A positive future for every child
Southwest Human Development is Arizona's largest nonprofit dedicated to early childhood development. The first five years of life are the most critical in a child's development. At Southwest Human Development, our services improve lives and help families by supporting young children and their caregivers during this important time.
Your skills, experience, and passion are needed at one of the nation's largest nonprofits dedicated to early childhood development. Join our team and experience a long-term career which brings joy and satisfaction in knowing you make a difference. We offer over 40 programs and services to more than 140,000 children.
Why choose us?
- You will be rewarded with benefits, including zero contribution health plan options, 401K plan, wellness programming, and generous paid time off.
- You will have the opportunity to represent a highly respected non-profit agency in Arizona.
- You will enjoy a supportive and collaborative work environment.
Job title : Sr Program Manager - Operations and Leadership Development
This position directly supervises Program Managers who oversee frontline leadership and classroom operations, as well as the Senior Child Development Manager who provides technical assistance and coaching to Child Development Managers (CDM) across districts.
This role provides strategic technical assistance to Program Managers, equipping them with the tools, frameworks, and guidance necessary to ensure frontline leaders implement the Head Start program with fidelity to its service model. The Senior Program Manager ensures that supervisory practices are consistent, trauma-informed, and grounded in reflective supervision andThey guide a unified leadership approach by designing and delivering leadership development training, supporting implementation of organizational initiatives, and embedding reflective, data-informed practices across the supervisory structure. This role is responsible for promoting solution-oriented operations that are responsive to the needs of children and families and aligned with Head Start Performance Standards and Arizona Child Care Licensing requirements.This position also monitors the implementation of the Child Development Associate (CDA) cohorts, ensuring they are structured to meet staff development needs, promote teacher progression, and support credentialing goals. The Senior Program Manager monitors cohort progress and data, and supports systems that ensure educators are advancing in instructional quality, cultural responsiveness, and pedagogical practice.This role is integral to building strong internal leadership pipelines and community partnerships.Key Responsibilities :
Team Leadership & SupervisionDirectly supervise multiple Program Managers (e.g., School Readiness, Compliance) who, in turn, oversee frontline supervisors.Supervise the Senior Child Development Manager to ensure technical assistance / coaching across program tiers.Establish and maintain consistent, reflective supervisory practices-including coaching models.Operational Consistency & Quality AssuranceEnsure cross-site operational alignment by supporting Program Managers in monitoring curriculum implementation, classroom quality, and compliance with Head Start Performance Standards. Emphasize fidelity to the program's educational model while using data to drive continuous improvement across service areas.Generate and analyze supervisory / district profile reports to track instructional effectiveness and professional growth. (Consolidated data by district)Leadership Development & Reflective SupervisionDesign and deliver training modules and facilitation for Program Managers and Child Development Managers on leadership development, reflective practice, and solution-based supervision.Coach managers to adopt data-informed decision making, continuous improvement strategies, and child- and family-centered approaches.Program Integration & AlignmentWork closely with Program Managers to ensure consistent, solution-focused leadership across classrooms and centers.Embed ongoing assessment data into individualized pedagogical planning and operational strategies.Strategic Partnership & Community AlignmentAlign program leadership and operations with local community partners and organizational mission / vision.Stay updated on national models, emerging research, and best practices in adult coaching, reflective supervision, and early childhood systems.What it takes :
Bachelor's degree required; Master's in Early Childhood, Education Leadership, or related field preferred.Minimum 5 years of supervisory / coaching experience in Head Start / Early Head Start / ECE settings; experience supervising managersDemonstrated knowledge of Head Start Performance Standards, reflective supervision, adult learning theory, and instructional coaching models.Proven ability to analyze data (e.g., teacher profiles, child outcome reports) and lead quality improvements.Strong organizational, communication, relationship-building, and strategic planning skills.Familiarity with Arizona Childcare Licensing, Department of Child Safety mandates, and culturally responsive practices.SWHD takes the health and safety of our employees and the communities we serve very seriously. We strongly believe vaccination is a critical safety measure to protect each of us and the communities we serve. COVID vaccinations have proven to be highly effective at protecting people from getting COVID-19 or from getting severely ill from it.
Learn more!
Our core values embody Southwest Human Development's commitment to services that uplift the lives of children, families and other care providers, and the communities in which they live. These values are intended to guide the professional development, ethical conduct, and skilled practice of all our staff, whatever their specific role within the agency. All staff are valued as making essential contributions to strengthening the foundation that Arizona's children need for a great start in life. Learn more about our values and benefits here.
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