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Role Description

VECRA, Inc. has a requirement for an experienced early childhood senior leader to serve as a Project Manager for HeadStart initiatives. This position supports the Program Manager in providing leadership and management for a large, complex federal contract that advances the Office of Head Start’s priorities for early learning, health, and family engagement. The Project Manager will help ensure high-quality technical assistance (TA) services and resources provided for Head Start programs nationwide through the Training and Technical Assistance (TTA) System.

• Provide leadership, direction, and priorities to project staff to achieve the primary vision, including key contract deliverables.
• Work closely with other managers to ensure contract deliverables are met and that timeliness, messaging, and quality meet federal requirements and VECRA, Inc.’s standards.
• Assist the Program Manager to staff the project with professionals who have the knowledge and skills necessary to support federal priorities and objectives.
• Manage project workflow, assist staff with managing their work, facilitate team building and communication, and participate as part of the project leadership team.
• Support Technical evaluations and progress.
• Build strong, positive relationships across HeadStart and partner collaborations.
• Stay abreast of the latest HeadStart research, tools, and resources.
• Support Office of Head Start designated priorities and special projects, including development of TA materials, responding to requests for reference material, training sessions, conference calls, information sharing, and FAQs.
• Serve as a liaison with the federal government, other organizations with government-funded technical assistance contracts, and other stakeholders.
• Collaborate to create and execute communications and information dissemination plans for key deliverables.
• Participate in regular team meetings and calls.
• Identify solutions to complex tasks and deliverables on multiple early childhood topics and activities.
• Participate in presentations at national meetings and conferences.
• Represent the project on a corporate leadership team, supporting the Office of Head Start Portfolio Lead and contributing to the division’s vision and services.

Qualifications

• A BS Degree in early childhood education, education, public policy, public administration, or management.
• 10+ years of experience in the early childhood or public administration field.
• 5+ years of experience at the state or national level, focusing on early childhood policies, regulations, and systems.
• Experience in a leadership position involving implementation of Head Start programs and services.
• Demonstrated ability to oversee and implement all facets of contract management, including budgeting, monitoring deliverables and project accomplishments, planning activities, and addressing challenges.
• Demonstrated knowledge of and experience in developing successful collaborations within the field of early learning.
• Sound business ethics, including the protection of proprietary and confidential information.
• Excellent verbal, interpersonal, and written communication skills.
• Strong communication skills for client relations, team building, and business development purposes.

Requirements

• A master’s degree in early childhood education, child development, public administration, public policy, education, or related degree (preferred).
• Demonstrated ability to work closely with diverse stakeholders.
• Demonstrated experience managing large and complex national TA efforts involving multiple types of tasks simultaneously in several geographic locations.
• Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain effective relationships in support of program objectives.
• Demonstrated ability to motivate and supervise professionals working in a virtual environment.
• Demonstrated ability to accomplish project work through a virtual environment.
• Demonstrated analytic, problem solving and decision-making capabilities.
• Experience working with Microsoft Office Suite.
• Experience with project management tools such as Smartsheet.

Benefits

• Competitive benefits package for full-time employees.
• 401K.
• Paid holidays.
• Paid time off.
• Medical and dental.