Senior Director, Program Management, Head Start (Arkansas) (M2)

Senior Director, Program Management, Head Start (Arkansas)

Position Title: Program Director
Employee Type: Full-Time/Regular
Supervisor Title: Deputy Executive Director, Head Start

Summary

Save the Children’s U.S. Programs (USP) division is committed to ensuring that all children in rural America have a healthy, strong foundation to thrive as learners and in life. Our goals are to increase kindergarten readiness and grade-level literacy and math proficiency for children in under-resourced rural communities. As the senior staff member on the state team, you will lead the development and execution of effective program, advocacy and resource development strategies. You will oversee Head Start business operations, partnership management, and serve as the primary external representative of SCUS Head Start’s work in the state.

The Program Director is the principal investigator of the Head Start/Early Head Start program and is responsible for its overall leadership and management. You will direct, administer and manage the day-to-day program operations. Your responsibilities will include direct and indirect staff supervision, budget and fiscal assets management, building, leading and managing team support and performance. You will lead all program options, including center-based and home-based services, as well as compliance with donor and Head Start policies and procedures.

What You’ll Be Doing

Increase kindergarten readiness in high-need rural communities (30%)

• Direct the mobilization of communities through partnerships and services to address other social and systemic barriers to achieving school readiness or proficiency outcomes.
• Monitors programs and services to guarantee they are implemented with excellence; ensuring partner needs are assessed annually, services are customized for the target population, training and technical assistance is effective and responsive, and improvements to program quality and data management are made, as needed.
• Accountable for achieving project deliverables, annual program goals, and long-term strategic objectives for the state as determined by SCUS Head Start and/or required by grants or donors.
• Utilize Parent, Family & Community Engagement Framework to enhance and coordinate program services. Use it to inform community partners about Head Start and Early Head Start parent and family engagement goals and the importance of those goals to children's school readiness and success in school and life.

Expand Save the Children’s reach, recognition and impact in the state (45%)

• Responsible for developing annual and long-term state strategies; conducting state-level analysis, defining opportunities and risks, facilitating integration of cross-functional supports, setting specific and measurable goals, and facilitating periodic reviews of achievements and performance.
• Educate and motivate key stakeholders to actively improve children’s education, health and wellbeing in the state; identifying partners, networks and coalitions to align contributions, scale best practices, and increase awareness and support of shared initiatives.
• Inform and execute resource development activities in partnership with division and agency fundraising teams; co-developing strategies for acquiring funds or gifts-in-kind, prospecting for opportunities, cultivating donor relationships, and supporting the development of proposals and reports.

Lead a high-performing team that operates with excellence (25%)

• Plan, monitor and manage overall state operations and projects from initiation through completion; overseeing project planning, state budgeting and spending, GIK processing and staff resourcing.
• Ensure all program activities are carried out in compliance with local, state and federal regulations and laws pertaining to programmatic operations.
• Responsible for overseeing the execution all business continuity and safety and security protocols for the state staff and programs including: identifying and characterizing potential risks, safeguarding facilities and assets, ensuring 100% completion of staff and partner trainings, supporting response and resolution of reported incidents, and routinely updating plans as required by SCUS.
• Ensure that Save the Children is safe for children by promoting awareness and prevention to mitigate the risk of, or actual, harm that may come to children by representatives across all programming, operations, campaigns, and activities.
• Protect the safety of children by ensuring implementation of active supervision techniques to ensure no child is left alone or unsupervised at any time.
• Serves as team lead for the state, responsible for establishing a healthy workplace culture and setting the team pace and direction; promoting st