Kids on Campus Partnership Director

Job Title:                        Kids on Campus Partnership Director

Unit	Center for Effective Practice
Reports to:	Senior Director of Data
Origination Date	November 21, 2023
Location	Our offices are located in Alexandria, VA. This is a remote position, but candidates in the local area are preferred.
FLSA Status	Exempt

 

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THE PROCESS

Please submit your cover letter and résumé in one PDF document to jobs@nhsa.org with Kids on Campus Partnership Director in the subject line.

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THE OPPORTUNITY

The opportunity to succeed in school and in life, regardless of circumstances at birth, is a core American value. For the past six decades, the Head Start community has embraced the challenge of delivering on that value and changing life trajectories for the nation’s most vulnerable children and families. A strong and sustainable future for Head Start will mean the success of generations of children who may otherwise struggle throughout their lives. Their future success rests on the knowledge, commitment, and collaboration of families, programs, researchers, and policymakers.

This role is specific to the Kids on Campus project, a joint effort between the Association of Community College Trustees and NHSA to bring early learning classrooms onto community college campuses. The Kids on Campus Partnership Director will provide day-to-day management of the project and will be responsible for driving the regular matchmaking of potential partners, including evaluating screening results, making introductions between partners, and on-going support for partnership development and negotiations. The Director will also be responsible for a range of activities ensuring NHSA and its partners meet timelines for deliverables for the assigned projects, ensure quality control of deliverables, and resolve barriers and issues in project implementation. Additional duties may be assigned to support the mission of NHSA.

This is a grant-funded position through December 31, 2029, with the possibility to extend.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead the matchmaking and partnership negotiation/development effort between community colleges and Head Start programs, including:
  • Reviewing screener results, rank-prioritizing for recommended level of support, and working with organizations to develop Partnership Readiness Reports;
  • Identifying potential matches and making initial introductions; and
  • Providing guidance and technical assistance for on-going development of partnership and negotiations, including planning support for meetings, resource provision, monthly progress check-ins, and on-call technical assistance as needed.
• Develop resources to support the project, including:
  • Updating and enhancing the Kids on Campus User Guide,
  • Creating and updating planning support materials (eg. sample meeting agendas and schedules), and
  • Developing webinars, podcasts, online training modules, and other resources as necessary.
• Provide project management, including:
  • Developing and managing detailed project schedules and work plans,
  • Convening and facilitating meetings with grant/project partners,
  • Monitoring progress toward achieving project goals and objectives and relevant grant budget categories,
  • Assigning and supervising work activities of grant partners to ensure quality and timeliness of work products, and
  • Supporting management of grant/project activities.
• Travel for various purposes, including:
  • Visiting up to 3 sites/year to support partnerships in need of intervention, and
  • Attending up to 6 conferences annually to promote and present the Kids on Campus project.
• Additional duties for the project, as needed, including:
  • Working with evaluator to facilitate data collection,
  • Coordinating stipend payments for partnerships, and
  • Promoting the project regularly in national media.
• Support NHSA’s broader activities and perform other duties as assigned.

REQUIREMENTS

• Minimum of Bachelor’s degree, Master’s degree preferred;
• Minimum 3-5 years of work experience in a Head Start leadership position;
• Practical knowledge of or experience in Head Start facilities work, particularly including the 1303 application process and day-to-day building management;
• Strong project management, research, and writing skills;
• Grant management experience, including report writing, data management, and project evaluations;
• Budget development and management experience;
• Ability to work independently and with team members with little supervision from senior management;
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with different stakeholders to achieve shared goals;
• Strong interpersonal and networking skills;
• Attention to detail to keep projects on track and on time;
• Strong oral and written communication skills, including ability to present in front of both small and large audiences; and
• Sensitivity to diverse cultures, races, and low-income family situations.

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ABOUT THE NATIONAL HEAD START ASSOCIATION

NHSA is a nonprofit organization committed to the belief that every child, regardless of circumstances at birth, has the ability to succeed in life. NHSA is the voice for more than 800,000 children, 275,000 staff, and over 1,600 Head Start grantees in the United States. Since 1974, NHSA has worked diligently for policy changes that ensure all at-risk children have access to the Head Start model of support for the whole child, the family, and the community.

OUR MISSION AND VISION

NHSA’s vision is for Head Start to lead—to be the untiring voice that will not be quiet until every vulnerable child is served with the Head Start model of support for the whole child, the family, and the community—and to advocate—to work diligently for policy and institutional changes that ensure all vulnerable children and families have what they need to succeed. NHSA’s mission is to coalesce, inspire, and support the Head Start field as a leader in early childhood development and education.

OUR CORE VALUES

• We are determined to play a valued and visible national leadership role in this country’s efforts to educate and serve its most vulnerable children and families.
• We recognize change is constant and are building a flexible, nimble organization that values innovation and can respond effectively to change.
• We are actively committed to being a high-impact organization that evaluates effort and measures outcomes; our commitment extends to helping the Head Start field value and uses measurements effectively.
• We value partnerships and collaboration and at our core, we are relationship-based.
• We celebrate Head Start alumni, both graduates and parents, and the lasting impact that they are having in this country.
• We are accountable to our members and funders, seeking high standards of governance, carefully stewarding resources, operating transparently, and living up to the highest standards of quality.

OUR CULTURE

NHSA is proud of our inclusive, collaborative, and professional culture. We value and reward teamwork, initiative, creativity, and intellectual and professional growth. We seek those qualities when considering people to join our team.

• Collaboration: NHSA works in teams—we share ideas, brainstorm endlessly, and constantly seek innovative ideas that advance NHSA’s and Head Start’s missions.

• Vision: NHSA values colleagues who see and seize opportunities, take risks, learn from failure, and bring a relentless passion for our mission.
• Creativity: NHSA team members use data to form original insights. We find ways to incorporate innovative ideas and approaches that exist in the rich and vital Head Start community.
• Mindfulness: NHSA has an organization-wide commitment to strive for excellence; we set clear objectives, achieve ambitious goals, ensure accountability for results, and focus on our impact.
• Curiosity: NHSA values those who are curious and hungry for knowledge. Reflecting Head Start’s 55 years of commitment to continuous improvement, our staff is committed to personal and professional growth, understanding, and commitment to our mission.

NHSA IS AN EQUAL-OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, national origin, marital status, religion, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, personal appearance, family responsibilities, political affiliation, or enrollment in a college, university, technical school, or adult education.