Sr. Director of Improving Lives of Children

PRIMARY FUNCTION: Works with the senior management and other peers for the implementation of the YWCA strategic focus area related to: Improving the Lives of Children. This position will provide strategic and operational guidance to all the YWCA Children Center sites, by providing programing and administrative oversight for multiple sites. The position will provide strategic leadership of how the YWCA engages with all stakeholders (children, families, community partners and staff) as it pertains to our mission and strategic focus of Improving children’s lives through quality and affordable early childhood programming. The position will provide oversight to all Children Center Site Directors and their teams. The position will ensure that all YWCA Children Center sites comply with licensing and program regulations with the State of Michigan and all funding authorities.

QUALIFICATIONS:

1. Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education or Development. Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education or related field preferred.
2. Minimum five years of experience working with young children within a licensed or early learning facility.
3. Ability to meet requirements of Bureau of Community and Health Systems Child Care Licensing Division.
4. Responsible for staff issues related to criminal, child abuse, neglect, and sex offender history.
5. Knowledge of State of Michigan Child Care Licensing Rules.
6. Demonstrated ability to work with people of diverse backgrounds.
7. Demonstrated experience in budgeting and grant management.
8. Ability to articulate and communicate financial goal results and key performance indicators.
9. Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
10. Ability to prioritize tasks and to delegate them when appropriate.
11. Strong supervisory and leadership skills.

The following statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Provide leadership and oversight to the YWCA Strategic focus area of Improving the Lives of Children by providing accessible and high quality early learning and childcare for families and how we implement the vision in programing.
2. Provide operational and administrative oversight for all YWCA Children Center sites that includes; managing financial budgets and revenue models.
3. Provide general guidance to all Children Center Site Directors while monitoring the scope of operational/ programing roles for the entire YWCA Children centers operations, which includes the 24-hour operation.
4. Provide strategic oversight for all the YWCA Children Centers to ensure programmatic efficiency, quality and standard improvements in the classroom environments.
5. Represents the organization in the local early childhood community and, attends community meetings to promote the mission of YWCA Kalamazoo.
6. This position serves as a leadership role, and therefore, works with YWCA leadership team to steer the organization towards its mission of developing programming and professional development with a racial and gender equity lens to align with the mission of eliminating racism and empowering women.
7. Must have software knowledge with ability to review data for program evaluation.
8. Work across functions with peers in other departments to ensure collaboration for shared goals.
9. Approves hiring and termination requests within assigned programs.
10. Implements and continuously review and update the YWCA strategic plan for Improving Lives of Children.
11. Other duties as assigned

WORKING CONDITIONS AND ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

1. YWCA working spaces located at Edison and Downtown locations
2. Potential outdoor events
3. Sitting, standing, kneeling, bending, some lifting
4. Frequently required to sit
5. Frequently required to utilize hand and finger dexterity
6. Continually required to talk or hear
7. Occasional exposure to blood-borne and airborne pathogens or infectious materials
8. While performing the duties of this job, the noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
9. The employee must occasionally lift and /or move more than 50 pounds
10. Specific vision abilities required by this job include: Close vision, Depth perception and ability to adjust focus

TRAINING REQUIREMENTS:

1. Orientation to YWCA Personnel Policies, Mission, Purpose and One Imperative.
2. Racial Justice Training
3. CPR, first aid, and blood-borne pathogen certification (within 1 year of hire).
4. Pronoun Training
5. Orientation to Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, Confidentiality, Mandatory Reporting.
6. Other appropriate training and in-service which will occur during employment.