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United Way of Acadiana is committed to serving Acadia, Iberia, Lafayette, St. Martin, Iberia, and Vermilion parishes. United Way fights for the health, education, and financial stability of every person in our community. Our mission: to unite people and organizations with passion, expertise, and resources to create more opportunities for a better life. Our vision: an educated, prosperous, and safe Acadiana where all individuals and families are empowered to achieve their full potential.

Basic Job Summary

The Director of Impact & Early Head Start is a senior leadership position responsible for bringing United Way of Acadiana's mission work together under one coordinated strategy. This leader will provide full program-level authority and oversight for UWA's Early Head Start program while also directing broader community impact initiatives that advance education, health, financial stability, family well-being, and community engagement.

The ideal candidate is both a strong operator and a systems thinker: someone who can ensure excellence and compliance in a federally funded early childhood program while building partnerships, aligning programs, developing people, using data, and creating a holistic continuum of support for children and families.

This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely involves standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets, and fax machines. Occasionally, an employee might be asked to carry/transport heavy items up to 40lbs.

Duties and Responsibilities

Early Head Start Leadership & Compliance

Provide executive-level leadership and strategic direction for all Early Head Start program components, including education, health, nutrition, mental health, family services, disabilities services, enrollment, facilities, and governance.
Serve as the designated program-level authority for Early Head Start operations and ensure full compliance with Head Start Program Performance Standards, applicable federal regulations, state licensing requirements, and UWA policies.
Maintain continuous federal monitoring readiness through strong internal controls, file review, data quality, staff preparation, corrective action, and continuous quality improvement.
Lead the annual Early Head Start self-assessment, quality improvement planning, school readiness planning, and required federal reporting, including PIR and ERSEA-related data.
Oversee the Early Head Start federal grant budget in partnership with UWA Finance, including budget monitoring, non-federal match, fiscal documentation, and responsible stewardship of public funds.
Partner with the UWA Board of Directors and Early Head Start Policy Council to support informed governance, shared decision-making, and required approvals.

Broader Community Impact Strategy

Lead UWA's portfolio of impact initiatives and ensure that programs are aligned with measurable community outcomes rather than operating as isolated projects.
Guide initiatives related to education, health, financial stability, food access, family support, volunteer engagement, and other emerging community priorities.
Develop, launch, evaluate, and improve community impact strategies based on local needs, data, partner input, and UWA's strategic plan.
Build and sustain partnerships with nonprofits, businesses, schools, healthcare organizations, government agencies, funders, and community leaders.

Family Impact Integration

Develop a holistic family support model that connects Early Head Start families with UWA programs, community resources, and opportunities that address the needs of the whole family.
Strengthen pathways to financial coaching, tax preparation, benefits access, health and behavioral health services, food resources, workforce supports, literacy resources, and other community services.
Use family voice, program data, and community feedback to identify service gaps and improve the family experience across UWA programs.
Create systems that support warm referrals, coordinated follow-up, and stronger outcomes for parents, caregivers, infants, toddlers, and pregnant women.
Position Early Head Start as a core part of UWA's broader strategy to help families build stability and long-term opportunity.

People & Culture Leadership

Supervise, coach, and develop Early Head Start management staff and assigned Impact team members, with clear expectations, regular feedback, and documented professional development.
Build a collaborative, accountable, mission-centered culture across programs and departments.
Promote cross-department teamwork, direct communication, shared ownership, and alignment with organizational priorities.
Develop emerging leaders and create opportunities for staff to expand their skills, influence, and responsibility.
Address performance and personnel matters consistently and in coordination with Human Resources and the President & CEO.

Data, Evaluation & Resource Development

Establish measurable outcomes, dashboards, and performance indicators for Early Head Start and broader impact initiatives.
Use data to identify trends, improve services, communicate results, and guide strategic decisions.
Identify grant opportunities and contribute to program design, logic models, proposals, reports, and funder stewardship.
Partner with fundraising and communications staff to connect donors, companies, and volunteers to UWA's mission work through compelling stories and meaningful engagement opportunities.
Present program results, risks, opportunities, and recommendations to organizational leadership, the Board, Policy Council, funders, and community stakeholders.

Organizational Leadership

Serve as an active member of UWA's senior leadership team and contribute to organization-wide strategy, planning, budgeting, risk management, and decision-making.
Represent United Way of Acadiana at community meetings, coalitions, conferences, and public events.
Model inclusive, ethical, collaborative leadership and uphold UWA's mission, values, policies, and commitment to serving the community.
Perform other responsibilities consistent with the scope and leadership level of the position.
Creates an atmosphere that respects and embraces engagement of all people, ideas and backgrounds and aligns with United Way’s values.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education, Education, Public Administration, Social Work, Human Services, Nonprofit Management, or a closely related field from an accredited institution.
At least five years of progressively responsible leadership experience in a Head Start/Early Head Start program, federally funded human services program, early childhood organization, or comparable community impact setting.
Demonstrated experience supervising staff, developing teams, and leading through change.
Experience managing grants, budgets, compliance requirements, program reporting, and measurable outcomes.
Demonstrated ability to build partnerships and work effectively with families, community organizations, funders, volunteers, and governance bodies.
Strong written, verbal, facilitation, and presentation skills.
Valid driver's license, reliable transportation, and ability to travel throughout UWA's service area.
Ability to satisfy all background check, health, licensing, and federal program requirements applicable to the position.

Preferred Qualifications

Master's degree in a related field.
Leadership experience in Early Head Start or Head Start, including knowledge of HSPPS, federal monitoring, ERSEA, PIR reporting, Policy Council governance, and 45 CFR Part 75.
Experience managing a federal early childhood or human services grant.
Experience with collective impact, coalition leadership, program evaluation, community needs assessment, or cross-sector collaboration.
Experience leading family-centered, trauma-informed, and strength-based services.
Bilingual proficiency.

Original Ad

Required degree level

Bachelor

Required languages

English