Director of Early Learning Programs

POSITION SUMMARY : Provides strategic leadership, operational direction, and fiscal oversight for the agency’s Head Start, Early Head Start, and other assigned early learning programs. Establishes and implements program priorities that advance the agency’s mission, respond to community needs, strengthen organizational performance, and support positive outcomes for children and families.

Directs program operations through supervisors, managers, and staff, fostering a collaborative, accountable, and high-performing organizational culture. Leads strategic planning, grant writing and administration, budget development and monitoring, and continuous quality improvement. Works collaboratively with the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), executive leadership, fiscal staff, Policy Council, Governing Board, and community partners to maintain program quality, fulfill applicable requirements, and promote long-term financial and operational sustainability.

Provides leadership for data-informed instructional improvement by overseeing progress monitoring, identifying weaknesses in classroom instruction, and aligning professional development, coaching, and technical assistance with identified needs. Holds program leaders accountable for monitoring implementation and evaluating the impact of these supports on teaching practices and child outcomes.

CORE COMPETENCIES: Strategic and Intentional Leadership; Grant Writing and Administration; Budget Development and Financial Analysis; Organizational Planning; Emotional Intelligence; Staff Development and Accountability; Community Partnerships; Shared Governance; Data-Informed Decision-Making; Communication; Innovation; Change Management; Continuous Quality Improvement

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS :

- Provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for Head Start, Early Head Start, and other assigned early learning programs, aligning services with the agency’s mission, community needs, and organizational priorities.

- Leads the development, implementation, and evaluation of short- and long-term strategic plans, translating priorities into measurable objectives, operational plans, timelines, and clearly assigned responsibilities.

- Uses community assessments, program data, family feedback, monitoring findings, and financial information to guide planning, resource allocation, and continuous improvement.

- Anticipates changes in funding, enrollment, workforce availability, community needs, and regulatory requirements; develops contingency plans and recommends strategies to maintain program quality and sustainability.

- Evaluates proposed program changes, service expansions, and partnerships for strategic alignment, operational feasibility, financial impact, and long-term sustainability.

- Directs program operations through supervisors, managers, and staff, establishing clear expectations and holding personnel accountable for service quality, compliance, and results.

- Model agency core values and promotes a collaborative, and accountable workplace culture in which employees feel informed, respected, supported, and connected to the mission.

- Recruits, supervises, coaches, and evaluates assigned staff; addresses performance concerns and develops leadership capacity through professional development, delegation, and succession planning.

- Ensures programs comply with applicable federal, state, and local requirements, Head Start Program Performance Standards, grant and contract conditions, and agency policies.

- Develops, implements, and periodically reviews program policies, procedures, and management systems to support consistent operations and effective internal controls.

- Oversees ongoing monitoring, community assessment, self-assessment, and continuous quality improvement; ensures identified deficiencies receive timely corrective action and follow-up.

- Leads systematic progress monitoring using classroom observations, child assessment results, instructional implementation data, and other relevant information to evaluate instructional quality and children’s progress.

- Collaborates with education manager, supervisors, and instructional coaches to identify classroom instructional strengths and weaknesses and prioritize improvement needs at the classroom, site, and program levels.

- Establishes measurable instructional improvement goals, implementation timelines, and follow-up expectations; monitors progress and directs adjustments when results do not meet established expectations.

- Aligns annual and ongoing professional development, individualized coaching, and technical assistance with instructional weaknesses identified through classroom observations, child progress data, staff assessments, and program reviews.

- Ensures training addresses specific instructional practices, includes opportunities for application and follow-up support, and is differentiated according to individual staff needs and program priorities.

- Evaluates training and coaching effectiveness through follow-up observations, evidence of changes in classroom practice, and review of children’s progress; holds instructional leaders accountable for supporting sustained improvement.

- Leads the identification and evaluation of funding opportunities that align with community needs, strategic priorities, organizational capacity, and financial sustainability.

- Leads the development, writing, and submission of grant applications, continuation applications, competitive proposals, supplemental funding requests, carryover funds, and amendments.

- Develops persuasive grant narratives, statements of need, measurable objectives, implementation plans, evaluation approaches, and supporting documentation in collaboration with relevant stakeholders.

- Coordinates grant development schedules, staff contributions, and required reviews and approvals, ensuring complete, accurate, and timely submissions and achievable program commitments.

- Collaborates with fiscal staff and program managers to prepare grant budgets and budget justifications that accurately reflect proposed activities, staffing, service delivery costs, and funding requirements.

- Oversees grant implementation and reporting, monitors progress toward funded objectives, coordinates required modifications and approvals, and maintains documentation supporting monitoring, audits, and future applications.

- Leads annual program budget development and multiyear financial planning in collaboration with fiscal staff, program managers, and executive leadership.

- Reviews financial reports, analyzes budget-to-actual variances, forecasts year-end results, and recommends corrective actions to maintain fiscal stability and fulfill program obligations.

- Evaluates the financial implications of staffing, compensation, enrollment, service models, contracts, and major purchases; recommends resource allocations that balance program quality, efficiency, and sustainability.

- Collaborates with fiscal staff to monitor allowable expenditures, funding restrictions, applicable matching or nonfederal share requirements, cost allocation, procurement practices, and adherence to approved budgets.

- Reviews contracts and agreements for programmatic alignment, financial impact, deliverables, and performance expectations; coordinates approvals and supports audits, fiscal reviews, and corrective action plans.

- Supports an effective Policy Council and collaborates with the Governing Board and executive leadership in carrying out their respective governance responsibilities, including review of policies, plans, budgets, and funding applications.

- Prepares and presents accurate, understandable programmatic and financial reports, communicating performance trends, instructional improvement progress, risks, resource needs, and recommendations to appropriate leadership and governance bodies.

- Develops and maintains effective relationships with funding agencies, community organizations, governmental entities, and other partners to strengthen services, coordinate resources, and advance program priorities.

- Represents the agency at public meetings, community events, early learning coalitions, and other relevant forums; coordinates program communications, public relations, and negotiations within delegated authority.

- Promotes meaningful parent and family engagement, advocates for children and families, and coordinates training and presentations for staff, parents, Policy Council members, Governing Board members, and community stakeholders.

- Reviews safety practices, incidents, and loss trends; directs appropriate corrective actions and follow-up to protect children, families, staff, and agency resources.

- Maintains confidentiality of child, family, employee, and agency information and ensures sensitive records and communications are handled in accordance with applicable requirements and agency policies.

- Uses and follows the policies/procedures of You Thrive Florida, Head Start, federal, state and local regulations/laws, and federal regulations/laws including the Head Start Performance Standards, applicable transmittal notices, and other administrative orders/directions.

NON-ESSENTIAL/SECONDARY FUNCTIONS :

Performs any additional duties as directed or assigned by supervisor, CEO, or other Executive level staff, as long as it doesn’t conflict with the CAO’s directives. This description is intended to convey information essential to understanding the scope of the position and is not intended to be an exhaustive list of skills, efforts, duties, responsibilities, or working conditions associated with the position.

Qualifications

JOB STANDARDS :

Education: Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in education, early childhood education, public administration, business administration, or related field. Master’s degree in like field preferred.

Experience: 3-5 years of progressively responsible experience in program administration and supervision or management; five or more years is preferred. Demonstrated experience developing and implementing program plans, supervising staff.  Experience in grant writing, including preparing narratives, coordinating application materials, developing budget justifications, and meeting submission deadlines. Experience developing and monitoring program budgets, analyzing financial reports, and recommending adjustments to maintain fiscal stability.  Experience administering grants or contracts and coordinating reporting, monitoring, and compliance activities.  Experience leading progress monitoring processes that use classroom observation findings, child assessment results, and other instructional data to identify weaknesses and guide improvement.  Experience developing, coordinating, and evaluating professional development, coaching, or technical assistance aligned with identified classroom instructional needs.

Preferred Qualifications:  Leadership experience in Head Start, Early Head Start, early childhood education, public school administration.  Experience managing programs supported by multiple funding sources. A record of successful grant submissions, renewals, or funding expansions. Experience working with governing boards, policy councils, funding agencies, and community partners. Experience leading strategic planning, organizational change, or measurable program improvement.

Licenses & Certifications: Valid Florida driver’s license and be insurable by Company’s current auto insurance policy.  Ability to satisfy applicable Federal, State, Local, and agency background screening and clearance requirements for work involving children.

OTHERS SKILLS, ABILITIES, & EXPERTISE :

Physical Requirements:   These physical demands are representative of the physical requirements necessary for an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the position.    Sitting, standing for long periods of time, use of fingers, arms, hands and legs and voice/talking are constant.  Good eyesight (correctable) and hearing (correctable) are essential.  Squatting, walking, handling, grasping, stretching/reaching, bending at the waist, driving and light lifting and/or carrying (up to 15lbs) are frequent.  Pushing, pulling, kneeling, balancing, turning, feeling, medium lifting and/or carrying (up to 30lbs) are occasional.

Equipment:  Computer, facsimile, copy machine, calculator, cell phone, multi-line phone and other small office and instructional equipment and vehicle.

Skills & Expertise: Ability to work with limited direction. Knowledge of available community resources.  Knowledge of budgeting and organizational methods.  Skills completing work with a high degree of accuracy.  Ability to evaluate programs and situations and make sound decisions in a crisis situation.  Ability to effectively communicate orally and in writing.  Ability to translate organizational priorities into actionable plans, measurable objectives, and accountable work assignments. Ability to assess operational challenges, evaluate alternatives, and make sound, timely decisions. Ability to lead organizational change while maintaining staff engagement and continuity of services. Ability to balance immediate operational needs with long-term program quality and financial sustainability. Strong persuasive, technical, and analytical writing skills. Ability to interpret funding announcements, application instructions, award conditions, and reporting requirements. Ability to develop coherent proposals that connect documented needs, proposed activities, measurable outcomes, and budget requests. Knowledge of program budgeting, financial forecasting, expenditure monitoring, and budget variance analysis. Ability to interpret financial reports and explain fiscal information to nonfinancial audiences. Knowledge of grant-related fiscal controls, procurement practices, contract administration, and cost allocation principles. Knowledge of applicable Head Start, early education, and child care requirements and operating practices. Ability to develop policies, procedures, and systems that support consistent implementation and accountability. Ability to exercise sound judgment, maintain confidentiality, and respond effectively to sensitive or urgent situations. Ability to analyze quantitative and qualitative information and prepare accurate management reports. Strong supervisory, interpersonal, public speaking, negotiation, and conflict-resolution skills. Ability to establish effective working relationships with staff, families, governance bodies, funders, and community partners. Proficiency with word processing, spreadsheets, presentation software, and relevant program management systems. Ability to interpret classroom observation findings and child progress data to identify instructional patterns, performance gaps, and professional development priorities. Ability to distinguish among training needs, implementation challenges, and other factors contributing to weaknesses in classroom instruction. Ability to translate monitoring findings into targeted training plans with measurable objectives, implementation expectations, and follow-up evaluation. Ability to provide constructive, evidence-based feedback and guide managers and instructional leaders in supporting sustained improvement in teaching practices.

ENVIRONMENTAL JOB FACTORS :

Job Location: Primary location is the Early Learning Program facilities in Hernando, Sumter and/or Volusia counties.  Occasional travel to other counties required.

Work Environment:   While performing the responsibilities of the position, these work environment characteristics are representative of the environment the employee will encounter.  Office environment and working with others frequently.  Working with office equipment is frequent.  Occasionally outdoors and operates a vehicle.