Under the supervision of the NCS division director of Early Childhood Education/ Office for Children, directs the activities of county Head Start and Early Head Start programs. Responsible for administration and implementation of federal Early Head Start and Head Start grants and local program; operation of county Early Head Start and Head Start centers; oversight of delegate partner programs at Fairfax County Public Schools, Higher Horizons Day Care and Early Head Start family child care partners. Provides strategic direction for the program, ensures compliance with federal Head Start performance standards, provides guidance and supervision for program managers, oversees staff development, develops, and monitors budgets and grants. Collaborates with partners to implement the Fairfax County Equitable School Readiness Strategic Plan, Birth to Eight, and Virginia’s unified early childhood system.(The illustrative duties listed in this specification are representative of the class but are not an all-inclusive list. A complete list of position duties and unique physical requirements can be found in the position description.)

• Supervises a staff of child care professionals and has overall responsibility for all aspects of their programs;
• Supervises preparation of the division's budget and monitors program expenditures;
• Evaluates the effectiveness of division programs;
• Conducts service needs assessments;
• Represents the agency in meetings with public and private-sector officials and with the general public;
• Provides staff support to the Board of Supervisors.
• Oversees program evaluation;
• Plans and implements policies and procedures for countywide day care training and technical assistance;
• Supervises the development and production of media and training materials;
• Provides agency representation for publicity and public relations;
• Makes presentations to professionals in the field and to the general public;
• Represents the agency at regional, state, and national meetings and conferences.

(The knowledge, skills and abilities listed in this specification are representative of the class but are not an all-inclusive list.)

• Extensive knowledge of day care administration and child development programs; 
• Demonstrated skills in needs assessment and strategic planning; 
• Excellent skills in oral and written communication; 
• Demonstrated ability to plan and direct the activities of a large group of child care professionals; 
• Ability to plan and conduct staff development programs.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: 
Any combination of education, experience, and training equivalent to the following:  (Click on the aforementioned link to learn how Fairfax County interprets)Bachelor's degree from and accredited four year college or university in early childhood education, psychology, social work, business or public administration, or a related field; plus at least five years of progressively responsible experience managing a large professional staff engaged in providing direct service to meet the child care needs of working families and their children.
 
CERTIFICATES AND LICENSES REQUIRED: 
Valid driver's license
 
NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
The appointee to this position will be required to complete a criminal background check and a Child Protective Services Registry check to the satisfaction of the employer.

All newly hired employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (two weeks after the last required dose) as a condition of employment or obtain approval of a medical or religious exemption prior to their start date. Proof of an exemption or vaccination status will be required during the pre-employment onboarding process. New employees who obtain an exemption from the vaccine mandate for medical or sincerely held religious beliefs may be subject to a weekly testing requirement. Vaccinated employees and employees with a medical or religious exemption will complete the attestation online on their first day of employment or shortly thereafter.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master's degree in early childhood education or a related field. 
• Extensive leadership experience working with Early Head Start and Head Start.
• Demonstrated history of successful leadership, collaborative relationships, project management and excellent qualitative and quantitative analytical skills. 
• Ability to demonstrate in-depth knowledge and strong oral and written communications skills about early learning, childcare and school readiness. 
• Experience with making verbal presentations.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:Work is generally sedentary. Ability to operate keyboard driven equipment and make verbal presentations to large audiences. Ability to travel to various public forums to make presentations. All duties performed with or without reasonable accommodations.
SELECTION PROCEDURE:
Panel Interview and may include a practical exercise.

Fairfax County Government prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetics, political affiliation, or military status in the recruitment, selection, and hiring of its workforce.  

Reasonable accommodations are available to persons with disabilities during application and/or interview processes per the Americans with Disabilities Act. Contact ***** for assistance. TTY *****. EEO/AA/TTY.