Careers

Full Time: 40 hours/Exempt

Salary Range: $70,000-$75,000

Reports to: Systems Coordinator

Jurisdictions Served: Prince William County, and the cities of Manassas and Manassas Park

Full Time: 40 hours/Exempt

Foundation First (FF) is an innovative, results-oriented agency that serves as a non-partisan steward and capacity builder for increasing early childhood quality, access, and affordability within Ready Region North Central (RRNC). FF forges public and private partnerships on the priorities of coordination, accountability, and family engagement to early education programs in every community in the Commonwealth.

Position Summary

The Area Manager is responsible for the oversight of Virginia Quality Birth to Five (VQB5) system requirements and program engagement in Greater Prince William with the goal of strengthening quality, building relationships, increasing access, and engaging families.

Core Functions of Ready Region North Central

• Strengthening quality: Ensure all components are in place to coordinate quality measurement and guide improvement in publicly funded classrooms as part of Virginia Quality Birth to Five (VQB5).
• Building relationships: Engage with leaders across the region to facilitate buy-in for shared accountability and benefit.
• Increasing access: Administer Mixed Delivery programming in the region, and coordinate enrollment to help parents learn about and access ECCE services that meet their needs and preferences; while helping ECCE providers connect with and serve more families.
• Engaging families: Support a Family Council, made up of families who reflect the diversity of the region, to provide input on early childhood design and decisions, and ensure the early childhood system works for families.

Area Manager Primary Responsibilities:

• Ensure VQB5 Participation in Publicly Funded Programs

Cultivate an understanding of the unified VQB5 system among publicly funded programs in an assigned geographic area. Provide informational outreach and ongoing support that includes printed and digital resources, in-person and remote meetings, and on-demand recordings. Support program registration, classroom observations, and data collection efforts through on-site personalized support. Use available data to regularly assess progress and proactively implement improvement strategies.

• Strengthen Early Childhood Collaboration

Create a cooperative culture for a geographic area by offering opportunities for stakeholders to engage with one another, share resources, and encourage and develop partnerships, ensuring all work aligns with the core functions of RRNC. Provide ongoing support and guidance for ECCE providers, program leaders, and site directors. Facilitate and engage in Foundation First sponsored educator/provider preparation and training, program visits, and school division support. Develop partnerships with workforce partners/assets including local Chambers of Commerce, ECCE councils, and higher education and workforce training programs. Foster a local culture of trust, transparency, and shared accountability for documented outcomes that are driven by efficient and effective use of resources.

• Support ECCE Access and Quality Improvement Initiatives

Work collaboratively with ECCE partners that include, but are not limited to, the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE), the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation (VECF), the Infant and Toddler Specialist Network (ITSN), Training and Technical Assistance Centers (TTAC), and Child Care Aware of Virginia to lessen child care barriers for families and strengthen the quality of publicly funded ECCE programs. Based on data supported progress, ensure the development and integration of improvement strategies into area plans.

• Provide Strategic and Data–Driven Leadership

Use data to establish regional baselines and set area targets. Facilitate data collection and reporting for FF initiatives. Provide effective oversight and management of RRNC responsibilities in VQB5 and Coordinated Enrollment. Adhere to a process for progress reporting to the Systems Coordinator and extended Foundation First staff.

Duties

• Ensure VQB5 requirement completion during critical deadline periods
• Assign local Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS™) observers to VQB5 classrooms and manage observation completion with adherence to all protocols
• Act as subject matter expert for local observers and VQB5 programs, as needed
• Provide meaningful outreach to area ECCE programs, prioritizing an in-person approach
• Develop relationships by offering ECE leadership networking opportunities
• Coordinate coaching and training opportunities for ECCE programs
• Develop strategic community partnerships within the GPW area
• Guide Coordinated Enrollment efforts through topic specific collaboration and increased relationship building among ECCE programs
• Strengthen early childhood collaborative events by connecting leaders, partners, and resources, ensuring all activities align with RRNC core functions

Qualifications & Competencies

• Bachelor’s degree preferred from an accredited institution in a child-related or human services field OR education and experience commensurate with above preference
• Exhibits cultural sensitivity and has experience working with people from diverse backgrounds
• Knowledge of child development and prior experience with, or willingness to learn about, components of CLASS
• Working proficiency of common technology tools and adapts easily to technological platforms (Microsoft Office Suite, Asana, and other communications platforms and software)
• Effective working relationships in a collaborative style
• Communicates effectively orally, in person, by telephone, and in writing
• Demonstrates high level of initiative, problem solving, and critical thinking skills
• Meets all deadlines and manages time well
• Willingness and ability to travel with your designated area and across RRNC, supplying your own reliable transportation and documentation of current auto insurance and valid driver’s license with annual reporting of infractions
• Completion of TB risk assessment
• Completion of a Sworn Disclosure Statement attesting to any conviction or pending charges of any crime or any investigations pertaining to child abuse or neglect