Chief Operating Officer

Position Purpose

The Chief Operations Officer is responsible for providing leadership in developing and executing wrap around community services necessary to implement comprehensive Head Start and Early Head Start programming while supporting the Executive Director, and the Board of Directors to develop and implement Strategic Plans with key performance metrics to guide the direction of the organization. The COO will provide leadership and oversight for Facilities, Information Technology (IT), Parent Family Community Engagement (PFCE), Enrollment, Health, Nutrition, and Data Systems. The COO will work closely with the Head Start Director to ensure children and their families receive the full complement of services necessary for overall success. In addition, the COO will collaborate with the Executive Leadership team to organize and implement systems that support fiscal, human resources, fund development, and overall program compliance. The COO will work closely with the Head Start Director and the Executive Director to support Program Governance. The COO reports to the Executive Director.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Strategic Planning

• Expert knowledge of Head Start Performance Standards, Minimum Licensing Regulations, and National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), and other applicable regulations; to ensure agency's program operations meet or exceed regulatory compliance.
• Manages day-to-day operations of the organization ensuring that all departments work efficiently and effectively to support Child Inc's vision, mission, and core values.
• Collaborate with Chief Financial Officer, and Executive Director to design, implement, and monitor the fiscal budget for Child Inc.
• Identifies opportunities to improve operational processes, reduce costs, and enhance productivity.
• Collaborate with HR Director to implement a wage comparability study and benefit plan that are competitive and cost-effective for the agency.
• Design and implement systems to maintain and monitor agency operations.
• Assist executive leadership team in designing the system for implementing the Community Needs Assessment and using data to inform programmatic strategies.
• Collaborate with Head Start Director, Executive Director, and Program Governance to design, implement, and monitor grant and school readiness goals.
• Provides strategic guidance for fund development efforts.
• Collaborate with Executive Director and the Board to design, implement, and monitor an agency strategic plan with key performance metrics.
• Supports agency's executive leadership and management team to design and implement strategies that support progress toward accomplishing strategic goals.

Supervision and Evaluation

• Collaborate with the HR Director to lead the hiring process for key management and leadership staff of direct and indirect vacant positions.
• Provide coaching, mentoring, and reflective supervisions for direct reports.
• Evaluate the performance of direct and indirect reports.
• Collaborate with the HR Director to develop and implement a Learning Management System and a Performance Management System.
• Collaborate with direct reports to develop and implement service-learning plans for each content area that guide key job expectations. Provide management and program training to support onboarding and skill development of Child Inc workforce.

Employee, Parent, and Community Relations

• Collaborate with HR Director to design and implement systems that hire and retain quality staff (job specific performance-based interview questions, job specific onboarding plans, and systems to preboard employees.
• Participate in interviews as needed.
• Actively participates on community boards to advance Child Inc.
• Attend community events on behalf of Child Inc.
• Partners with Executive Admin Assistant and Communications and Fund Development Consultant to design monthly Staff Newsletter, quarterly Community Newsletter, and the agency annual report.
• Collaborate with Executive Director to plan monthly Staff Meetings, Management Team Meetings, and the Executive Leadership Meeting.
• Collaborate with Head Start Director and Executive Director to develop and implement agendas for Policy Council. Participates in Policy Council Planning Meetings and monthly Policy Council Meeting.
• Leads interdisciplinary committees to plan staff in-service and family engagement events.
• Collaborates to design and implement an organizational calendar that meets programmatic and parent needs.
• Uses data from Parent Needs Assessment, Community Needs Assessment, and program Information Report to coordinate community services for families.
• Assist HR Director in investigating complaints, disputes, and grievances.

Safety

• Lead Emergency Preparedness Committee to develop, implement, and enforce safety practices that keep children, staff, and visitors safe while on Child Inc premises.
• Enforces Active Supervision Strategies.
• Collaborates with Facilities Director to maintain interior and exterior Child Inc facilities.
• Collaborates with Community Based partners and Independent School District Partners to ensure facilities occupied by Head Start/Early Head Start children and staff meet City, State, and Federal Head Start regulations.

Monitoring and Compliance

• Collaborates with Data Coordinator to develop systems to maintain data in ChildPlus and other data systems.
• Collaborates with Data Coordinator to ensure performance metrics are tracked for City, County, State, and Federal grants.
• Monitors ticketing system for IT and Facilities.
• Collaborate with the Head Start Director, Compliance Director, and Executive Director to ensure Child Inc is prepared for City, County, State, and Federal monitoring visits.
• Interpret and apply Federal and State regulations and statutes, and policies appropriate to program activities.
• Monitors compliance and develops and implements corrective action plans for Health, Nutrition, PFCE, Facilities, and IT Departments.
• Collaborate with Executive Leadership and Management Team to develop and implement policies and procedures that support City, County, State, and Federal rules, regulations, standards, and laws.
• Propose, publish, update, and administer personnel policies and procedures to ensure proper compliance; provide training as appropriate.

• Collaborate with Compliance Director to design and implement an ongoing monitoring plan that supports a tiered implementation approach.
• Conduct observations and provide positive and constructive feedback that leads to continuous program improvement.
• Collaborates to plan and implement self-assessment.

Professionalism

• Assure confidentiality of all program information and family and staff confidentiality by limiting conversation about and accessibility to their records.
• Maintain professional boundaries in relationships with staff and families.
• Complete all required paperwork and reports by assigned deadlines.
• Comply with Child Inc.'s Personnel Policies and Procedures, and with Standards of Conduct.

Personal and Professional Development

• Attend and participate in weekly team meetings, pre-service, in-service, and any other training deemed necessary by the Executive Director.
• Further professional growth by seeking feedback, reflecting on and assessing own practice, and taking opportunities to improve skill and knowledge.
• Reports suspicions of Child Abuse and Neglect within 48 hours of the suspicion.
• Ensure children are safe and are never left unattended.

Perform other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Master's degree in social work, Human Services, Public Administration, Business Administration or a social science-related field.
• Ten years in a leadership role in a profit or non-profit organization.
• Ten or more years in a leadership role providing direct services for children, and families in a education or social service organization.
• Relevant work experience in a community-based, nonprofit organization that administers federal, state, county and/or city grants. Direct Head Start and Early Head Start management preferred.
• Strong leadership and people management skills with the ability to guide and motivate teams.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills to make data informed decisions.
• The ability to understand, interpret and apply Child Inc policies and procedures, as well as federal, state, and local regulations, and the ability to share such knowledge with other staff accordingly.
• Knowledge of written and spoken conversational Spanish preferred.
• Must possess valid driver's license and insured automobile; ability to travel and attend overnight training.
• Must pass criminal history background checks.

Candidates must pass an extensive background check that includes fingerprinting, education/credentials/certifications verifications, and professional reference checks before beginning employment.