Job Goal:
In alignment with the agency’s vision and strategic plan, the Associate Director of Early Childhood Services ensures strong, cohesive systems across the Health and Safety, Professional Development, and Early Childhood Regional Management components to ensure children—and those who care for them—are prepared for lifelong learning and success. This position provides strategic leadership and operational oversight to ensure all program systems are effectively aligned, compliant, and designed to support high-quality service delivery for children, families, and staff. The Associate Director leads the planning, organization, and integration of early childhood systems to strengthen program quality, consistency, and accountability, ensuring that infrastructure, policies, and practices across all components support measurable outcomes in school readiness, child well-being, staff excellence, and family engagement. Working as part of a multidisciplinary leadership team, the Associate Director promotes a culture of continuous improvement, compliance with Federal Performance Standards and state regulations, and alignment with UMHS’s mission to prepare children for lifelong learning and success.
Essential Responsibilities:
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Ensures that Regional Managers effectively implement high-quality Education and Disabilities services across all early childhood programs, promoting consistent, compliant, and developmentally appropriate practices that promote school readiness and equitable outcomes for children and families.
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Administer high-quality early childhood programs, ensuring effective implementation of Education and Disabilities components across Head Start, Early Head Start, and other preschool initiatives.
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Provide leadership, guidance, and support to ECE Regional Managers to ensure effective implementation of the Education and Disabilities components, maintaining compliance with all Federal Performance Standards and state regulations.
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Plan, coordinate, and monitor educational benchmarks, ensuring that curriculum, assessment, and instruction align with developmentally appropriate practice and contractual requirements.
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Facilitate integration of educational strategies with health, mental health, nutrition, and safety systems to promote holistic child and family outcomes.
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Ensure culturally and linguistically responsive practices are embedded throughout educational environments, supporting equitable access and inclusion.
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Maintain an active and supportive presence in classrooms and regional programs, using data and observation to guide continuous improvement and model educational excellence.
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Use data and monitoring results to drive continuous quality improvement, identify strengths and challenges, and guide program enhancements at the classroom, regional, and system levels.
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Advise the CEO, Director of Head Start and Early Childhood Services, and other relevant Directors in education component planning, development, and operations
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Assist in the facilitation of multi-disciplinary tier staffings and track follow-up
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Effectively communicate vision, policies, practice, and redirection in alignment with best practice
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Maintain policies complying with Head Start/EHS/EHS CCP/OPK Performance Standards, related to curriculum, disabilities, attendance, and personally identifiable information
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Coordinate hiring of ECE professionals, including screening, interviewing, selection, and location appointment to discern supportive teaching teams
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Guide the identification and procurement of education supplies to meet educational objectives.
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Ensure that all education tools, including curricula, forms, meetings, and Child Plus are well implemented.
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Ensure all education systems—including curriculum, assessments, documentation tools, and data platforms such as Child Plus—are effectively implemented and monitored for fidelity.
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Oversee curriculum planning and implementation to ensure alignment with lesson plans, individual goals, documentation, and staff training.
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Use assessment data and child outcomes to drive continuous quality improvement, ensuring timely analysis, interpretation, and reporting to leadership, the Board, and Policy Council.
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Support Regional Managers and education staff in the evaluation of classroom practices, goal setting, and family engagement through conferences, observations, and reflective supervision.
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Ensure accurate and comprehensive documentation of children’s progress, goals, and outcomes across all education files and data systems.
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Ensures a strong, cohesive system of professional development is in place for early childhood staff through effective planning, implementation, and evaluation of training and ongoing professional growth initiatives.
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Ensures a strong, cohesive system of professional development is in place for early childhood staff through effective planning, implementation, and evaluation of training and ongoing professional growth initiatives.
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Provides leadership and oversight to the Professional Development Manager to ensure that staff training, coaching, and mentorship systems are data-informed, aligned with School Readiness Goals and the ELOF, and responsive to identified needs.
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Supports the coordination of shadowing, mentorship, and coaching opportunities, identifying model classrooms as learning environments for continuous quality improvement.
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Collaborates with national, regional, and local partners to align training and classroom strategies that strengthen outcomes for children and families.
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Ensures that professional development systems—including curriculum committees, staff development planning, and reflective supervision practices—are effectively implemented, evaluated, and continuously improved.
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Ensures a comprehensive and compliant system of health and safety practices that protects children, families, and staff while supporting program quality and operational excellence across all early childhood sites.
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Provide oversight and guidance to the Health & Safety Manager to ensure effective implementation of safety protocols, emergency preparedness, and health compliance systems.
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Ensure alignment of health and safety policies with federal and state regulations, Head Start Performance Standards, and agency procedures.
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Monitor data and incident trends to identify risks, support corrective actions, and drive continuous improvement in health and safety practices.
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Promote a culture of safety and wellness through communication, collaboration, and staff training across all program areas.
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Record keeping and monitoring
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Complete monthly reports for the CEO and Director of Head Start, as required for the Early Learning Hubs and a Policy Council Report three times each year, and provide necessary data as requested
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Oversee accurate collection and submission of information needed for PIR
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Ensures an integrated, compliant, and data-driven system of disabilities services that promotes inclusion, collaboration, and equitable outcomes for children with suspected or identified disabilities across all early childhood programs.
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Ensure cohesive, compliant systems for disability services across all early childhood programs.
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Maintain current interagency agreements and partnerships with LEAs, EI, and ECSE providers.
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Monitor data accuracy and use results to guide continuous quality improvement.
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Provide guidance to managers to ensure inclusive, individualized supports for children and families.
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Systems Coordination
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Facilitate collaboration with school districts, community partners, and Early Learning Hubs to strengthen transitions, align child and family outcomes, and support shared professional learning opportunities.
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Oversee the collection, analysis, and sharing of data related to child outcomes, school readiness, workforce development, and health and safety performance to inform continuous quality improvement.
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Support system-wide coordination of transitions for children and families, including kindergarten readiness, program completion, and engagement in ongoing learning opportunities.
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Promote cross-component planning and communication to ensure cohesive service delivery across education, health, safety, nutrition, and family engagement.
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Supervision
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Provide direct supervision to component managers through monthly reflective supervision, promoting accountability, professional growth, and alignment with the agency’s strategic plan, policies, and Performance Standards.
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Support managers in developing and achieving individualized professional development plans that strengthen leadership capacity and promote continuous improvement.
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Lead and coordinate the work of component managers to ensure cohesive, data-informed implementation of program systems across Health & Safety, Professional Development, and Early Childhood Regional Management.
General Staff Responsibilities:
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Participate in staff meetings, conferences, training sessions, and workshops as assigned
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Demonstrate familiarity with employment policies, performance standards, work plan, and objectives of Agency
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Maintain congenial and respectful relations with staff, children, families, and community
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Keep current and accurate records and file reports on time
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Maintain confidentiality regarding staff and family information
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Maintain objectives and professional standards
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Improve self‐skills and education
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Fulfill role as mandated reporter as stated in Child Abuse and Neglect Policy
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Be present at work to provide consistency of services
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Be a contributory team member in a positive/productive manner
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Demonstrate commitment to mission, values, and policies in the performance of daily duties
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And or any other duties deemed necessary by your supervisor
Education Requirements:
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Preferred: Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education, Education, Public or Business Administration, Health Administration, ora related field.
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Minimum: Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education, Child Development, Education, Public or Business Administration, Health Administration, or a related field
Experience and Skills Requirements:
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Minimum four (4) years of leadership experience in early childhood, human services, or related nonprofit/public programs preferred.
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Strong knowledge of early childhood development and program operations.
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Experience supervising staff or managers and supporting professional growth.
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Ability to analyze program data and use results for planning and improvement.
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Skilled in collaboration, communication, and community partnership building.
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Proficient in Microsoft Office and capable of learning or using data systems such asChildPlus.
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Head Start/EHS/EHS-CCP/OPK experience preferred.
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Bilingual (English/Spanish) and/or multicultural experience preferred.
Physical Requirements:
The physical demands and work environment described below are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to:
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Sit for long periods of time with daily use of computer screen;
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Do tasks involving repetitive arm and hand movements, such as heavy word processing/keyboarding, using various office tools to collate, punch, cut, or stamp paper and other repetitive or high‐volume tasks such as bulk mailings, filing projects,etc.;
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Occasional filing is required. This would require the ability to lift files, open filing cabinets and bending as necessary;
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Occasionally required to stand, walk and reach with hands and arms;
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Occasionally lift and/or move up to50 pounds
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Drive a private or Agency vehicle; must possess a valid driver's license and personal automobile or provide a plan that will allow fulfillment of position requirements.(A DMV Record check will be conducted prior to hire)
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Work Environment/Conditions:
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Work is normally performed in a typical interior/office work environment.
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Job tasks are performed in close physical proximity to other people.
Safety:
Apply safe practices in the performance of duties
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Reporting of unsafe or hazardous working conditions and/or any injury immediately
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Complying with Agency safety standards
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Participate in emergency drills
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Promote a culture of safe environments in the workplace
Agency‐Wide Requirements:
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Current enrollment in the Child Care Division’s Central Background Registry
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Current physical examination, drug screen, and TB screen documentation prior to hire
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Ability to drive a private or Agency vehicle; must possess a valid driver's license and personal automobile or provide a plan that will allow fulfillment of position requirements. A DMV Record check will be conducted prior to hire.
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Desire to work with low‐income children and their families
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Communicate effectively with staff, families, children, and the public using the telephone and in face‐to‐face, one‐ to‐one, and in group settings
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Fluent in English both verbally and written
The job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and the employee and is subject to change by the employer as the needs of the employer and requirements of the job change.
Umatilla-Morrow Head Start, Inc. is committed to providing equal employment and advancement opportunities to all individuals in all aspects of employment, including, but not limited to, recruitment, hiring, job assignments, promotions, career advancement opportunities, working conditions, scheduling, disciplinary action, termination of employment, compensation, and access to benefits and training. We recruit, hire, and promote into all job levels the most qualified applicants without regard to legally protected characteristics.
