The Early Education Directors Collaborative provides a wide variety of information and support to early learning centers across Sarasota County. This model serves as a centralized hub for early learning leaders to support professional development, maintain a collaborative network of peers and industry professionals, streamline the hiring process for early learning professionals across the county, provide staffing resources, and manage a substitute teacher pool available for participating early learning centers.

Directed by the SVP of Youth Development, this exciting new role role oversees the creation and operational aspects of the shared services provided by the Early Education Directors Collaborative (EEDC), an innovative, collaborative approach to ensuring early learning professionals have the resources needed to prepare children for kindergarten and beyond.

The Executive Director will also participate in volunteer and staff development, financial development, collaboration with community stakeholders, and is responsible for continuously seeking opportunities to expand service throughout the service area, sharing the benefits and impact of the Y’s efforts with the broader community. In this role, she/he will work directly with additional areas of functional expertise within the YMCA, including Human Resources and Finance team to achieve program and organizational objectives.

• Directly supervises the Early Education Directors Collaborative of Shared Services and the expansion of programs and opportunities therein
• Provides leadership, guidance and direction regarding operations, finances, program management and long-range planning, continuous improvement, and efficiency within the YMCA and to all participating centers within the Network
• Oversees centralization of early learning teacher recruitment for Collaborative participants.
• Manages pool of substitute teachers to allow temporary support to centers in need across the county.
• Develops and maintains a robust training portfolio for Collaborative participants:
• Develops, organizes, and provides policy and best practice resources for Collaborative participants, including financial, personnel, and program policies
• Guides connections to Early Intervention and Behavioral Health Services
• Provides comprehensive data analysis and reporting for the services rendered
• Directs the expansion of Early Education Directors Collaborative services in the community and assists and collaborates with the schools and other community services to provide advocacy and policy support for early learning centers in Sarasota County
• Reviews and evaluates the programs, services, and general operations of the Early Education Directors Collaborative
• Develops and maintains relationships with community businesses and cultivates new relationships to increase awareness for the services provided
• Supports the program goals of the YMCA as a whole and the Early Learning Centers in particular
• Other duties as assigned

• Ability to direct all operations through recruitment, staff development, supervision of staff, development and monitoring of program budget, marketing and public relations, and program development.
• Detail-oriented, multi-tasker with strong organizational skills
• Must possess initiative and enthusiasm for the advancement of youth development in the community at large
• Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills; ability to relate effectively to diverse groups of people from all social and economic segments of the community.
• Strong communication and negotiation skills.
• Serves as a community leader building collaborations based on trust and credibility to advance the Y’s mission and goals.
• Expectations of high level of professionalism, time-management (individual and team), ability to perform under deadline, multi-task, management and group leadership skills, and high degree of organization.
• Provides tools and resources for the development of others, assigns clear accountability, and ensures continuous improvement of programs and staff.
• Strong PC and database management skills with the ability to learn new software programs and processes quickly.
• Excellent written/verbal communication skills and analytical and critical thinking skills
• Has the functional and technical knowledge and skills required to perform well; uses best practices and demonstrates up-to-date knowledge and skills in technology.
• Commitment to inclusion and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

EXPERIENCE, CERTIFICATIONS AND TRAINING REQUIREMENTS:

• 5-10 years’ of Progressive experience with management/staff leadership in the Early Learning field
• Bachelor’s degree in Early Learning, Education and/or related field.
• Florida Childcare Director credential required
• Infant/child CPR & First Aid
• Annual completion of YMCA Blood Borne Pathogens training
• Annual completion of YMCA Child Sexual Abuse Prevention class
• Successfully complete DCF background screening requirements as well as meet the association policies on background screening.
• Additional training classes as recommended.