Project Director – National Early Childhood Programs

Description

The Vander Weele Group seeks a Project Director or Project Manager with experience working at the federal level with Head Start (or a similar early childhood program). We're building a team for a potential upcoming project. Upon the contract's successful award, we seek passionate individuals with a deep background in developing monitoring reviews and protocols at the federal/national level for early childhood programs to join our team.

In this role, you will oversee the daily operations of a large national team, manage the client relationship, and ensure that quality deliverables are completed on time and within budget. Key responsibilities include developing content for monitoring reviews, creating protocols, developing reports, ensuring quality control, conducting data analysis, providing reports, and delivering training. You will also provide professional development and coaching to staff, all while ensuring compliance with federal performance standards.

The Vander Weele Group is a leading grant monitoring and oversight solutions provider. We empower government agencies and grant-funded organizations to maximize their impact and ensure responsible stewardship of public funds. We leverage deep domain expertise to streamline grant monitoring processes, mitigate risks, and enhance transparency.

Key Responsibilities

• Plan project timeline and resources, ensuring deliverables are completed on time and on budget.
• Support and oversee the completion of program deliverables.
• Oversee staff responsible for creating reviews, protocols, reports, and data analysis content, ensuring alignment with program objectives and federal performance standards.
• Ensure that workloads are assigned, managed, and corrected to provide high-level quality in all client deliverables.
• Implement a quality control system for monitoring and reviewing client work and reviews developed and used within the nationwide program.
• Provide timely, attentive, upbeat service to clients while ensuring their needs are met in a manner that reflects positively on the organization.
• Create and ensure timely reporting to the client.
• Oversee employee evaluations and personnel decisions.
• Other responsibilities as assigned.
  
  

Requirements

• Master's in early childhood, Early Childhood Education, or social service administration-related fields such as Developmental Psychology, Education, Pediatric Science, Social Work, or other relevant degrees to serve vulnerable populations.
• 5-7 years of experience managing the Office of Head Start or similar early childhood education programs or initiatives nationwide.
• 5-7 years of experience with monitoring tools such as Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS), Focus Area One (FA1), Focus Area Two (FA2), and Risk Assessment Notification (RAN), and knowledge of federal performance standards.
• 5 years of experience managing staff with a passion for building successful teams.
• Minimum of 3 years of experience managing large client-facing federal projects with a track record of meeting client deliverable deadlines on time and on budget.
• Leadership characteristics include skills in diplomacy, persuasion, leading by example, and understanding team members’ motivation, drive, and interests.
• Outstanding teamwork skills: the ability to work cooperatively with others, to be part of a team, listen and respond to others with respect, and act on behalf of the larger organization.
• Strong verbal communication and presentation skills with the ability to provide technical assistance professionally.
• Strong writing skills and the ability to communicate clearly without clerical, spelling, grammar, or punctuation errors.
• Meticulous attention to detail and ability to match field conditions with relevant laws, policies, and best practices.
• Extreme sensitivity to the appropriate recording and transmitting of confidential or personally identifying information.
• Excellent time-management and critical thinking skills to analyze the data and form a judgment based on technical knowledge of Prevention Initiative services and contracts.
• Highly conscientious attitude, committed work ethic, and a palpable sense of self-efficacy.