SANTA CLARA COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION
Job Description

MANAGER, HEAD START PLANNING AND SUPPORT - RESTRICTED

SUMMARY: Manages program planning and support service areas of the Head Start program; oversees the philosophical direction of program content areas and assures service integration in program planning and implementation; manages and supports the activities of the program design team to assure quality services to children and families; plans and oversees annual program planning, grant development and self-assessment activities; supervises support staff; and performs all other related duties.

40% PROGRAM MANAGEMENT

Oversees the philosophical direction of program content areas and assures service integration in program planning and implementation. In coordination with the Program Operations Unit, develops plans for program content areas, policies and procedures for the determination and implementation of Head Start activities; oversees and participates in the Head Start planning and grant application process, including the development of community assessment, goals and objectives, and operational procedures for each of the service areas; plans and selects team members from staff, parents and community partners and designs training and implementation of the review; prepares routine and comprehensive reports and determines corrective actions to be taken. Establishes and maintains internal monitoring processes to assure adherence to federal and state requirements

25% PROGRAM SUPPORT SERVICES

Manages support service areas for Head Start program including eligibility, enrollment, family support, food services, facilities and operations support; supervises and supports the activities of the program design team to assure quality of services for children and families. Integrates activities with those of program operations and other units to assure efficient and effective operations. Analyzes trends from each service area and data on children and families enrolled in the program and determines whether appropriate results are achieved; proposes corrective action needed and monitors its implementation; establishes and maintains community resources and agreements with external programs and agencies.

20% POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

Develops and establishes procedures that include parents in all aspects of the Head Start program, including those procedures for the transition of children and families into and out of the program. In consultation with Program Operations staff, develops and implements procedures for monitoring progress, planning improvement and data analysis and for eligibility, recruitment, selection, enrollment and attendance that meet the requirements of Performance Standards and other regulations. Develops guides, manuals and resource materials for staff and parents to clarify agency policies and support the implementation of procedures.

10% SUPERVISION

Selects, trains, and evaluates support staff. Coordinates staff development training activities and works closely with Program Operations and Human Resources to identify training needs.

5% RELATED ACTIVITIES

Performs all other related duties.

DECISION-MAKING AND PROBLEM-SOLVING: Plans and develops content areas, policies and procedures for the determination and implementation of Head Start activities; identifies problem areas and takes corrective action; and implements policies and procedures, monitors progress and compliance with Performance Standards and other regulations. Participates in forecasting trends and long-term planning for major unit of Office; implements long-term plans in division; requires some independence and autonomy in decision-making within framework of broadly stated policy guidelines, precedents, specialized knowledge and prior research; situations are varied and sometimes highly complex; and participates in decisions that frequently have major impact on a division and/or its clients.

REQUIRED MINIMUM SKILLS AND ABILITIES: Knowledge of organizational management, systems and related procedures; state, and federal requirements relating to the Head Start program; strategies and methods for developing agreements and partnerships; and principles of personnel management, staff and group supervision, team building, training and evaluation. Ability to conduct comprehensive planning for program goals and objectives; develop and implement procedures for the evaluation of program outcomes/results; supervise and guide internal program teams; and interpret federal and state regulations. Advanced skill in communicating in critical situations orally and in writing, with business, education, and community leaders; advanced skill in financial and other statistical analysis; advanced skill in program building, operations, funding, and maintenance; skill in personnel management through coordination and cooperation; and advanced skill in adapting style in divergent situations with groups on a frequent basis.

REQUIRED MINIMUM TRAINING, EDUCATION, AND LICENSING: Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in organizational development, management or a related field; A Master’s degree is desirable; and a valid California driver's license.

REQUIRED MINIMUM PRIOR WORK EXPERIENCE: Four years of job-related experience with demonstrated competence.

REQUIRED INTERACTION (NON-AUTHORITY): Contacts are somewhat unstructured, and are primarily with high-level individuals inside and outside the Office, such as program managers, public agency administrators, county counsel, and vendors; and contacts require planning, promoting, strategy development, decision-making, and problem-solving.

SUPERVISION: Directly supervises supervisors and support staff.

Personnel Commission Approval: September 18, 2003