Head Start Family Services Manager

Description

Deadline to apply:  January 31, 2025

POSITION SUMMARY:

This position supports the work of the Y, a leading nonprofit committed to strengthening community through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. The Family Services Manager works as part of the content area team of managers to integrate Head Start services for children and families and is responsible for the oversight and development of systems to provide opportunities and support for growth of Head Start families so they can identify their own strengths, needs and interests and find their own solutions. The Family Services Manager develops relationships with community partners, to whom families can be referred for services, and ensures that services are supported by staff and/or consultants with training and experience in the field(s) related to social, human, or family services.

BENEFITS:

We offer an extensive benefits package for our full-time employees which includes:

• Free Household Membership 
• Medical Dental & Vision
• Life insurance
• Short and Long Term Disability
• Retirement benefits will vest at 12% after 2 years of employment
• Discount on childcare and other Y programs
• Paid Time Off 
• Bereavement leave

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:

The Family Services Manager must have the ability to demonstrate understanding of program development and management; effective and efficient time management; demonstate capacity for managing and leading people; excellent oral and written communication skills, interpersonal and coaching skills, and organizational skills; ability to exemplify a “Y-Voice” that demonstrates determination, genuine concern, welcoming attitude, hopefulness and a nurturing spirit.

Understand ethical behavior and business practices, and ensure that own behavior and the behavior of others is consistent with these standards and aligns with the values of the organization; maintain a work ethic that holds a high standard to organizational accountability.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Develops and maintains a system for administering and monitoring the family and community partnership portion of the program that support the effective implementation of services to families.
• Develops and maintains a system for the provision of case management and referral for social services to Head Start families in cooperation with other social services, health and mental health agencies, and providers through community partnership agreements.
• Develops and maintains a monitoring system to ensure family’s needs are being met.
• Establishes and maintains relationships with community partners and identifies resources that can be made available to familes.
• Implements system for direct services  with families, including the Family Partnership Agreement process, case management process, and referral and follow-up activities. Ensures that a family strengths/family-centered practice is understood and followed by staff.
• Monitors direct service staff’s utilization of child tracking/database system PROMIS/MyHeadStart for documenting child and family information, referrals, and follow-up services provided.
• Develops training plans for Family Services staff, and determines training collective needs for all Head Start staff related to parent, family, and community engagement.
• Responsible for the Eligibility, Recruitment, Selections, Enrollment, and Attendance (ERSEA) component area of the program. Monitors the wait list and assures the list is viable each month. Ensures that the program is at full enrollment within 30 days of start of program services, and that all vacancies are filled within 30days  throughout the year. Coordinates recruitement activities in the community.
• Serves as the contact for designated social service partners, continuing to further develop and nurture collaborative relationships.
• Serves as the lead and key coordinator for child abuse and neglect reporting system. Ensures that staff are aware and trained on child abuse and neglect identification and reporting laws. Responsible for updating and coordinating with the local child protective services agency to clarify a system for identifying and reporting suspected abuse and to follow YMCA protocols for training staff and parents on at least an annual basis.
• Works closely with other managers/coordinators to support arrangement for identification, referrals, parent permission, confidentiality of records, evaluation and individual program planning for children with special needs.
• Attends home visits, parent conferences and/or IEP/IFSP meetings when necessary or as requested.
• Assists other managers/coordinators and teaching staff with transition of Head Start children to kindergarten as well as children transitioning into Head Start.
• Supports the center teams in ensuring Parent Committee activities and Family Nights are coordinated and offered regularly. 
• Provides to parents of limited English proficient children outreach and information in a language that the parents can understand. 
• Submits verbal and/or written reports to Director on the area activities and status as needed. 
• Oversees and updates all pertinent information in children's files in cooperation with the classrooms.
• Track data and provide accurate information for the annual Program Information Report (PIR) as well as for monthly reports.
• Provides or arranges for training and technical assistance to staff and parents based upon pertinent issues/interests expressed in family interest survey to include advocacy, family center approach, family literacy, self-sufficiency, child development, health, parenting skills and other topics as identified.
• Understands, generates and documents in-kind and other allowable costs applied toward the non-federal share requirement.
• Attends all workshops and meetings as deemed necessary by the immediate  
• Attends all required staff and parent meetings and activities.
• Responsible for understanding Head Start Performance Standards and local child care licensing regulations.
• Expected to be knowledgeable of the regulations associated with prevention of occupational disease and injury, including the exercise of universal precautions and the prevention of contamination.
• Positively promotes Head Start in the community.
• Becomes thoroughly familiar with YMCA Employee Handbook: Human Resources Policies and Procedures, YMCA  Head Start Operations Manual and all other YMCA HS handbooks, manuals and resources and adheres to them.
• Plans and directs the work of the staff supervised. Observes and gives feedback to staff or volunteers supervised where applicable and other staff as assigned on at least a weekly basis.
• Makes appropriate personnel decisions that do not require higher approval and submits others as a recommendation to the supervisor.
• Determines appropriate training needs to meet the program goals and objectives and makes the necessary recommendations.
• Develops and supports the professional development plan for staff supervised.
• Maintains strict confidentiality with respect to Head Start children, families and staff in accordance with established policies and procedures.
• Monitors compliance with the content area work plans.
• Develops and implements a plan and system of continuous ongoing monitoring and evaluation of activities within the program.

Qualifications

QUALIFICATIONS/REQUIREMENTS:

This position must possess the educational background, technical skills and related work experience necessary to effectively perform the duties of this position:

Education/Experience:

• Minimum requirement is a bachelor’s degree or higher in Social Work, Human Services, Family Studies or other human services related field plus associated experience working with children and families.
• Two years supervisory/management experience required.

Language Skills:

• Ability to communicate ideas and instructions orally and in writing.
• Ability to speak, read and write English well enough to understand and be understood by others.
• Ability to write reports and business correspondence.
• Ability to read, analyze and interpret general social services related journals and technical procedures.
• Ability to speak before groups of individuals.
• Some bilingual fluency helpful (English/Spanish).

Mathematical Skills:

• Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, percentage and overtime.
• Ability to produce and interpret graphs, charts, spreadsheets, and other mathematical reports.

Reasoning Ability:

• Skills identifying, developing, and nurturing relationships with other community agencies and negotiating community partnership agreements are required.
• Ability to recognize problems in the areas of social services.
• Ability to relate well and maintain effective working relationships with staff, children, parents and other agencies.
• Ability to exercise professional judgment in evaluating before making decisions and maintain all information in strict confidence.
• Ability to work effectively in a team environment.
• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
• Ability to interpret an extensive variety of instructions.
• Ability to summarize conclusions and instructions, then make recommendations and develop implementation plans.

Computer skills:

This position will have advanced knowledge of programs maintained and used by the organization, including, but not limited to, Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook.

Salary : $48,000 - $55,000