Head Start Disaster Recovery Specialist , Remote

ICF•Reston, VA

6d•Remote

About The Position

OHS Disaster Recovery Specialist Location: Remote Position Overview The Senior Project Analyst serves as the Disaster Recovery Specialist and provides expert-level content knowledge and strategic support to the Office of Head Start (OHS) in response to emerging programmatic needs, national directives, legislative changes, and policy priorities. This role requires deep contextual understanding of Head Start operations, strong relationships across the early childhood development community, and subject matter expertise across key Head Start content areas. The specialist supports time-sensitive, high-impact initiatives—ranging from disaster recovery to intergovernmental collaboration—and provides both short- and long-term expertise in functional, operational, and programmatic domains.

Requirements

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in early childhood education, public administration, social sciences, public policy, or related field
5+ years of experience supporting Head Start/Early Head Start programs or federal early childhood initiatives.
2+ years of experience supporting federal program initiatives, disaster recovery efforts, or high priority national projects.
2+ years of experience in public relations, intergovernmental collaboration, or cross agency initiatives.
US government issued security clearance required (will be initiated upon hire)
Valid driver’s license and ability to pass an MVR check.

Nice To Haves

Deep knowledge of Head Start Program Performance Standards and program operations.
Familiarity with Smartsheet or other real-time data systems.
Experience providing training or technical assistance in early childhood, governance, performance management, or fiscal oversight.
Strong analytical skills, including experience with program data, quantitative analysis, and reporting.
Proven ability to develop presentations, strategic content, and briefing materials for senior leaders.
Ability to work collaboratively with federal agencies, state systems, T/TA partners, and diverse partners in the early childhood field.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

Provide expert guidance across all major Head Start content areas, including; Education, Health and nutrition, Mental health, Dental, Social services, Family and community engagement, Early childhood and comprehensive services.
Utilize OHS systems such as GrantSolutions and the Head Start Enterprise System (HSES) for tracking, documentation, and analysis.
Support the development of custom solutions and specialized workplans tailored to OHS needs and timelines.
Provide senior-level expertise in disaster recovery and hurricane-related assistance for programs nationwide.
Manage and interpret real-time data related to disaster recovery grants through Smartsheet or similar systems.
Guide recipients on rebuilding and renovation applications related to natural disaster impacts.
Conduct research and gather resources related to earthquake safety, construction, and structural integrity assessments.
Aggregate, analyze, and interpret data from government systems to identify trends affecting Head Start grantees.
Prepare clear summaries, data briefs, and presentations for OHS leadership.
Participate in national and regional OHS meetings as directed.
Provide training and briefings for senior management on issues involving state systems.
Assist with development of materials and documentation to support policy, strategy, and program implementation.