Director of Early Care and Education

First 5 Alameda County

First 5 is a public agency focused on the first five years of a child’s life. First 5 works to build an early childhood system of care that centers equity, narrows disparities rooted in racism and classism, and ensures all children enter kindergarten ready to succeed.  We use a Place, People Policy framework to advance strategies, programs, and partnerships that improve child and family conditions related to Neighborhoods, Health & Well-Being, Learning and Care, and Family. As part of our commitment to equity, we incorporate diverse voices and experiences in our work through partnership with parents/caregivers, providers, and community-based organizations.

To support quality childcare, First 5 assesses and rates early childhood education sites with the Quality Rating and Improvement System framework in collaboration with the California Department of Education and First 5 California. First 5 provides professional development, practice-based coaching, resources and incentives to early care and education sites. First 5 also incentivizes higher education institutions to offer coursework and advising for early educators.

High-quality ECE and licensed and community-based childhood development programming are key components of the early childhood system of care. The Quality ECE (QECE) strategy provides quality improvement supports for the mixed delivery system–centers, family childcare (FCC) providers, and family friend and neighbor (FFN) providers—with coaching, training, professional development, technical assistance, and financial incentives and supports that include learning networks for each type of childcare delivery setting, ensuring technical support, and fostering leadership and community. First 5 also partners with libraries and family resource centers to support quality developmental programming for those children who are not in a licensed early educational setting.  We are updating our childcare facilities census and charting the ECE workforce development needs. In addition, First 5 is creating opportunities to generate interest and professionalization of these important roles by creating apprenticeship programs as a pathway to recruit people new to the field and retain current teachers.

The Opportunity The Director of Early Care and Education joins the Chief Executive Officer’s Executive Leadership Team serving both as the lead for the early care and education (ECE) programs and by providing support to the development of the entire organization. With soon-to-be available local funding from voter initiated and approved ballot measures, programs related to early care and education, Family Friend and Neighbor programming, workforce development, facilities, and quality supports will significantly increase. Agency Leadership, including an Interim Director of ECE with the ECE Team has created a foundation for the programs which will allow a new Director to implement and scale to growth.

The Director will partner with ECE stakeholders and community leaders, including the Planning Council, other ECE service providers, parents, and elected officials and the First 5 team to ensure an equity-centered approach to programs. As a strategic partner, the Director works collaboratively with colleagues to ensure intra-agency collaboration and cross-agency integration and alignment with organizational vision, strategic plan and Commission adopted programs and budgets.

The successful Director will be a strong project manager capable of advancing change in the organization. As new programs are brought to scale, the Director will need to develop new systems and build infrastructure. The working environment requires an understanding of changing public policy and the surrounding political atmosphere. The Director will begin by overseeing a staff of approximately 12 FTEs with expectations of expansion.

Ideal Candidate

• Strategic leader who can see and operate at multiple levels and layers for ECE programs
• Collaborative member of the Executive Leadership team who, by exhibiting an executive presence and leadership skills, contributes to the entire organization’s growth and development.
• Politically astute leader accustomed to active stakeholder participation understands the role of ECE within the broader early childhood system.
• Systems thinker and builder ready to scale up programs fundamental to the organization’s mission
• Strong programmatic advocate who will provide public leadership in areas of early childcare and education

Education and Experience

Any combination of training and experience that would provide the required knowledge is qualifying.  A typical way to obtain the required qualifications would be:

• A minimum of eleven years of full-time progressively responsible experience in public, non-profit or community development agency, including at least four years of high-level program and operational planning, management, and administration experience.
• Four of the eleven years of experience must include supervision of managerial or professional level staff with the responsibility for diverse functional areas.
• Experience across a variety of sectors, including government, non-profit, and for-profit organizations preferred.
• Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited four-year college or university with major coursework in Social Welfare, Planning, Public Administration, Public Policy, Public Health Care Administration, or related field may be substituted for four years of the required experience.
• Master’s Degree from an accredited four-year college or university with major coursework in Social Welfare, Planning, Public Administration, Public Policy, Public Health Care Administration, or related field may be substituted for six years of the required experience.

Working Environment Travel within Alameda County as necessary to carry out job duties will be required. Some travel outside Alameda County will also be required on occasion. The employees of First 5 currently work mostly remote with some required in-person meetings. Plans to provide a hybrid work environment with a mixture of in-person and remote work are ongoing.

First 5 Alameda County strives to be a model of diversity and inclusion. The Commission, leadership, staff, and partners reflect the many cultures that proudly make up our county and our world. First 5 respects, values, and celebrates the unique attributes, characteristics, lived experiences, and perspectives that make each person who they are. The organization believes that representation matters and diversity of views, experiences and knowledge allows First 5 to be a more effective partner with community stakeholders, providers, educators, and parents. It is the organization’s aim and core value; that partners, strategies, and investments reflect the sophistication and nuanced characteristics of our communities and in doing so we can better fulfill the agency mission of ensuring young children grow up healthy and ready to learn during the most important time in their development.

Salary and Compensation The salary range for this position is $112,399-$155,475, commensurate with experience and compensation reviews completed every two years to ensure market compatibility.

In addition, First 5 Alameda County offers a comprehensive benefits package with heath care options to meet the diverse needs of our employees and their families. A detailed listed of benefits offered may be viewed online. Highlights are listed below:

• Kaiser Permanente & Sutter Health Plus HMO medical plans
• Delta Dental PPO VSP Vision Plan
• Alameda County Employee’s Retirement Association (ACERA) pension plan
• 17 paid holidays including an organizational shut down between Christmas and New Years
• Voluntary employee, spouse, domestic partner, child life and AD&D insurance
• 457(b) Deferred Compensation Flexible Spending Accounts
• Employee Assistance Plan and other wellbeing benefits plans Commuter benefits Legal benefits

We Welcome Your Interest!

Please submit a resume and cover letter explaining your interest in the position and working for the First 5 Alameda County by Friday, October 10, 2022.

Please contact Nancy Hetrick with Management Partners at 408-674-3369 or nhetrick@managementparners.com with any questions.