Director of Community Programs

The Director of Community Programs is responsible for providing leadership, strategic direction, oversight and management of community programs and projects of the Agency, which currently includes Parent Partnerships, Neighborhoods Ready for School, and Fatherhood programs. The Director partners with community stakeholders from multiple sectors and disciplines across the county to ensure an equity-centered, systems building approach to program design and investment. As a strategic partner, the Director works collaboratively with colleagues to ensure intra-agency collaboration and cross-agency integration and alignment with organizational vision, strategic plan and commission-adopted programs and budgets. 

• Provides oversight and support to all First 5 community programs, ensuring effective program design and implementation by translating the programmatic vision into actionable short- and long-term plans that align with First 5’s strategies. Assures that programs are executed as planned, adhere to workplans, and meet contract compliance requirements
• Strategically use data, research, and evaluation to inform program design, continuous quality improvement, scale, sustainability, and systems change for the community programs division
• Develops plans for sustainability of community programs in collaboration with agency leadership and Senior/Program Administrators. Promotes and navigates sustainability efforts with community partners, collaborating with partners to ensure effective program design, delivery, and coordination of services
• Plans for and leads team meetings within and across community program strategies to ensure coordinated efforts and approaches to implement the F5AC strategic plan and recommends changes or adjustments
• Collaborates with staff from across the agency in defining and developing agency-wide management and integration practices, governance standards, processes, and metrics for all community programs
• Develops, monitors and oversees the overall budget for community programs. Oversees the team’s program budgets management and their coordination with agency fiscal and administrative staff. Approves program expenditures requiring a second level of review and any major budget revisions
• Collaborates and coordinates with data and evaluation team on the evaluation of programs and provision of program data for the agency annual report and other deliverables
• Participates in agency oversight and/or planning meetings as appropriate strategic planning, and other higher-level agency meetings
• Represents F5AC on relevant external committees, work groups and meetings and collaborates with external stakeholders, and coordinates participation in community-based efforts or initiatives, ensuring the Agency’s strategic representation in these efforts
• Directly supervises and coaches community program staff including those with subordinate staff. Holds self and others accountable for high quality work and achievement of goals
• Promotes clear communication and collaboration internally within division and across agency, and externally with community partners to ensure clarity, alignment and progress towards goals
• Partners with executive leadership to inform First 5 Commission and staff of community programs, investments, priorities and policy opportunities
• Identifies policy issues with potential impact on programs

Minimum Qualifications

Any combination of training and experience that would provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying.  A typical way to obtain the required qualifications would be:

• Minimum eleven years full-time progressively responsible experience in policy and system improvement, program development, and/or grantmaking at a public or private organization or community development agency, including at least four years of high-level program and operational planning, management, and administration experience. Four of the eleven years of experience must have included supervision of managerial or professional level staff with responsibility for diverse functional areas. Experience across a variety of sectors, including government, non-profit, and for-profit organizations preferred.
• A Bachelor’s degree in Public Health, Social Welfare, Public Administration, Public Policy, or related fields may be substituted for 4 years of required experience. A Master’s degree may be substituted for an additional year of experience.

Knowledge of:

• Principles and practices of executive leadership and staff supervision.
• Principles and practices in the field of early childhood and systems of care
• Principles and practices of systems thinking and/or systems change
• Principles and practices of direct client service delivery
• Principles and practices of the use of data for continuous improvement and decision-making  
• Program performance budgeting, strategic budgeting and benchmarking
• Principles and practices of public administration
• Applicable state laws, rules and regulations
• Principles and practices of management, supervision, training and team leadership
• Program development and evaluation methodologies
• Principles and practices of contract negotiation, development, and management
• Budgetary and contract administration practices
• Principles and practices of planning and project management
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, Office 365 preferred; familiarity with Smartsheet use preferred
• Principles of equity, social, racial, and economic justice

Ability to:

• Demonstrate experience and leadership in service delivery systems, program management, policy analysis and strategic thinking
• Provide leadership and effectively organize, coordinate, and supervise professional and administrative staff
• Develop a wide variety of short- and long-range plans and recommendations for alternative methods of service delivery for First 5 and local policy maker’s consideration
• Demonstrate experience navigating ambiguous environments and driving progress amid dynamic internal and external landscapes 
• Promote teamwork and program integration within and across program strategies and agency-wide
• Work collaboratively with community agencies and stakeholders
• Demonstrate ability to work with and administer programs with an equity-centered approach for children, families, and community, and demonstrate cultural awareness and sensitivity in a variety of contexts
• Communicate effectively orally and in writing to staff, the Commission and the public
• Read, analyze, and interpret common professional publications, legislative or policy documents, financial reports and related business documents and information
• Plan and project manage work to ensure organizational goals are achieved
• Analyze, develop, and monitor budgets
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with staff throughout the Agency
• Facilitate groups and manage meetings effectively
• Adapt to a variety of situations
• Define and creatively address problems or management challenges requiring analysis of multiple variables or situations, collect and analyze information, consider alternatives, and draw valid conclusions
• Define and creatively address problems or management challenges requiring analysis of multiple variables or situations, collect and analyze information, consider alternatives, and draw valid conclusions

Please note:

• We are currently working a hybrid 2 day per week in-office schedule and employees also come to the office to attend meetings and as requested. 
• All First 5 employees must live and work in California.
• The salary range for this position is $134,000 to $183,000 and as an independent government agency, the posted salary is the set salary range for this position. We cannot offer salaries above this posted range.

About First 5 Alameda County

First 5 Alameda County believes every child in Alameda County should have optimal health, development, and well-being to reach their greatest potential. Through innovative programs and policy advocacy, we help provide children and their families access to resources that support their first five years of development.

Join our mission-driven team that in partnership with the community, supports a county-wide continuous prevention and early intervention system that promotes optimal health and development, narrows disparities, and improves peak years of child development.

First 5 Alameda County Benefits

We offer a comprehensive benefits package with health care options to meet the diverse needs of our employees and their families. These benefits include but are not limited to Medical, Dental, & Vision Coverage, $1,500 credit per year to spend on benefits, Health and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs), Employer Paid & Voluntary Life & AD&D Insurance, Long-Term Disability Insurance, Retirement Plans including the ACERA Pension Plan, Commuter Benefits, Employee Assistance Plan and more.

We also offer paid vacation, paid time off and sick time. We have 17 paid holidays including the week between Christmas Day and New Year's Day as paid time off.