Chief Executive Officer

THE OPPORTUNITY

• Are you passionate about shaping early childhood education and quality child care policies and practices in Ohio as a CEO?
• Are you driven to create meaningful change in child care and build strong communities with child care at their core?
• Are you excited about the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on families and children by helping overcome barriers to employment?

ABOUT THE COMPANY

• Vision: That all children have a quality early learning experience, enter school ready to succeed, and reach their full potential.
• Mission: To educate and support the adults who care for young children and advocate for public support for quality early education and care for all children.
• Conviction: That the best way to impact young children is to educate and support the adults who care for them.

4C for Children was founded in 1972 in Cincinnati, Ohio, by a coalition of agencies and funders with the purpose of coordinating, planning, and advocating for quality child care for working families. Subsequently, 4C for Children has built its services to families along with a concentration on improving the quality of early learning and care for all children. Today, 4C for Children is the state-designated child care resource and referral agency for a 15-county area that includes Southwest Ohio (five counties with a regional office in Cincinnati) and the Miami Valley (10 counties, with regional office in Dayton). 4C for Children continues to be a hub for families searching for quality child care. They are also the largest local provider of training and technical assistance for child care providers in the region. More than 100,000 children in our community are impacted every year through our delivery of support and resources to families and child care providers.

WHAT YOU’LL BE DOING

The Chief Executive Officer provides leadership for all aspects of 4C for Children’s operations with an emphasis on long-term strategic goals, carrying out the agency’s mission, and overseeing the agency’s finances.

• Lead the agency’s vision and strategy to achieve its mission and goals
• Foster strong relationships with stakeholders, including board members, staff, providers, funders, government agencies, and community partners
• Develop effective plans, tools, and innovations with senior program leadership, that ensure the organization is meeting the needs of the community and achieves its metrics
• Collaborate with state-wide peer organizations to develop and participate in the leadership of statewide policy advocacy and child care resource and referral (CCR&R) system work
• Lead and develop a balanced team to drive the agency’s mission forward in new and innovative ways while developing staff to achieve professional goals
• Oversee the agency’s finances, budgeting, and resource allocation to ensure fiscal responsibility and sustainability and program effectiveness
• Build, strengthen, and expand partnerships and funding streams among federal, state, and local early childhood education providers, professionals, stakeholders, and advocates
• Generate and steward donor and private funding relationships
• Responsible for reviewing and evaluating the results of program activities, ensuring that all contractual obligations are being fulfilled
• Serve as the agency’s principal representative and spokesperson
• Promote a positive work environment that fosters passion for the mission, upholds the agency’s core values, and encourages open and frequent communication, teamwork, and employee engagement

IDEAL CANDIDATE QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s degree required, master’s degree preferred
• Minimum of 10 years of proven organizational senior leadership required
• Proven experience in P&L management, handling complex budgets, and strong financial acumen
• Knowledge of Early Childhood practices or social services provision preferred but not required.
• Proven ability to build, develop, and strengthen high-performing and mission-driven teams
• Proven experience in developing and engaging boards and committees to drive organizational success

KEY PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES

4C for Children’s ideal candidate is an agile, dynamic, personable leader with a proven ability to engage with communities, build strategic partnerships, and drive innovative solutions while representing the organization and fostering meaningful relationships.

• Dynamic public presence with the ability to represent the organization and actively engage in community events.
• Personable, adaptable, and approachable servant leader with a balanced leadership style
• Strategic partnership builder with strong community connections to elevate the organization
• Innovative and creative problem solver with a strategic mindset
• Committed to supporting 4C as they strive to create a welcoming workplace that reflects the early childhood programs and families they serve and where everyone feels valued for their uniqueness, recognized for their talents, and comfortable bringing their authentic selves to work.

THE PAYOFF

This is the opportunity to create the next chapter for 4C. You will join an organization where you can rely on streamlined systems, processes, and professional approaches while strategically moving the organization forward. This enables the organization to pursue a vision of a community where all children have quality early learning experience, enter school ready to succeed, and reach their full potential.

OUR COMMITMENT TO CANDIDATES

Gilman Partners is committed to strengthening leadership teams and elevating talent in our communities—and that means all qualified applicants will receive consideration. You do not have to meet every qualification in this job description to apply. If you’re drawn to the position and believe your experience makes you a good fit, we encourage you to reach out.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

4C is governed by a Board of Trustees and will be led by the President/CEO. There are five direct reports and over 80 employees total. A new strategic plan for the agency was adopted by the Board in 2024.