Project Manager for HeadStart Initiatives

VECRA Inc•Washington, DC

9h•Remote

About The Position

VECRA, Inc. has a requirement for an experienced early childhood senior leader to serve as a Project Manager for HeadStart initiatives. This position supports the Program Manager in providing leadership and management for a large, complex federal contract that advances the Office of Head Start’s priorities for early learning, health, and family engagement. The Project Manager will help ensure high-quality technical assistance (TA) services and resources provided for Head Start programs nationwide through the Training and Technical Assistance (TTA) System. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in early childhood education systems at the state or national level, including deep knowledge of the Head Start Program Performance Standards, Early Learning Outcomes Framework, and related federal regulations. The Project Manager will play a key role in managing project operations, supervising team leads and supporting the development and dissemination of research-based resources. This position requires strong leadership, project management expertise, and the ability to collaborate effectively with federal partners, stakeholders, and internal teams. This position is home based, with up to 25 percent travel to attend client meetings, related conferences, and additional meetings.

Requirements

A BS Degree in early childhood education, education, public policy, public administration, or management.
10+ years of experience in the early childhood or public administration field
5+ years of experience at the state or national level, focusing on early childhood policies, regulations, and systems
Experience in a leadership position involving implementation of Head Start programs and services.
Demonstrated ability to oversee and implement all facets of contract management, including budgeting, monitoring deliverables and project accomplishments, planning activities, and addressing challenges
Demonstrated knowledge of and experience in developing successful collaborations within the field of early learning
Sound business ethics, including the protection of proprietary and confidential information.
Excellent verbal, interpersonal, and written communication skills.
Strong communication skills for client relations, team building, and business development purposes.

Nice To Haves

A master’s degree in early childhood education, child development, public administration, public policy, education, or related degree
Demonstrated ability to work closely with diverse stakeholders
Demonstrated experience managing large and complex national TA efforts involving multiple types of tasks simultaneously in several geographic locations.
Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain effective relationships in support of program objectives
Demonstrated ability to motivate and supervise professionals working in a virtual environment
Demonstrated ability to accomplish project work through a virtual environment
Demonstrated analytic, problem solving and decision-making capabilities
Experience working with Microsoft Office Suite
Experience with project management tools such as Smartsheet.
Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making capabilities.
Ability to be a team player and multitask in a fast-paced environment.
Demonstrated outstanding level of professionalism in providing team support, including ability to exercise good judgment, discretion, tact, and diplomacy.
Ability to apply detailed knowledge of organizational procedures to make independent decisions and serve as a credible resource for a senior management team.
Ability to work with all levels of internal staff as well as outside clients and vendors.

Responsibilities

Provide leadership, direction, and priorities to project staff to achieve the primary vision, including key contract deliverables.
Work closely with other managers to ensure contract deliverables are met and that timeliness, messaging, and quality meet federal requirements and VECRA, Inc.’s standards.
Assist the Program Manager to staff the project with professionals who have the knowledge and skills necessary to support federal priorities and objectives.
Manage project workflow, assist staff with managing their work, facilitate team building and communication, and participate as part of the project leadership team.
Support Technical evaluations and progress.
Build strong, positive relationships across HeadStart and partner collaborations
Stay abreast of the latest HeadStart research, tools, and resources
Support Office of Head Start designated priorities and special projects, including development of TA materials, responding to requests for reference material, training sessions, conference calls, information sharing, and FAQs.
Serve as a liaison with the federal government, other organizations with government-funded technical assistance contracts, and other stakeholders.
Collaborate to create and execute communications and information dissemination plans for key deliverables.
Participate in regular team meetings and calls.
Identify solutions to complex tasks and deliverables on multiple early childhood topics and activities.
Participate in presentations at national meetings and conferences.
Represent the project on a corporate leadership team, supporting the Office of Head Start Portfolio Lead and contributing to the division’s vision and services.