Senior Director of Early Childhood

Originally founded in 1991 as Harlem RBI, DREAM has grown to annually serve more than 2,500 youth across East Harlem and the South Bronx through a network of seven Pre‑K‑12, extended-day, extended-year DREAM Charter Schools and community sports‑based youth development programs. Through our commitment to rigorous academics, social‑emotional learning, deep family and community engagement, and health and wellness, we create lifelong learners who are equipped to fulfill their vision of success in and out of the classroom.

We dream big, as well, with an aggressive five‑year plan to expand to serve 3,500 students across seven schools—growing our organization’s impact and leveling the playing field for all children. To learn more, visit wearedream.org.

The Senior Director of Early Childhood will direct all program and administrative services for DREAM’s Head Start programs across all sites. General responsibilities include supervision and management of all Head Start leadership team roles, overall supervision and guidance of all program operations, and ensuring full compliance with all Head Start performance standards, state and local licensing regulations. The Senior Director of Early Childhood will provide the program with vision and leadership, and ensure management functions are properly carried out.

• Program Management
• Ensure high‑quality implementation of program design at each Head Start location, including curriculum implementation, health and safety requirements, personnel administration and supervision, and family and community engagement to ensure the learning of all students;
• Lead the Head Start locations in continuous improvement of programs and systems, including the development of school plans to meet key performance indicators;
• Set and maintain high expectations and standards for quality teaching and learning that align with mission and organizational culture.

• Team Leadership
• Directly supervise, coach, and develop Site Directors;
• Support Site Directors in the recruiting, selecting, training, and retaining a high‑performing team of teachers and support staff;
• Ensure strategic management of DREAM’s Head Start programs in regular review and analysis of student SEL, culture, and academic achievement data;
• Foster a collaborative, results‑driven culture of continuous improvement across DREAM Head Start locations;
• Lead professional developments and ongoing improvement of Head Start implementation through a variety of strategies.

• Collaboration
• Foster and facilitate positive relationships and collaboration with network and school‑based leaders to advance efforts that advance DREAM’s mission and goals;
• Collaborate with peers and the Management Team to refine, articulate, and continuously improve DREAM’s Head Start model to achieve targeted results;
• Translate for the broader network leadership the needs of the Head Start program;
• Strengthen network‑wide Head Start programs and practices through the utilization of feedback from school and network leaders, staff, students, families, and the community;
• Build and sustain excellent relationships with staff, students, and families;
• Build and sustain strong relationships with the Board, donors, local community, and all internal and external stakeholders.

• Administration
• Ensure all DREAM Head Start locations are in compliance and up‑to‑date on all aspects of enrollment, data collection, implementation, and record keeping;
• Ensure DREAM Head Start programs maintain fiscal responsibility and stay under budget;
• Additional duties related to the running of the organization as assigned.
• Other responsibilities to support the functioning of the Network as assigned.

• Bachelor's degree required, with a Business or Early Childhood Education emphasis preferred;
• Minimum 5 years of previous experience or related work experience, required;
• Minimum 1 year of experience and a successful record of managing people, developing teams, leading organizational change, and leading projects across multiple sites, required;
• An understanding of the Head Start philosophy and the ability to implement its principle of shared authority and decision‑making;
• Prior experience in…