Head Start Operations Manager

General Summary
Position is responsible for oversight of assigned Head Start Centers while ensuring compliance with the Head Start Program Performance Standards (HSPPS) and minimum standards. This position is also responsible for assuring that all components within the program are operationalized with optimal quality standards. The Operations Manager will lead their assigned center staff to include Teachers, Teacher Aides, Child Care Assistants, Substitutes and any other assigned classroom staff to ensure full compliance and continuous quality improvement with all aspects of Head Start performance standards, and state and local licensing regulations.
Primary Responsibilities

1. Program Planning & Service System Design: Responsible for the implementation, monitoring and maintaining quality standards of education and supporting content areas to include, but not limited to, curricula, child assessments, family engagement, health and nutrition, mental health and disabilities, and all policies and procedures. Recommends and ensures implementation improvements and ongoing progress of annual service plans while ensuring compliance with the Head Start Performance Standards and licensing requirements.
2. Data and Evaluation: Systematically collects and analyzes data for their assigned centers to ensure all HSPPS are followed with optimal quality standards. Data collection and oversight includes: attendance, health forms, immunizations, home visits, center visits, enrollment, CLASS scores, curriculum fidelity, child assessment data and staff training.
3. Community and Self Assessment: Will work collaboratively with the Development Team to collect and submit necessary data on a bi-annual basis from families, staff and community members for their assigned center operations for the Community Needs Assessment. This position will participate in the annual self assessment as required.
4. Fiscal Management: Will ensure that their Head Start Centers have the necessary inventory and supplies to carry out quality programming. The Operations Manager will notify their supervisor of aging equipment and will ensure that maintenance and IT requests are done in a timely manner to ensure efficient and effective use of equipment and supplies.
5. Communication Systems: Responsible for efficient and effective communication at their assigned centers. Develops and maintains collaborative relationships with community partners, families and LEAs to enhance delivery of comprehensive services to children and families. Communicates regularly with Mentors regarding teacher professional development plans, growth, areas of improvement, and training needs.
6. Ongoing Monitoring and CQI: Will monitor accordingly: DECAs, 1606s, CLASS observations, facility checklists, portfolios, children's folders, In-kind, lesson plans, health requirements, and educational assessments and screenings.
7. Training and Professional Development: Responsible for ensuring staff attend training as assigned and according to teaching staff needs.
8. Record Keeping and Reporting: Position is responsible for ensuring all assigned classrooms have up to date and accurate data in the ChildPlus tracking system for all content areas. This position is also responsible for keeping track of timesheets, CACFP paperwork, PIR, licensing requirements and checklists, invoices, supplies and inventory for assigned classrooms/centers.
9. Human Resources: Responsible for the supervision of Teachers, and any other assigned classroom staff, including, but not limited to: pre-hiring, hiring, counseling, new hire training, professional development, monitoring, conducting performance coaching/evaluations, delegation of duties, conflict resolution, appraising job tasks and recommending disciplinary action for employees.
10. Facilities and Learning Environments: Responsible for ensuring facilities (indoors and outdoors) meet and/or exceed health and safety standards through the implementation and oversight of facility management systems. Ensures learning environments meet the needs of all children and are conducive to high quality learning environments. Responsible for conducting or assigning daily and monthly facility checklists for assigned centers.
11. Technology and Information Systems: Works collaboratively with teaching staff to ensure that technology is incorporated into daily lessons and that confidentiality is maintained.
12. Communication: Develops a strong communication system that channels communication to all classrooms, content areas, leadership and collaboration partners effectively and efficiently. Communicates vision to motivate team to meet desired organizational and program outcomes. Promotes an environment of teamwork and cooperation and is accessible to employees.
13. Perform all other duties as assigned.

Work Experience
Required

• Must pass DFPS background check.
• Must pass an annual physical.
• Three (3) years experience in either a licensed center or a public school setting at a grade level no higher than elementary school.
• Must attend 24 clock hours of professional development and staff training per year to include training on methods to handle suspected or known child abuse and neglect cases that comply with applicable federal, state, local and tribal laws, training that builds their knowledge, experience and competencies to improve child and family outcomes and any other trainings as outlined by the Head Start Program Performance Standards and Minimum Standards Rules For Licensed Child-Care Centers.

Preferred

• Previous Head Start experience
• English/Spanish bi-lingual fluency.

Education/Certifications/Licensure
Required

• Baccalaureate degree in early childhood education or a Baccalaureate degree and coursework equivalent to a major relating to early childhood education.

Skills
Required

• Skill in providing leadership to, supervising, training, and evaluating assigned staff;
• Skill in operating video communications and various computer programs such as Google, WORD, EXCEL, Access and PowerPoint and database software programs;
• Skill in motivating, teaching and guiding staff;
• Ability to supervise and ensure a safe learning environment for children in a classroom setting;
• Ability to respond to and remain calm in an emergency or crisis situation;
• Ability to establish and maintain professional relationships with individuals of varying social and cultural backgrounds and with co-workers at all levels;
• Ability to respect the dignity of children, each family, culture, customs and beliefs;
• Ability to work professionally and cooperatively with staff, parents, and community members;
• Ability to maintain confidentiality;
• Ability to be persuasive and tactful in controversial situations;
• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions;
• Ability to learn new tasks quickly and efficiently;
• Ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously and meet deadlines.

Physical Requirements
Able to perform the following physical requirements of the position with or without reasonable accommodation: critical sensory requirements include general vision; specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus. Hear or listen in the normal range (corrected) and speak and give directions clearly. Able to walk, sit, stand, kneel, crouch, crawl, reach, lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects up to 10 lbs., and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.
We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
Welcome to Community Action Corporation of South Texas (CACOST)!
CACOST is a private non-profit organization established in 1971 and funded through federal, state and local grants. CACOST currently serves 16 counties via a wide variety of community programs and services. CACOST lives its mission each day, which is to continuously improve the lives of South Texans by providing high quality health care, education, housing and economic opportunities to reduce poverty through services and partnerships.
CACOST is looking for employees who are interested in accomplishing our mission, which can be both rewarding and challenging. We count on our employees to contribute directly to the growth and success of our agency. Because the quality of our staff is the key to our success, we carefully select our new employees. Apply today to join our CACOST family and take pride in being a member of our team.