Vice President of Early Childhood

Easterseals offers a unique opportunity for a highly motivated and accomplished professional to join its team as Vice President, Early Education (VP). The VP will ensure Easterseals' Early Education (EE) Programs are strategically sound, high quality, safe, and financially sustainable and that the programs grow to meet emerging community needs. Easterseals' EE Programs currently encompass 7 Early Childhood Education Centers (4 Child Development Centers (CDCs) and 3 Head Start / Early Head Start (HS) programs).

The successful candidate will be a strategic leader with strong communication, project management, team development, and operations/finance skills, as well as the ability to prioritize multiple projects to deliver successful outcomes while maintaining an appropriate work-life balance. Deep experience in early education including program design, evaluation, and quality as well as Head Start program management, monitoring, and reporting are all critical for the role.

Overview of Easterseals DC MD VA

Easterseals is leading the way to full equity, inclusion, and access through direct and life-changing services that enhance quality of life and expand access to healthcare, education, and employment. And we won't rest until each one of us is valued, respected, and accepted. To help each child reach full potential, we provide personalized child development, Head Start, and early intervention services. To improve health and reduce isolation in adults with disabilities, we offer engaging activities and expansive resources. To enable military families to integrate into the community, we provide a suite of services, including employment support and mental healthcare. And to sustain families and caregivers, we provide comprehensive services and supports.

Easterseals DC MD VA (www.eseal.org) is the affiliate serving Washington DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia. We deliver exceptional services through a network of 10 sites and in-home care, providing Adult Medical Day Care, Early Child Development and Education (including Head Start), Therapy, Respite, Behavioral Health Care, and Workforce Development services. Through these programs, participants and their families find support, hope, medical care, and enjoyable activities. Our programs also emphasize the unique needs of veterans, active-duty military, and their families. We are an independent 501(c)3 with a local board of directors focused on focused on creating a hopeful, inclusive community where all individuals realize their potential and live meaningful lives.

Our dedicated staff of approximately 300 professionals includes specialists in education, therapy, senior services, social work, assistive technology, nursing, and related professions. As part of the Easterseals international network, we draw on the resources of almost 25,000 professionals to stay at the cutting edge of service delivery.

Position Summary

The VP will lead all Early Childhood Education Centers, including current Head Start/Early Head Start programs and other Child Development Centers as well as growing the number of centers to meet increasing community need. The VP will provide strategic and day-to-day operational oversight and be expected to build the capabilities of each team to achieve exceptional quality, program growth, and financial sustainability.

• Managing the Senior Director of Child Development, the Senior Director of EHS/HS, and the HS/EHS Finance and Evaluation teams.
• Ensuring that programs are managed effectively to the highest quality levels (including complying with regulations and ensuring all centers achieve / retain accreditation and the highest jurisdictional quality ratings), full census, and meet or exceed budget.
• Managing center and program expansion efforts to ensure that they are appropriate and effective.
• Collaborating with the finance team around fiscal-related matters, while assuming ownership of the prudent fiscal management of the entire portfolio of Children's programs
• Ensuring effective program evaluation and continuous quality/outcome improvement.
• Collaborating closely with HR on best place to work initiatives such as apprenticeships, training, and recognition programs.
• Contributing to fundraising, reporting, program content creation, and marketing-related efforts to ensure the centers operate at capacity, are widely known for exceptional quality, and generate appropriate contribution toward organizational overhead.

Duties/Responsibilities

• Establish, implement, and communicate the strategic direction of the centers with guidance and/or input from internal and external stakeholders.
• Maintain oversight and provide guidance to leaders around financial management, facilities, and other operational matters.
• Coordinate annual budget planning, execution and monthly monitoring of financial performance for each individual program in adherence to the guidelines and protocols established by the Chief Financial Officer.
• Collaborate with senior leadership to develop and meet organizational goals while supplying expertise and guidance on operations, projects, and systems.
• Collaborate with other teams to carry out the organization's goals and objectives.
• Identify, recommend, and implement new processes, technologies, and systems to improve and streamline processes and use of resources and materials for the centers.
• Ensure that decisions and project plans such as those for staffing, development, organization, material efficiency, hardware acquisitions, and facilities for the centers are in line with the organization's business plan and vision.
• Establish, communicate, and implement operations-related policies, practices, standards, and security measures to ensure effective and consistent support and execution.
• Review and approve cost-control reports, cost estimates, and staffing requirements for projects.
• Present periodic performance reports and metrics to senior leadership and others as appropriate.
• Identify training needs and ensure proper training is developed and provided.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Critical Competencies for Success

• Exceptional Communicator: Demonstrated success establishing relationships with customers, members of the community, the Board, and team members at all levels of an organization.
• Team Builder: Demonstrated ability to leverage the strengths of diverse teams (both internal and external), coach, mentor, and hold team accountable to achieve results.
• Exceptional Project Manager: Ability to manage multiple projects and activities on time and on budget.
• Strategic Thinking: Proven capacity to listen actively and synthesize multiple pieces of disparate information into a coherent vision that aligns with the organization's strategy and move it to successful operationalization.
• Financial Acumen: Proven ability to analyze financial performance and drive improvement, ability to oversee creation of budgets and monitor performance to budget and make changes as needed to enhance performance.
• Multitasker: Ability to juggle multiple opportunities to drive results on several important projects simultaneously.
• Ability to Succeed in a Not-for-Profit Environment: Demonstrated experience working successfully within a highly collaborative and collegial organization. Comfort rolling up one's sleeves and engaging in day-to-day operations. Passion for and commitment to Easterseals DC MD VA's mission.
• Political Savvy: Can maneuver through complex situations effectively. Plans appropriately to seize potential opportunities and avoid potential conflicts in service of realizing overarching goals.

The VP must also share these Core Values, which are an integral component of our success:

• Respect: We respect each other. We value the uniqueness and dignity of everyone and appreciate the strength of diversity and inclusion.
• Responsibility: We share a sense of responsibility for doing things right, being good stewards, and being accountable for our actions.
• Integrity: We conduct business ethically, with a commitment to moral integrity and we expect people to hold a high moral standard. We communicate openly, honestly, and directly.
• Innovation: We embrace new ideas, take measured risks, and find better ways to help more people.
• Care: We show compassion for others and continue to live our mission each day.

Required Skills and Abilities

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong supervisory and leadership skills.
• Extensive knowledge of the principles, procedures, and best practices in the industry.
• Strong financial skills.
• Highly collaborative, reliable, and accountable.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite or related software.

Education and Experience

• Education: Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree ideal.
• Significant experience in Head Start required; other Early Childhood Education experience ideal
• A minimum of 10 years of experience managing staff, programs, and projects (from program design to financial management, compliance, and reporting), including a minimum of three years in upper management required.
• Demonstrated experience in financial management.
• Experience working with diverse audiences with and without disabilities including adults, children, families, and communities from various backgrounds.
• Excellent organization, written, and oral communication skills; ability to digest and distill complex subjects into clear messages.
• Ability to multitask and respond to multiple and/or competing priorities.

Physical Requirements

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Willingness and capacity to travel across the region.
• Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times.

Easterseals policy is to provide equal employment opportunity to all qualified applicants and employees regardless of their race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, genetic information, veteran status, status as a special disabled veteran, or any other protected criteria as established by federal, state, or local laws. This policy applies to recruitment and hiring, training, promotion, compensation, benefits, transfer, layoff, termination and all other terms and conditions of employment. Employment decisions at Easterseals are based solely upon relevant criteria, including an individual's capabilities, qualifications, training, experience and suitability.