Early Childhood Education Program Manager

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Section I: Position Details

Job Opening Date: April 7, 2025

Job Status: This position is full-time. HRDC also has a "Wellness Hours Policy" which encourages full-time staff to use up to 4 paid hours weekly to work on their wellness.

Salary: $70,000 annually

Section II – Description of Duties Performed

General Summary of Purpose of this Position:

The Program Manager for the ECE Head Start Program works under the direct supervision of the Early Childhood Education (ECE) Director. This position plays a key role in ensuring the smooth operation and compliance of the Head Start program. The Program Manager is responsible for compliance with Head Start program requirements including In Kind donations, State of Montana licensing, CACFP, governmental and legislative requirements. This role also involves coordination of enrollment and recruitment processes for eligible families and students and maintaining accurate records. The Program Manager is responsible for overseeing the coordination, collection, and reporting of departmental data. They contribute to both agency-wide initiatives and program-specific implementations and efforts. Additionally, the Program Manager may take on other duties as assigned.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Compliance (30%)

• Oversees the licensing process with the State of Montana, ensuring all required documentation for facilities and staff.
• Leads efforts related to the tracking, calculation, documentation, and reporting of Non-Federal Share (In-Kind) requirements.
• Monitors ongoing compliance with Head Start Performance Standards (HSPPS) and other relevant grant requirements.
• Oversees compliance with the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) and Best Beginnings Scholarship Program and submits monthly reimbursement claims.
• Works with the Director and Education Manager to oversee data management for the Head Start Program, ensuring accurate data entry, compliance, reporting, and addressing training needs.
• Develops systems to ensure ongoing quality assurance and monitoring across compliance areas listed above.
• Oversees programmatic needs, including facilities, IT, etc. to ensure program outcomes and alignment with state and federal regulations.

2. Program Support (25%)

• Prepares various reports, data, and program updates, and compiles information for the ECE Director as needed.
• Manages and monitors online data entry system (Child Plus) ensuring staff compliance and efficient use.
• Assists with contractual agreements and ensures proper documentation.
• Maintains and periodically updates policies and procedures.
• Interacts and communicates with parents, staff and other professionals through oral or written directives.
• Supports HRDC’s mission by participating in managers meetings, community needs assessment, strategic planning, facilitating cross program utilization.
• Acts as the primary point of contact for incoming calls, directing them to the appropriate personnel or programs as needed.
• Supports program events and efforts to enhance program outcomes.

3. Staff Supervision & Development (20%)

• Oversees Family Case Manager and Health & Nutrition activities.
• Participates in the hiring of necessary staff and provides training specific to individual responsibilities.
• Assists in the recruitment and training of volunteers.
• Creates a culture of mentoring and coaching to enhance professional growth and teamwork.
• Works with relevant staff and self to coordinate training and provide opportunities for professional development.

4. Eligibility, Recruitment, Selection, Enrollment, Attendance (20%)

• Leads and manages program activities related to eligibility, recruitment, selection, enrollment, and attendance, ensuring that Head Start requirements are met and properly documented.
• Develops and maintains relationships with community partners to support enrollment efforts and serve as a program representative.
• Leads recruitment efforts through a variety of channels, including social media, website updates, and community outreach.
• Support school district partnerships in meeting Head Start performance standards.

5. Policy Council & Reporting (5%)

• Coordinates and organizes Policy Council, including parent and community elections, training, preparation of the monthly meeting agendas, and recording of the meeting minutes.
• Serves as main contact point with questions or concerns about the Council.
• Maintains records of attendance, participation, and voting.

Knowledge Skills and Abilities:

Language Skills:

• Ability to read, interpret governmental regulations, rules, and procedure manuals.
• Ability to write general business documents or technical procedures.
• Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.

Mathematical Skills:

• Add, subtract, multiply, and divide simple numbers.
• Handle small amounts of cash.
• Calculate figures and amounts applying concepts of basic algebra.

Reasoning Ability:

• Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.
• Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.
• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.

Computer Skills:

• Words per minute computer keyboard required : Demonstrate proficiency.
• 10-Key strokes per minute data entry required: Demonstrate proficiency.

Specialized Office Equipment:

• Operate fax machine to send or receive documents.
• Operate copier/ scanner/printer to capture text or graphics and save, print and import them in application program for further use.
• Operate 10-key calculator to add, subtract, divide or multiply numbers.
• Operate internet based phone system to place, receive or transfer calls or to retrieve voicemail messages.
• Other (Specify): postage machine.

Computer Software and Operating Systems:

• Utilize computer spreadsheet (Excel, Google Sheets) to input, format and edit data and save, print, or transmit data.
• Utilize computer word processing (Word, Google Docs) to input, format and edit documents and save, print, or transmit documents.
• Utilize computer databases to create data files, forms, input, format and edit data and save, print, or transmit data.
• Utilize computer (Google) internet/ e-mail to access, send, retrieve, save, print or transmit documents, or data files.
• Knowledge of computer desktop publishing tools such as Canva and Adobe for creating, formatting, saving, printing, or transmitting documents, brochures, or related materials is helpful but not required.
• Operate personal computer with Windows operating system to start programs, input, format and edit data files and print or transmit data.
• Utilizes proprietary, custom, or online programs and databases (e.g., Adobe Pro, Adobe Sign) to edit, format, input, save, print, or transmit data.
• Specify Software:Child Plus, Teaching Strategies, and other programs.

HRDC, professional or Governmental Policies and Regulations:

• State or Federal Regulations or Laws (List by Name): Head Start Program policies, regulations and Performance Standards; State of Montana Child Care Licensing Standards, Child & Adult Care Food Program Standards, State Child Abuse/Neglect Reporting Requirements, STARS 2 Quality/QRIS.
• Agency Policies or Procedures (List by Name): HRDC Head Start and Early Head Start Policies and Procedures; Fiscal Policy & Procedure; Organizational Bylaws

Drivers Licenses Required for Performing this Position:

• Montana Driver License Class D and appropriate insurance.

Professional Licenses or Certifications Required by Law, Rule or Regulation for Performing this Position:

• Child & Infant CPR, First Aid, AED
• Incumbents must pass a physical exam which results in a letter stating the person is free of communicable diseases by employment date.
• TB Risk assessment yearly; Tetanus vaccination every 10 years, proof of MMR immunity.
• Satisfactory results from criminal records checks as required by Head Start Program Performance Standards and State of Montana Child Care Licensing.

Other Required Knowledge, Skills or Abilities:

• Ability to effectively work and communicate with a wide range of individuals from all socio-economic groups.
• Ability to read, interpret, and implement documents such as governmental regulations, rules, and procedure manuals.
• Ability to work with minimal supervision and effectively manage workflow.
• Ability to respond effectively to the most sensitive inquiries or complaints from children or parents.
• Ability to effectively supervise and train employees.
• Ability to present self and organization in a positive professional manner.

Essential Physical, Mental and Emotional Requirements of this position:
The following physical, mental and emotional abilities are considered essential to perform the duties listed above:

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; talk and hear.
• The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds, frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds, and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.
• The incumbent must be able to perform multiple tasks simultaneously, must be able to work under time and/or deadline pressures.

Education and Experience:
Education: The following course(s) of study or class work usually provides the required knowledge skills and abilities to perform the duties of this position:

• Bachelor’s degree from a four year College or university required, preferably related to social services, health or human services.
• Must be willing to obtain an appropriate credential within a specified time frame, as determined by program guidelines and regulations.

Experience: The following kinds of experience usually provide the required knowledge skills and abilities to perform the duties of this position:

• At least three years of experience in this field required.
• More than five years of experience in this field is preferred.
• Demonstrated experience that involved strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Experience working with people from diverse socio-economic, educational, and experiential backgrounds preferred.

Section III – Supervision
This position supervises the following position(s):

• Head Start Family Case Managers, Health and Nutrition Coordinator.

Supervision Received:

• This position operates under direct supervision of the ECE Director.
• This position operates under broadly stated policies, goals, objectives, and principles.
• The incumbent’s work is primarily assigned by daily workflow and operations.
• The incumbent is authorized to make decisions as to the timing and sequence of work and the work is performed according to established policies and procedures and/or within applicable laws, rules and regulations governing the tasks being performed.

Section IV – Decisions
Impact of Decisions and Errors Made by Position:

• Decisions, final recommendations and/or errors affect all employees and clients of established agency program and continuation of existing agency program.

Judgment Required to make decisions:

• Requires judgment from time to time in the application of broader aspects of established practices to problems and situations not falling clearly or concisely within the limitations of accepted standards or precedents. Requires considerable judgment in applying factual background and fundamental principles to the development of approaches and techniques for the solution of problems.

Exception Authority:

• This position can authorize exceptions to program policy or procedure.

Section V - Financial Responsibility
This position is accountable for the following company money, funds, and budgets:

• Assists ECE Director with the program budget.
• Assists with the monitored expenditures and revenue for the program.
• Processes In-Kind donations as per program requirements.

This position is authorized to sign the following documents and forms:

• Approved FE and claim forms.

Section VI - Personal Contacts
The incumbent is responsible for the following personal contacts (either in oral or written form) when performing the duties and responsibilities of the position:

• Daily interaction with the public.
• Interacts with program managers, executives, HRDC boards and/or committees on a daily basis.
• Interacts with representatives of other service providers several times per month.
• Interacts with funding agencies to provide information or exchange facts.
• Represents programs or HRDC in negotiations with funding agencies.
• Interacts with governmental compliance or auditors to provide information or exchange facts.
• Represents programs or HRDC in negotiations with governmental compliance or auditors.

Confidentiality:

• The incumbent has full and complete access to Early Childhood Education department reports, records and client files and to some agency data where utmost judgment is required.

Section VII - Working Conditions
The incumbent is exposed to the following unusual, potentially hazardous or unpleasant working conditions:

• Primarily works in a temperature controlled office environment.
• Weekly or more frequent operation of a motor vehicle under all weather conditions.
• Weekly or more frequent exposure to angry or violent parents or volunteers.
• Ability to attend training and meetings requiring overnight travel.
• Availability to periodically work after normal business hours and some weekends
• Availability to be on-call for emergencies.