Deputy Director

MISSION: “One day, California’s success will be measured by the wellbeing of its youngest children.”  Do you agree? Consider applying your management experience and skills to bringing this vision to reality. First 5 Association is building the early childhood systems and supports needed to ensure California’s young children are safe, healthy and ready to succeed in school and life.  As a voice for the state’s youngest kids, the Association brings together partners and leverages multiple funding sources to strengthen systems through: communications, advocacy, collaboration, skill building, and innovation & learning so children and families have access to the community-based supports they need.

BACKGROUND: In 1998, California voters passed a landmark proposition to support early childhood systems-building at the local level via a 50-cent tax on tobacco.  This fund has generated nearly $10B in investments made by the 58 public agencies that make-up the membership of the First 5 Association, in coordination with the state agency, First 5 California.  Each year, the county Commissions serve an estimated one million children under the age of five, along with their families and caregivers, and collaborate with state agencies and across an early childhood network of grantees including public schools, health clinics, community-based organizations, and child care providers.

As tobacco use has declined, all First 5s have experienced a significant reduction in available revenue (from $600M in 2000 to under $400M this year). The Association responded by facilitating a strategic vision for strengthening its membership. Going forward, the Association needs additional senior leadership to execute on its aspirational vision and critical mission.  More information available here: www.first5association.org

POSITION: Reporting to the Executive Director (ED), the new Deputy Director is the organizational leader responsible for stewardship of the First 5 Network, and will lead the on-going transformation from classic membership-based trade association to coordinated and mutually supportive membership of local agencies with a common vision and plan for amplifying their impact and influencing policy change at the state level to benefit all of California’s children and families.

The Deputy Director is a thought partner to the Executive Director and key colleague of the Managing Director of the Center for Children’s Policy.  The Deputy Director will partner closely with the ED to chart the Association’s future growth and strategic response to an ever-increasing demand for the organization’s services. The Deputy Director will supervise the Systems Building and Communications Directors, and any outside contractors or vendors necessary to complete the work.

In concert with the ED, the Deputy Director will provide overall leadership to the organization and assist with the staffing of the Executive Committee and other committees. In the absence of the ED, the Deputy Director will manage day-to-day operations of the Association. S/he:

• Builds and maintains strong membership relationships and knowledge of the on-the-ground activities and needs of First 5 commissions;
• Supports strong connections and collaboration between Association members and First 5 California;
• Organizes and participates in regular regional gatherings of the Network, ensuring that these meetings become a robust platform for sharing most effective practices, cross-county collaboration, alignment of messaging, and advancing statewide policy priorities;
• Proposes and leads implementation of other methodologies (e.g. Statewide committees, meetings, and conferences) to engage and involve the membership Network in promoting best practice, lifting up learning from county commissions and informing statewide policy initiatives;
• Acts as the first point of contact for county executive directors, providing them with the resources of the Association, technical assistance, opportunities for peer-to-peer engagement, and encouraging their focus on systems-level change;
• Leads the Association’s leadership development and adult learning efforts, including managing the contract for facilitation of the First 5 Leadership annual cohort;
• Ensures intranet and other communication tools are effectively deployed and responsive to the Network in order to more effectively share information, coordinate external messaging and collaborate on policy & advocacy efforts;

• Develops, coaches and supervises team;
• Facilitates healthy organizational culture which encourages team building, seeking input from others and collegiality;
• Scopes work, retains and manages consultants to augment internal staffing, as needed.

QUALIFICATIONS: This leader has 7 years (preferred) progressively more responsible experience in an organization that promotes coalition or network building. The Deputy Director must have experience in California.

• Mission-driven and self-directed, with a demonstrated passion for First 5 Association’s work to build early childhood systems and supports throughout California;
• Working knowledge of most-effective practices in professional or trade association management;
• Effective manager of multiple work streams simultaneously and through collaborative partnerships; demonstrates integrity and judgment in all aspects of decision-making;
• Demonstrated ability to listen, and be a true partner to members in understanding their business needs and offering information, expertise and counsel in problem solving;
• Applies critical thinking, creativity and innovation in all aspects of the role; effectively thinks through complex problems and information, using traditional and innovative approaches to identify effective solutions; seeks to accept and build on the ideas of others for solutions others may not have considered;
• Excellent written and oral communication skills with demonstrated ability to develop and deliver executive-level communications; strong writing skills with a clear and concise writing style;
• Effective people manager who actively provides direction, guidance and feedback to team; demonstrated commitment to diversity and inclusion; values a diversity of perspectives and encourages contributions by all team members.
• Previous work in professional or trade association, government, politics, or non-profit;
• Experience in the fields of health, social services (e.g. CalWORKS, anti-poverty) or education that focused on serving low-income families;
• Demonstrated track record of establishing and directing a collaborative or other network effort focused on organizational effectiveness at a regional or statewide level;
• Reputation for strong critical thinking and leading teams through problem solving;
• Previous success at coalition-building with other non-profits, local government and academia;
• Previous work early childhood education, preferred.
• Previous work in adult learning – developing conferences, webinars and other modalities for professional development and information sharing, a plus.

EDUCATION: Master’s Degree (M.A.) from an accredited four-year college or university.

COMPENSATION, BENEFITS & RETIREMENT SAVINGS:  First 5 Association offers a competitive association salary, vacation, administrative leave and sick days plan, and pre-tax deductions for out-of-pocket medical and dependent care expenses.  

Through an affiliation with the County Supervisors Association of California (CSAC) the Association pays for up to 100% of the premiums for employee and dependents for medical, dental, vision benefits, and for employee’s life and long-term disability insurance policies; benefit eligibility takes

First 5 Association offers SBCERA Tier II defined benefit retirement.

HOW TO APPLY: First 5 Association has partnered with Justus McGinity Executive Search to complete this recruitment.  Interested candidates are encouraged to submit their cover letter and resume promptly to julie@j2mconsult.onmicrosoft.com

There is no established deadline for the submission of applications; resumes will be accepted until the position is filled.  Only candidates who move beyond the review of submitted written materials will be contacted by Justus McGinity Executive Search or First 5 Association.

Equal Opportunity Employer

First 5 Association and Justus McGinity Executive Search do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions and gender), religion, marital status, registered domestic partner status, age national origin or ancestry, physical or mental disability, legally protected medical condition, including genetic characteristics, sexual orientation, or any other status protected by federal, state or local laws.  It also pertains to a perception that anyone who has any of those characteristics, or is associated with a person who has, or is perceived as having one of those characteristics, to the extent required by law.