Director of Early Head Start Programs (Hidalgo)

Description

The Director of Early Head Start Programs provides strategic and operational leadership for Early Head Start home-based and family childcare partnership services. This role ensures full implementation of Head Start Program Performance Standards (HSPPS), AVANCE policies, and high-quality, comprehensive services for children and families. 

Job Responsibilities

• Leadership and Program Oversight
• Ensure compliance with all HSPPS and delivery of comprehensive services (education, health, mental health, family engagement, disabilities).
• Supervise PFCE, Health, and Education Coordinators to ensure coordinated services. 
• Provide coaching, supervision, and professional development to staff and childcare partners. 
• Ensure curriculum implementation with fidelity and alignment to school readiness goals. 
• Oversee child assessment systems, data accuracy, and data use for individualization and continuous improvement. 
• Monitor program performance, ensuring quality and compliance. 
• Supervision
• Directly supervise assigned coordinators and staff; complete all HR-related responsibilities. 
• Provide clear expectations, timely feedback, coaching, and performance evaluations.
• Manage staffing needs, workloads, and priorities. 
• Support hiring, onboarding, and training; address performance issues fairly and consistently. 
• Education
• Serve as the education lead for Home-Based and Child Care Partnership programs. 
• Oversee implementation of curriculum, assessments, and education-related policies. 
• Ensure timely screenings, assessments, and progress monitoring. 
• Use child outcomes data to guide instructional practices and improvement. 
• Provide observations, feedback, and coaching; support professional development. 
• Participate in home visits, meetings, and community activities as needed. 
• Family Partnerships
• Model strong family engagement practices. 
• Collaborate with PFCE Coordinator to ensure effective family services and monitoring. 
• Communication & Service Coordination:
• Lead regular team meetings to ensure coordinated, consistent services. 
• Ensure families receive timely communication and updates. 
• Coordinate with staff and partners to address health, mental health, nutrition, and disability needs. 
• Maintain knowledge of community resources and represent the program at required meetings and events. 
• Record Keeping & Reporting
• Ensure accurate and compliant documentation across all required systems. 
• Oversee child and family records, enrollment, assessments, and data entry. 
• Ensure accurate documentation for in-kind, purchasing, inventory, and timekeeping. 
• Monitoring & Continuous Improvement
• Review data to identify concerns and ensure follow-up. 
• Monitor child outcomes to support developmental progress. 
• Participate in annual self-assessment and continuous improvement activities. 
• Ensure implementation of required monitoring systems, including health, safety, and licensing. 
• Program Governance and Leadership:
• Serve on the AVANCE leadership team; participate in planning and retreats. 
• Support program planning, goal setting, and review of integrated service plans. 
• Promote collaboration, communication, accountability, and alignment. 
• Participate in Policy Council, parent committees, partner meetings, and board meetings, as appropriate. 
• Ensure staff and volunteers to uphold health, safety, confidentiality, and mandated reporting standards. 
• Operations and Facilities
• Ensure compliance with all operational, licensing, and regulatory requirements. 
• Ensure learning environments are safe, developmentally appropriate, and inclusive. 
• Monitor family childcare settings for health and safety compliance. 
• Oversee regular facility safety checks and ensure ADA/Section 504 accessibility. 
• Performs other duties as assigned 

AVANCE Core Competencies

• Execution & Accountability 
• Problem Solving & Decision-Making 
• Communication & Influence 
• Collaboration & Teamwork 
• Stakeholder Focus 
• Adaptability & Continuous Learning 

Requirements

Education

Required:

• Bachelor's degree in early childhood education or related field.  

Preferred:

• Master's degree in early childhood education or related field.  

Work Experience

Required:

• 3+ years of supervision, management, or coaching. 
• 3+ years teaching or managing in an early childhood setting 

Preferred:

• Infant/toddler experience or training 
• Bilingual (Spanish and English)  
• Experience with community partnerships  
• Experience with fiscal management or budgeting  

Additional Skills

• Bilingual in Spanish and English  
• Knowledge of family childcare and infant/toddler licensing requirements 

Travel?

• Ability to travel to various sites: Dependable transportation is required daily with a valid driver’s license, a clean driving record (subject to annual MVR (Motor Vehicle Report) check and policy), current auto liability insurance and be bondable by AVANCE, Inc. 
• Travel required up to 15% of the time for work-related site visits, meetings, and functions. 

Working Conditions??

• Work is generally performed in an office environment.  
• Noise level in the work environment is moderate to occasionally loud (examples: business office with computers and printers, light to moderate traffic, human voices).  
• Standard office equipment generally used includes: 
• Telephone 
• Personal Computer (monitor, keyboard, and mouse) or Tablet 
• Printer/Photocopy Machine 
• Calculator 
• May be required to operate a motor vehicle during the course of duties.   

Mental and Physical Demands??

Maintain emotional control under stress; work with interruptions and deadlines; walking, standing, stooping, bending, pulling and pushing, use hands to finger, handle or feel; reach with hands and arms; occasional: lifting/carrying, pulling/pushing 10-30 pounds.?Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus. 

Environmental Factors??

Occasional exposure to biological hazards (communicable diseases, bacteria, insects, mold, fungi, etc.). Occasional expose to weather-related conditions when working in outside environment/neighborhoods and events.? 

ADA/ADAAA Statement

AVANCE is committed to equal opportunity in employment for persons with disabilities and complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), as amended, and any other applicable state and federal laws. Accordingly, AVANCE does not discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities in regard to application, hiring, advancement, discharge, compensation, training or other terms, conditions and privileges of employment. Moreover, it is AVANCE’s policy to provide reasonable accommodations in employment to qualified individuals with disabilities so that they can perform the essential functions of the job, unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the operation of AVANCE’s business or would change the essential functions of the position. Retaliation against an individual with a disability for utilizing this policy or seeking reasonable accommodation is prohibited.? Individuals with any questions or requests for accommodation should contact the Human Resources Department.?