Vice President of Innovation & Programs

Summary of Position

The Vice President of Innovation and Programs plays a critical role in supporting the development and execution of current and brand-new strategic initiatives and programs that support the mission of The Family Conservancy (TFC) and strengthen its impact and reach. This position will be responsible for creating an innovation-driven culture, managing the development of new ideas with the aim to create new products and services, and effectively managing the transformation that this involves. The Vice President is a key member of the Executive Leadership Team, who will provide thought leadership and team oversight around best-in-class strategy, evaluation and data-driven decision-making, talent development, and external relationship-building.

Essential Job Results

The Vice President of Innovation and Programs will supervise and consult with assigned Program Directors and the Director of Impact and Strategy to create a culture of learning and innovation across the organization.

• Ensures effective management of all aspects of the assigned programs and services.

• Facilitates a collaborative team approach to program management, creates effective relationships among staff, clients, and community agencies to enhance services to children and families.

• Ensures that contract and grant objectives are met by the Program Directors.

Innovation and Strategic Planning

Develops and implements a cross functional innovation team and formal process to discover new solutions and approaches to maximize TFC’s programming and impact in the community.

• Encourages creative thinking in employees and finds ways to nurture innovative thinking across all areas of the organization.

Develops and implements a vision and strategy for program growth and evolution, which will involve planning and developing additional program models/components, developing or pursuing new public funding and/or grant opportunities in collaboration with the program directors, development team, and finance team.

Oversees the response to requests for TFC’s services and assessment of the feasibility and strategic value of new partnerships.

Supports The Family Conservancy’s Strategic Plan and ensures accountability through successful implementation of assigned objectives where applicable.

Provides leadership for planning, developing, maintaining, and improving all assigned programs/services, including management and coordination of personnel as they apply to the agency’s programs.

• Prepares an annual plan for assigned programs based on the agency’s strategic plan.

Reviews and make recommendations to the President and CEO regarding staffing patterns and program development.

Hiring & Supervision

Provides leadership and supervision to assigned staff in accordance with agency policies and applicable laws including interviewing, hiring and training employees; planning, assigning and directing work; appraising introductory and annual performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems in an effective, timely manner.

• Completes introductory and quarterly written evaluations of assigned personnel in a timely manner.

Financial Management

Achieves financial objectives by preparation, analysis, and initiation of corrective actions of assigned programs/services.

• Ensures that annual budgets for assigned programs are produced in a timely manner.

• Ensures a balanced program budget for assigned programs.

In cooperation with the Advancement Department, pursues opportunities to secure new resources and community partnerships to enable expansion of assigned programs and new business opportunities.

Reporting

Ensures agency reporting requirements and program reporting requirements for all funding sources are met in a timely fashion.

Prepares work documentation such as client records, grant reports, and correspondence that is accurate, timely, and meets agency standards.

In partnership with the Director of Impact and Strategy, reports program outcomes and data at least quarterly and as required by contracts, grants, and the agency.

Performance & Quality Improvement (PQI)

Ensures consistency in service delivery with attention to inclusive practices and integration of component areas. Oversees development, maintenance and evaluation of the programmatic systems which encourage continuous quality improvement. Works with the Director of Impact and Strategy to report program outcomes and performance and quality improvement (PQI) activities at least quarterly.

Responsible for ongoing development, maintenance and evaluation of the programmatic systems (with input from the Director of Impact and Strategy) for assuring accountability in the assigned programs/services. Program evaluation systems will be reviewed yearly.

Maintains operations by participating in quality and utilization reviews.

Coordinates the programs within the agency and other agencies throughout the greater Kansas City community.

As part of our Performance and Quality Improvement (PQI) process, attends assigned meetings and contributes in a meaningful way.

Mission

Ensures agency and program visibility by representing the agency at appropriate community events, seminars, or workshops as assigned.

Resolves consumer, community and personnel issues with assistance from President/CEO, and legal council.

Carries out The Family Conservancy’s Mission: Helping Children & Families Achieve a Lifetime of Success

Maintains confidentiality of all agency information, consumer nonpublic personal information (NPI) and personal health information (PHI), as well as records directly or indirectly identifying any person currently or formerly receiving services from The Family Conservancy. Complies with Agency and Head Start confidentiality policies and procedures.

Effectively utilize agency technology to accomplish tasks. (Microsoft Office Suite; Google Mail, Calendar & Drive; program specific software; printers/scanners/fax/phone).

Maintains professional standards and technical knowledge through 15-clock hours of annual attendance at educational workshops, reviewing professional publications, informs staff and colleagues of the results of these activities.

Attends diversity training yearly. Application of knowledge will demonstrate awareness of the wide spectrum of socioeconomic, ethnic, racial and personal lifestyles/cultures found within the service populations. Employees are expected to apply knowledge gained from diversity training and to act in a sensitive, nondiscriminatory, professional manner.

Accepts, uses supervision, direction, consultation to maximize available resources in the completion of work duties.

Additional responsibilities will be assigned as needed to maintain and improve effective functioning of the department and to advance the mission of the organization.

All job responsibilities will be carried out under the direction of agency policies and procedures.

Required Education & Experience

Master’s degree in Early Childhood, Social Work, Public Administration or related field and 5 years program management experience in early education, mental health, or related direct service experience with children and/or families.

Bachelor’s degree acceptable with minimum 7 years program management experience in early education, mental health, or related direct service experience with children and/or families.

Required Competencies & Abilities

A successful candidate must have strong research and analytical capabilities, superior organizational skills, and a growth mindset. Must possess an inquisitive and creative mind.

Experience hiring and retaining senior program staff and leading through transitions and growth. Exceptional management skills and demonstrated success in supervising managers, with an inclusive leadership style, skill in giving and receiving feedback, the ability to hold staff accountable and drive continuous improvement, and experience in change management.

Demonstrated understanding of high-need communities and the social service, educational, and behavioral health issues that impact children and their families, combined with the ability to support, and inspire a highly diverse team doing important work in challenging contexts.

Ability to appropriately develop, support and maintain collaborations and partnerships which demonstrate trust and respect with staff, families, children, and community partners.

Proven track record of developing and managing high quality programs, program models, tools, and resources to increase program efficacy, and of leveraging data to inform program evaluation, drive continuous learning and program improvement.

Exercise good judgment in developing and following policies and procedures and in conducting agency business.

Strong communication, negotiation, and conflict resolution skills. Ability to thrive in a high autonomy/high accountability environment, and to adapt to changing circumstances, working flexibly in order to handle multiple priorities.

Travel throughout all parts of the facility and community as needed.

Maintain successful clearance on Criminal, Sex Offender, Medical, and Missouri and Kansas Child Abuse/Neglect Background Screenings.

Must maintain good physical health verified by physician and must be free from tuberculosis.

Required Language Skills

Possess superior interpersonal communication skills, including the ability to work as part of a team, communicate effectively both orally and in writing, teach and conduct training as needed, and receive and provide feedback

Able to present information to groups and individual through verbal and written formats.

Speak, read, write and understand English to communicate with community members, clients, co-workers and others.

Preferred Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Bilingual fluency in written and oral English/Spanish preferred.

Reporting Relationships and Principal Contacts

Reports to the President and CEO. Principal contacts include other agency staff, child care and early education professionals, and community partners.

Supervisory Responsibility

Supervises Program Directors and others as assigned by the President and CEO. Current supervision responsibilities include the Early Care and Education Director; Head Start Director: Clinical Director, Start Young Manager, and Community Programs Manager.

Americans with Disability Specifications

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands and fingers to handle or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; talk and hear. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move materials that may weigh up to 40 pounds.

Work Environment

Work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Position requires off-site work; individual must have access to transportation. Travel throughout the facility, metropolitan area and counties within the service delivery area is required.

• Employment is contingent upon successful clearance of Criminal, Kansas & Missouri Child/Elder Abuse and Neglect, and Sex Offender background investigations.

• Occasional weekend and/or evening work may be necessary

• Ability to lift children, educational toys and equipment which may up to 30 pounds required.

• As an employee funded by Head Start and visitor to child care providers, good physical health must be verified by physician and must submit proof of being free from tuberculosis.

The Family Conservancy is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.