Director- Early Learning Services ECR Programs

Easterseals Head Start/Early Head Start provides high-quality, family-centered education for children birth to five years old. We collaborate with 40+ early childhood programs located in the city of Chicago and suburban Cook County to promote school readiness in young children of all abilities from families with incomes below poverty guidelines. Easterseals also directly operates two Early Learning Centers in Head Start/Early Head Start in Chicago and in Hickory Hills.

For more information about our organization, please visit us online at www.eastersealschicago.org.

The Director of ECR Programs for ELS provides expertise, oversight, training, and leadership to staff and to ELS programs in compliance with the Head Start Program Performance Standards and the Head Start Act with a focus on delivering high-quality services, maximizing enrollment, creating a people-focused culture, and allocating scarce resources effectively. This position oversees the budget of directly operated programs, ensuring that funds are fully used to achieve program goals and requirements, and ensures compliance of Easterseals' policies and procedures, laws, regulations, and contractual requirements. The role works with the ELS Team to develop and monitor systems for communication, reporting, record-keeping, and self-assessment, and works collaboratively with the ELS leadership team to recommend changes in procedures and to prepare reports for funding agencies and governing bodies.

This position is located at the Easterseals Early Learning Services Headquarters at 1939 W. 13th Street, Chicago 60608.

MAJOR FUNCTIONS/ACCOUNTABILITIES:

Planning and Program Services:

• Work collaboratively with the ELS Team to develop plans and implement systems to ensure consistent, high-quality services at all directly operated early learning programs in accordance with all Head Start Program Performance Standards and other funding sources.
• Work with the ELS Team and the ELS Leadership team to facilitate program planning.
• Work with the ELS Leadership to develop an annual training calendar for staff/sites.
• Work with the ELS Leadership to set program goals and outcome metrics in collaboration with Easterseals leadership, the Policy Council, and the Board.
• Participate in periodic agency leadership meetings.
• Support the development and implementation of an Enrollment and Recruitment Plan to ensure that all sites/programs achieve and maintain full enrollment.
• Collaborate with the Finance team and VP of ECS to develop and submit an annual budget to be incorporated into the overall ELS program budget and approved by the Policy Council and Board of Directors.
• Review the financial performance and metrics monthly to ensure that the program is operating within an acceptable variance of the approved budget.
• Work with the ELS Team to develop and implement the School Readiness Plan.
• Collaborate with the ELS Team to develop memoranda of understanding with Local Education Agencies and linkage agreements with community organizations.
• Establish, cultivate, and expand relationships with DFSS, ISBE, OHS, and other potential community partners and funding sources.
• Work with the ELS Team to facilitate the self-assessment process and strategic planning for the program.
• Facilitate the monthly analysis of monitoring data with the leadership team, provide recommendations, and ensure that data is used to guide planning.
• Collaborate with the ELS Leadership to develop and implement a system for supporting children with behavioral concerns, including behavior assessment and intervention.
• Coordinate with assigned managers to obtain approvals for policies and procedures, and plans from the appropriate governing groups.
• Assist in developing the strategic plan for the early learning program.
• Participate in agency committees as assigned.

Record Keeping, Reporting, and Communication:

• Work with the ELS Leadership to develop and implement systems to ensure that all information is entered into Child Plus and Teaching Strategies GOLD in a timely manner, including education, disabilities, mental health, family services, and health.
• Review periodic leadership reports, including updates about PIR information, trainings, sites, and CLASS scores and work collaboratively with the ELS leadership team to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Work with the ELS Leadership to present quarterly reports on child outcomes to the Policy Council and Board of Directors.
• Complete the annual Program Information Report (PIR)
• Travel to program/sites regularly to build relationships and assess the effectiveness of operations.
• Prepare monthly reports in accordance with the Head Start Act for the Policy Council and the Board of Directors.
• Prepare reports for funding agencies, including grant applications, slot reallocation requests, and scope of services.
• Collaborate with the ELS Leadership to prepare the annual report for the public in accordance with the Head Start Act.
• Prepare management reports detailing outcomes for the program, including business plan and strategic plan scorecards.

Ongoing Monitoring:

• Ensure all services are delivered in compliance with Head Start Program Performance Standards and in accordance with the Easterseals Partnership contract.
• Develop and monitor a system to track all program performance measures.
• Collaboratively develop and facilitate the implementation of a system for tracking non-compliances and developing and monitoring action plans.
• Work with the ELS Team to facilitate the development, implementation, and monitoring of systems for active supervision across all content areas to ensure the safety and consistent supervision of all children.
• Collaboratively design and ensure implementation of a system of ongoing monitoring for all sites and content areas, including unannounced visits, file reviews, and observations/assessments.
• Collaboratively design and facilitate the implementation of a system for reviewing, tracking, and reporting information on all content areas monthly.
• Collaboratively design and facilitate a system for ongoing review of Child Plus and the PIR to ensure information is accurate and complete, including monthly tracking and reporting.
• Review and approve reimbursements for sites, consultants, and other expenses.

Human Resources:

• Work with the ELS Leadership to implement reflective/ relationship-based practices.
• Recruit, hire, retain, and motivate/engage qualified staff in accordance with the Head Start Standards.
• Facilitate the development and maintenance of a training orientation plan for new staff.
• Coordinate with the HR Team to develop a system for tracking professional development for all staff.
• Develop a plan for training leadership staff on creating and tracking meaningful individualized professional development plans and work with HR to ensure that all staff have PD plans.
• Facilitate the organization of an annual professional development conference in collaboration with the ELS Leadership.
• Set clear, results-oriented goals with realistic, measurable outcomes for all programs and staff; provide regular coaching and consultations to assist the team in reaching goals.
• Conduct and document evaluations for all direct reports.
• Collaborate with HR to provide and document appropriate interventions for performance issues.
• Other duties as assigned.

Education/Certification:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education, Child Development, or related field.

Experience Required:

• 5 years of administrative or supervisory experience, including at least 3 years of Head Start supervisory experience.
• 7-10 years of experience in Head Start/Early Head Start.

Skills/Abilities:

• Ability to conceptualize and articulate program outcomes.
• Well organized, highly detail-oriented, and accuracy-driven.
• Excellent interpersonal, organizational, communication, and supervisory skills.
• Knowledge of potential partners and funding sources, pertinent regulatory bodies, procedures, rules, and regulations.
• Intermediate-level skills in all Microsoft Office products.
• Problem-solving abilities: The skill to analyze complex situations, identify underlying issues, and develop creative and pragmatic solutions to resolve conflicts effectively.
• Strength-based approach in working with all key stakeholders to establish collaborative goals, generate ideas, and implement solutions collaboratively.
• Conflict management techniques: Proficiency in a variety of conflict resolution methods, such as interest-based negotiation, principled negotiation, and integrative bargaining.

ADA: Easterseals will make reasonable accommodations in compliance with the Americans with Disability Act of 1990. Unless exempted by the Americans with Disabilities Act, all persons hired for this position are required to possess the ability to perform the physical tasks necessary to treat clients, i.e., bending, floor-sitting, etc., as well as to have the ability to lift up to 50 pounds frequently.

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