Early Head Start Director-Milwaukee Area

Early Head Start Director-Milwaukee Area Milwaukee, WI Job Details Full-time $69,000 - $70,000 a year 23 hours ago Benefits Paid holidays Disability insurance Health insurance Dental insurance 401(k) Flexible spending account Paid time off Work from home Employee assistance program Vision insurance 401(k) matching Flexible schedule Life insurance Retirement plan Qualifications Spanish Community engagement Strategic management Teamwork Fiscal management Overseeing educational regulatory compliance 5 years Strategic planning in education Early childhood education Local agency collaboration Compliance audits & assessments English Mid-level Compliance management implementation Bachelor's degree in early childhood education Team development Hiring Bachelor's degree in child development Bachelor's degree Child Development Personnel management in education Networking through strategic partnership building Budget management in education Practicing budget management in an educational setting Strategic partnerships Training Leadership Communication skills Early Childhood Education Educational program management

Full Job Description Early Head Start Director Location:

Milwaukee, WI Work type: Hybrid (work from home + site visits)

Salary:

$70,000 annually plus great benefits This is a rare opportunity to help build an Early Head Start Child Care Partnership program from the ground up - bringing your vision, expertise, and passion for early childhood to a mission-driven organization that genuinely values the people behind the work. About WECA Wisconsin Early Childhood Association (WECA) is a statewide nonprofit dedicated to building a foundation for lifelong learning for Wisconsin's youngest children. We support early childhood professionals through advocacy, professional development, and quality improvement — and we bring that same intentionality to how we treat our own team. We believe in work-life balance not just as a policy, but as a practice. Our culture is people-first, collaborative, and deeply mission-driven. When you join WECA, you're joining a team that cares about the work and about each other. The Role As Early Head Start Director, you'll lead WECA's Early Head Start Child Care Partnership (CCP) program — a multi-site initiative serving infants and toddlers across the Milwaukee area.

This is a hybrid position:

you'll have the flexibility to work from home while spending meaningful time visiting and building relationships with community-based child care partner sites. You'll supervise an Education Manager, Monitoring & Compliance Manager, and Comprehensive Services Manager — guiding a dedicated team to deliver integrated, high-quality services aligned with federal Head Start Performance Standards. Because this program is being built from the ground up, you'll have real ownership over its direction, culture, and outcomes. What You'll Do Own overall program leadership across multiple community partner sites — this is your program to shape and grow Develop and sustain strong community partnerships to expand reach and impact for Milwaukee's youngest children Ensure full compliance with federal and state regulations and Head Start Performance Standards Lead strategic planning and use data to drive continuous program improvement Hire, train, coach, and evaluate a passionate, high-performing team Manage program budgets in collaboration with the financial team Coordinate across education, family services, health, inclusion, and compliance to ensure integrated service delivery Lead community needs assessments and translate findings into program planning Prepare for and lead federal and state program reviews and audits What We're Looking For Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education, Child Development, or a related field 5+ years of experience managing early childhood programs, with deep expertise in infant/toddler development Strong knowledge of Head Start Program Performance Standards and regulatory compliance Proven track record in fiscal oversight and strategic program planning Exceptional communication, leadership, and relationship-building skills Based in or able to relocate to the Milwaukee area Spanish/English bilingual candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. Benefits We take care of our people. Here's what you can expect:

Vacation & Time Off:

10 vacation days in year one, 12 sick days per year (bank up to 240 hrs), plus 13 paid holidays

Holiday Week:

WECA closes the week between Christmas and New Year's — fully paid as Holiday. 401(k)

Match:

Company matches 100% up to 3% of salary, plus 50% on the next 2%

Health Insurance:

Medical, dental (company paid), and vision insurance

Income Protection:

Life insurance, short-term & long-term disability — all company paid

Additional Coverage:

Accident, critical illness, and hospital insurance options available

Flexible Spending:

FSA and dependent care account options Wisconsin Early Childhood Association works to build a foundation for a lifetime of learning for Wisconsin's young children by promoting excellence in early education programs, supporting professionalism in the early childhood workforce, and calling for greater investment in quality early child care. WECA's mission is to meet the professional needs of adults who nurture and teach Wisconsin's young children through a rich continuum of services. WECA does not discriminate in employment on the basis of age, race, religion, color, handicap, sex, physical condition, developmental disability, sexual orientation, or national origin.

Pay:

$69,000.00 - $70,000.00 per year

Benefits:

401(k) 401(k) matching Dental insurance Employee assistance program Flexible schedule Flexible spending account Health insurance Life insurance Paid time off Retirement plan Vision insurance Application Question(s): Do you have a minimum of 5 years experience in an administrative role running a childcare program? Do you have deep expertise in infant/toddler development? Do you have strong knowledge of Early Head Start Program Performance Standards and regulatory compliance? Do you have exceptional communication, leadership and relationship building skills?

Work Location:

On the road