•    Excellent organizational skills and ability to effectively manage workloads and meet deadlines.
•    Ability to deal effectively and positively with staff, students and the public.
•    Other duties as assigned.

Equipment Operated:
Personal computer, telephone, copy and fax machines

Other Conditions of Employment:
1.    Prior to employment, complete a pre-employment drug screen, Tb skin test by an EPIC approved healthcare provider at no cost to the employee. 
2.    Pre-employment basic physical by an EPIC healthcare provider (obtain within (30) days of employment and no cost to the employee). 
3.    Must pass an initial and periodic background check through the Washington State Department of Children, Youth & Families (DCYF).
4.    Provide proof of MMR vaccination and/ or resistance to Measles, Mumps & Rubella. 
5.    Complete Child Abuse and Neglect training and all other mandated training.
6.    CEO Approval.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:
•    BA in Early Childhood, Human Services or related management field OR equivalent combination of experience and/or training in Early Childhood which demonstrates the required knowledge, skills and abilities.
•    Meet the State of Washington minimum licensing requirements for a center director.
•    At least three years of demonstrated experience working in a Head Start/Migrant Head Start, childcare or other comparable programs in a leadership position.
•    Demonstrated, successful experience in direct supervision of staff.
•    Demonstrated, successful experience working with budgets. 
•    Ability to work with minimal direction from supervisor.  
•    Experience with low-income families preferred.
•    Bilingual/Bicultural (English/Spanish) preferred.
•    Ability to effectively manage change and prioritize multiple demands.
•    Willingness and ability to travel alone to all of EPIC's sites and to conferences and meetings outside of EPIC's service area.
•    Valid Washington State Driver’s License, own transportation and required auto insurance.