Program Manager, Early Care and Education

Low Income Investment Fund • Los Angeles, CA

5h • Hybrid

About The Position

The Low Income Investment Fund (LIIF) is a non-profit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) that mobilizes capital and partners to achieve opportunity, equity and wellbeing for people and communities. LIIF innovates financial solutions to create more equitable outcomes for all by building and preserving affordable homes, quality educational opportunities from early childhood through higher education, health clinics, healthy food retail and community facilities, providing a bridge between private capital markets and communities. The Program Manager, Early Care and Education (ECE) leads the implementation and management of initiatives that strengthen and expand licensed child care, with a focus on increasing access to high-quality early learning environments in Los Angeles County. The Program Manager oversees program operations, supervises staff delivering technical assistance and training to child care providers, and ensures effective program implementation aligned with LIIF’s mission and strategic priorities. This role is responsible for managing complex programs that support Family Child Care homes and Child Care Centers through individualized coaching, trainings, and project support related to facilities improvement, licensing readiness, and business sustainability. The Program Manager works closely with internal teams, government partners, and community stakeholders to ensure programs are responsive to provider needs and contribute to measurable improvements in child care supply and infrastructure. The role requires strong program management skills, strategic thinking, and a commitment to equity-centered approaches that remove barriers for providers serving historically under-resourced communities.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education, Business Administration, Finance, or a related field.
• Five years of professional experience in program management, early childhood education, or community development.
• Proven experience in leading teams, managing complex public funding programs, including application design, review, compliance, and reporting.
• Strong understanding of the ECE landscape, including Family Child Care operations, centers, licensing, small business supports, and business sustainability challenges.
• Strong written, verbal, and public speaking skills.
• Expertise in working with diverse populations and building inclusive relationships.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with data management platforms such as Salesforce and Submittable is highly desirable.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design, planning, and execution of initiatives that strengthen early care and education programs' capacity and expand licensed child care supply.
• Develop and implement program policies, timelines, and guidelines to ensure transparent and effective delivery of technical assistance and training focused on strengthening and expanding licensed child care in Los Angeles County.
• Oversee project monitoring process to ensure compliance, track progress, address barriers, and achieve key deliverables.
• Utilize data management platforms such Submittable and Salesforce to monitor program performance and generate comprehensive reports.
• Collaborate with funders and community partners to identify needs, refine program processes and integrate feedback to strengthen impact.
• Lead the Program Officers and consultants delivering culturally responsive, relationship-based technical assistance, training, and on-site support to build child care provider capacity.
• Support in the selection, engagement, and management of consultants delivering specialized technical assistance.
• Develop and oversee coaching supports that help providers strengthen operational practices and financial sustainability, including budgeting, cash flow management, recordkeeping, and long-term business planning.
• Support ECE programs in preparing for and accessing capital by building foundational business practices that improve financial stability and growth.
• Oversee tracking of provider engagement, technical assistance hours, on-site visits, and expansion outcomes.
• Ensure accurate documentation within Salesforce and other data systems.
• Collect and analyze provider-reported data, including new or improved licensed spaces and demographic information where appropriate.
• Prepare internal and external reports that communicate program impact and lessons learned.
• Use data insights to inform continuous improvement and strategic planning.
• Cultivate and steward relationships with key stakeholders, including ECE advocacy organizations, county and government agencies, and local community partners to strengthen coordination and advance shared goals for the ECE sector.
• Identify and refer ECE programs to partner organizations and CDFIs, as appropriate, to help them access capital and other financial and technical resources that promote business stability and growth.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, and shared learning grounded in equity and continuous improvement within the program team.
• Collaborate with directors to streamline workflows and assess operational systems for improved service delivery.
• Lead hiring, onboarding, and mentorship of staff to promote a culture of learning and innovation.
• Set clear performance expectations and support staff in meeting program deliverables.
• Support fundraising efforts, including prospecting and grant management.
• Collaborate with internal teams to identify cross-departmental opportunities for advancing program impact.

Benefits

• LIIF offers a hybrid work environment with flexibility to balance in-office and remote work.
• Reasonable accommodations, absent undue hardship, to qualified individuals who cannot get vaccinated against COVID-19 because of sincerely held religious or medical reasons.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Number of Employees: 11-50 employees