Senior Director of Local Partnership Operations- 61097050

State of South Carolina • Richland County, SC

3d • Hybrid

About The Position

South Carolina First Steps is seeking a hardworking and dependable Senior Director of Local Partnership Operations to provide strategic leadership and operational oversight for the Local Partnership team. This position will ensure statewide alignment with agency goals, statutory mandates, and compliance standards. The role drives organizational effectiveness across governance, administrative, fiscal, and programmatic domains by leading the annual grant application and monitoring processes, guiding policy implementation, and designing tailored technical assistance for local First Steps partnerships. This position oversees staff supervision, continuous capacity building through targeted training initiatives and LMS integration and collaborates cross-functionally to support local leadership through strategic planning, data reporting, and operational transitions. The position reports under the general supervision of the Chief Partnership Officer and requires the ability to work independently. Excellent oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills, attention to detail, reliability, and promptness are essential, as is the ability to work in a team environment. Knowledge of program administration, contract management, quality assurance, compliance monitoring, fiscal oversight, and continuous improvement practices is required. Demonstrated ability to develop and implement operational systems and manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment is necessary. Strong writing skills are needed to interpret laws, regulations, policies, and contractual requirements and translate them into effective operational procedures. Strong leadership, supervisory, and team development skills are crucial for building collaborative relationships across agencies, providers, community organizations, and stakeholders. The ability to manage organizational change, resolve complex issues, and make sound decisions that support program integrity and strategic goals is also required.

Requirements

• A bachelor's degree and relevant program management experience in public administration, human services, nonprofit management, or related field.
• Experience must include leadership responsibilities involving program operations, compliance oversight, contract management, strategic planning, budget administration, and staff supervision.
• Demonstrated experience managing complex programs, developing and implementing policies and procedures and building collaborative partnerships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Demonstrated budget development, and understanding of formal grants management with public funds.
• Excellent oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Attention to detail.
• Reliable and prompt.
• Able to work in a team environment.
• Knowledge of program administration, contract management, quality assurance, compliance monitoring, fiscal oversight, and continuous improvement practices.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and implement operational systems and manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Advance, very strong writing skills.
• Ability to interpret laws, regulations, policies, and contractual requirements and translate them into effective operational procedures.
• Strong leadership, supervisory, and team development skills, with the ability to build collaborative relationships across agencies, providers, community organizations, and stakeholders.
• Ability to manage organizational change, resolve complex issues, and make sound decisions that support program integrity and strategic goals.

Nice To Haves

• Position may require overnight travel.
• Position requires frequent stooping and/or bending.
• Position requires frequent lifting: 10 lbs.
• Position requires non-essential declaration.

Responsibilities

• Manages local partnership team operational activities to include supervision of program and compliance team to ensure consistency in approach and ensure that services implemented by local First Steps Partnerships are aligned with agency goals, statutory, and other requirements.
• Works collaboratively with the Local Partnership team to provide thought leadership in the development and implementation of policies and practices related to operational domains including governance, administration, fiscal, and programmatic areas.
• Provides technical assistance to state-level staff and local First Steps Partnerships.
• Leads the development, execution, and review of the annual local partnership comprehensive grant application process including grant application development, monitoring, award determination review, annual reviews, corrective actions, and contract monitoring.
• Collaborates with Research and Evaluation, Local Partnership, and Strategic Implementation Teams to ensure strong design for First Steps Program Guidelines, including but not limited to the impact of revisions.
• Designs and co-implements tailored transition support for local First Steps partnerships navigating operational, strategic, and policy updates.
• Assists local leadership with strategic planning, community needs assessments, data reporting, and system management.
• Supports the development and delivery of targeted training content and drives organizational capacity to build core competencies for Local Partnership Executive Directors, board members, and program coaches.
• Designs and leads continuous training for these audiences at beginner, intermediate levels (both virtually and in person).
• Utilizes the agency’s Learning Management System (LMS) as one mechanism for on demand training options.
• Other duties as assigned.
• Supervises staff to include preparing performance planning and evaluation documents and related personnel paperwork.
• Coaches, counsels and trains employees.
• Establishes and monitors work processes.
• Implement management policies and initiatives and promote teamwork.

Benefits

• Health, dental, vision, long-term disability, and life insurance for employees, spouses, and children.
• 15 days annual (vacation) leave per year
• 15 days sick leave per year
• 13 paid holidays
• Paid Parental Leave
• S.C. Deferred Compensation Program available
• Retirement benefit choices
• State Retirement Plan (SCRS)
• State Optional Retirement Program (State ORP)

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director