Associate Director, Early Childhood Strategic Initiatives & Impact Position Available In Mercer, New Jersey

Position:

Associate Director, Early Childhood Strategic Initiatives and Impact Reports to:

Vice President, Early Childhood EducationLocation:

635 South Clinton Ave., Trenton, NJ 08611

Hours:

35 Hours per

WeekEducation:

Bachelor’s degree in English, Communications, Journalism, Public Relations, Non-Profit Management, or related field.

Salary Range:

$85,000 – $112,000

Position Summary:

The Associate Director, Early Childhood Strategic Initiatives and Impact serves as a strategic partner and key advisor to the Vice President of Early Childhood Development, playing a vital role in advancing the mission, sustainability, and growth of CHSofNJ’s early childhood education programs. Blending the strategic oversight of a Chief of Staff with the outcome-driven focus of a Quality Assurance and Improvement Director, this role drives programmatic excellence while championing innovation, continuous improvement, long-term sustainability, and measurable impact. The Associate Director ensures program goals are met or exceeded and fosters effective cross-functional collaboration to best support enrolled children and families.

The Associate Director also leads external and internal communications for the agency’s early childhood education initiatives, supporting fund development, program expansion, and strategic partnerships. Communications responsibilities include funding proposals, data and outcome reports, annual reports, policies and procedures, and correspondence with local, state, and federal partners.

Experience:

At least five years of professional experience in each of the following:

• Developing Head Start and Early Head Start grant proposals, including those aligned with the revised Head Start Grant Application Instructions (version 3.01, issued March 2024)
• Writing for a range of purposes and audiences, including complex funding applications, waivers, carryover requests, programmatic data reports, government communications, and policy and procedure documents
• Designing and implementing strategic program advancement goals supported by clear, actionable plans, and ensuring colleague accountability to keep projects on schedule and aligned with intended outcomes

Key Qualifications:

• Proven experience in nonprofit management, program development, communications, quality assurance and improvement, strategic planning, and cross-functional leadership
• Exceptional writing, communication, research, data analysis, and presentation skills
• Deep knowledge of early childhood education and child and family development, combined with a solid understanding of public relations and reputation management principles

Job Responsibilities:

• Serve as a key advisor to the Vice President, providing insight and recommendations on emerging issues and opportunities
• Facilitate coordination across departments (e.g., program operations, finance, HR, marketing) to ensure aligned implementation of strategic initiatives
• Support team development by fostering a collaborative environment and assisting with the identification of professional development gaps across early childhood programs
• Oversee the development and implementation of continuous quality improvement strategies to ensure compliance with HSPPS, agency policies, and contractual obligations
• Lead the development of high-quality written materials including funding applications, waivers, carryover requests, annual reports, data summaries, etc.
• Manage communications with external partners, including local, state, and federal agencies and community partner organizations
• Lead the development of competitive grant proposal packages aligned with current funding requirements for Head Start/Early Head Start and other early childhood funding opportunities
• Ensure compliance with all applicable regulations governing early childhood education, including Head Start Program Performance Standards (HSPPS) and the Uniform Guidance (2 CFR Part 200)
• Monitor programmatic and operational activities to proactively identify and address compliance risks The Children’s Home Society is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer M/F/D/V.

We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.