Senior Director Education
About The Position
The Senior Director of Education leads and oversees the agency’s educational programming, spanning early childhood education, adult learning, and workforce development. The role provides strategic and operational oversight of Head Start and Lincoln Grant Scholar House (LGSH), a two-generation education and housing program, and ensures high-quality, equitable educational services that support school readiness, family engagement, lifelong learning, and career advancement. The Senior Director provides strategic vision, ensures compliance with regulatory and funding requirements, and fosters a culture of excellence among educators and staff. The position develops and implements a vision for holistic education services aligned with organizational goals; drives continuous quality improvement, innovation, and strategic planning; integrates LGSH with Head Start, adult education, and workforce advancement; and serves as an education policy and program expert to executive leadership. It leads programs including Early Head Start, Head Start, Pre-K, Adult Education, and other community learning initiatives. The role directly supervises the LGSH Director and ensures compliance with academic, housing, and wraparound support services at the LGSH campus. The Senior Director oversees curriculum selection, classroom quality, assessment systems, instructional supports, education leadership staff, staff development, and performance evaluations. The role supports family involvement and parent education initiatives, builds partnerships with schools, higher education institutions, and workforce training providers, and represents the agency in education networks and coalitions. It oversees assessment data, reporting, evaluation, and continuous improvement, including analysis of LGSH outcomes and cross-departmental case conferencing. The Senior Director also develops and manages departmental and grant budgets, provides fiscal and administrative oversight of educational grants and contracts, and participates in audits, site reviews, and monitoring visits.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Education, Early Childhood Education, Educational Leadership, or a related field.
- Minimum of 7–10 years of progressively responsible leadership experience in education.
- Deep understanding of early learning frameworks, adult education practices, and workforce pathways.
- Experience managing Head Start/Early Head Start or similar federally funded programs.
- Strong organizational, analytical, and interpersonal skills.
- Proficiency in data systems, compliance reporting, and educational technology.
Nice To Haves
- State teaching certification and/or program director credential.
- Experience with CLASS, ECERS, TS GOLD, or similar assessment tools.
- Bilingual in English and Spanish or another community language.
- Familiarity with trauma-informed practices and inclusive education models.
Responsibilities
- Develop and implement a vision for holistic education services aligned with organizational goals.
- Drive continuous quality improvement, innovation, and strategic planning across education programs.
- Integrate LGSH into broader educational programming, aligning it with Head Start, Adult Education, and workforce advancement efforts.
- Serve as the educational policy and program expert for executive leadership.
- Lead and manage Early Head Start, Head Start, Pre-K, Adult Education, and other community learning initiatives.
- Directly supervise the LGSH Director and ensure compliance with academic, housing, and wraparound support services at the LGSH campus.
- Ensure compliance with federal and state education mandates, including Head Start Program Performance Standards and state education guidelines.
- Oversee curriculum selection, classroom quality, assessment systems, and instructional supports.
- Supervise education leadership staff, including classroom supervisors, instructional coaches, and support personnel.
- Foster professional development opportunities and coaching for staff at all levels.
- Conduct performance evaluations and promote a culture of accountability and excellence.
- Support family involvement and parent education home-based initiatives, including those tied to residential support at LGSH.
- Build partnerships with schools, higher education institutions, and workforce training providers.
- Represent the agency in local and regional education networks and coalitions.
- Oversee use of assessment data to monitor student progress, academic milestones, and overall program effectiveness.
- Ensure data-informed decision-making and compliance with reporting requirements.
- Analyze LGSH student outcomes and ensure continuous improvement and case conferencing across departments.
- Lead evaluation efforts and apply findings to improve instruction and outcomes.
- Use agency and funder systems reporting platforms to track outcomes and inform continuous improvement.
- Develop and manage departmental and grant budgets, including LGSH education- and housing-related requirements.
- Ensure sound fiscal and administrative oversight of educational grants and contracts.
- Participate in audits, site reviews, and monitoring visits.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
