Assistant Director of Family and Community Engagement

Start Early is an energized, future-focused organization devoted to providing quality early learning and care across the country.

Our desire to close the opportunity gap and build more equitable early learning experiences for our youngest learners guides everything we do. As a leader in early learning and care, we scale our deep expertise across program, policy and research through partnerships across the country.

We are recruiting individuals who want to join us in this mission and share a commitment to our core values of appreciation & respect, empowerment, diversity, excellence, learning and communication.

Become part of our rewarding, mission-driven culture! We want our employees to feel empowered, motivated, energized, and passionate about the work they do!

The Assistant Director of Family and Community Engagement works under the direction of the Early/Head Start Network (EHSN) Deputy Director to provide leadership in planning, designing, implementing, and evaluating EHSN's ERSEA and Family and Community Engagement systems. The Assistant Director of ERSEA and Family and Community Engagement will assist the EHSN Deputy Director in operating in accordance with policies, procedures, and state licensing standards. Working alongside the other EHSN leadership, the Assistant Director of Family and Community Engagement will demonstrate leadership abilities by creating and maintaining positive practices for all the recipient programs.

Reporting to the Deputy Director, EHSN you will:

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Monitoring: Ensures adequate systems are in place to maintain the highest quality of services to children and families in compliance with Head Start Performance Standards. Creates systems that ensure EHSN full enrollment and a continuity of services to recipient families
• Operations:
• Assists the Deputy Director in establishing short- and long-term goals and objectives as well as internal structures, systems, and policies for Family and Community Engagement and ERSEA.
• Analyze ERSEA and Family Community Engagement data to evaluate the effectiveness of educational programs and adjust approaches to align with continuous improvement.
• Manages the implementation of the research-based Parents as Teachers curriculum, integrating it to support effective parental involvement in their children’s learning and development.
• Be the point of contact for all audits or other official inquiries about State funding family/child eligibility, payments, other contractual requirements, or related work.
• Process Improvement: Develops and Analyzes ERSEA and Family and Community Engagement data to evaluate the effectiveness of educational programs and adjust approaches to align with continuous improvement.
• Collaboration:
• Collaborates with the Assistant Director of Family and Community Engagement to ensure there are systems of the engagement of parents in their child’s learning.
• Develops strategy for professional development in partnership with Director of professions under approaches to directly operated, sub-recipient, and partner staff on ERSEA and Family and Community Engagement regulations, policies, and procedures.
• Coaching and Supervision:
• Works in cooperation with EHSN Managers to ensure the integration of service area delivery and provide a cohesive flow of integrated information for the recipient’s program.
• Leads in the supervision of three Family and Community Engagement Managers. Oversees managers' efforts in monitoring, identifying, and interpreting EHSN and community needs in conformance with the performance standards and other regulatory requirements.
• Sub-recipient liaison:
• Ensures consistency in service delivery across the directly operated, sub-recipients and partners with attention to quality practices and the integration of services areas.
• Acts as the primary liaison to 1-3 sub-recipients by assisting in program planning, identifying resources, assessing training needs, building organizational capacity, and monitoring program progress.
• Community engagement and governance:
• Analyzes ERSEA and Family and Community Engagement data to evaluate the effectiveness of educational programs and adjust approaches to align with continuous improvement.
• Reviews, updates, and submits written ERSEA and Family and Community Engagement service plans to the EHSN leadership team, staff, Policy Council, and the Board of Directors.
• Other duties and projects as assigned.
  
  

KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE, AND EDUCATION:

Education: Master's degree in Social Work, Family Studies, Human Development, or a related field.

Related Experience:

• At least 5 years of supervisory experience.
• Minimum of seven years of experience in a setting working with families and community organizations who have experienced poverty, crisis, trauma, and other adverse events.
• Required knowledge and experience in data collection and information processes and systems, along with the knowledge of early childhood regulations, policy, and procedure compliance.
• Excellent communication and problem-solving skills.
• Training development for small and large groups.
• Knowledge of Head Start Performance Standards and Head Start Act philosophy and mission.
• Strong analytical, organizational, communication (both written and verbal), interpersonal skills.
  
  

Training or Competency:

• Degree in Clinical Social Work or a Master's Degree in Family Administration Services or related areas.
• Ability to effectively communicate with community members and groups, managers, regulatory agencies, and families individually and in group settings.
• Ability to organize and successfully meet daily objectives, foster a team atmosphere, and possess conflict resolution skills.
• Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.
• Ability to supervise and manage staff effectively within the guidelines of the agency's Early/Head Start policies and mandates.
• Ability to assess and monitor staff's job performance to determine EHSN staff training needs and capabilities.
• Knowledge of software programs such as ChildPlus, MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other relevant applications.
  
  

Base Annual Salary: $103,575.00-$115,000.00

Grade: 18

As of the time of this posting, this is the expected base annual salary range. The base annual salary will be based on a wide range of factors, including skills, qualifications, experience, as well as business needs and limitations.

Our generous benefits plan includes:

Comprehensive Health Plans, Commitment to Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion, Holistic Wellness Program, Professional Development Program, 401k Contribution, Paid Volunteer Days, 6 months paid parental leave, and much more.

Start Early is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to our core values by creating an inclusive environment for all staff.