COMPREHENSIVE POSITION PROFILE

THE ORGANIZATION

Sound Child Care Solutions (SCCS) is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization and the first early learning, shared services consortium in Seattle, WA. SCCS was founded in 2006 with a deep belief that all children deserve high quality, culturally relevant education, and tackling the divide between who gets a great education and who doesn’t is critical to reducing the opportunity gaps in school readiness and academic achievement. Operating through an anti-bias lens, SCCS believes that children who know they are loved and who celebrate their history and culture, enter kindergarten with a strong sense of self and a drive to engage and learn.

Led by the Executive Director, the SCCS’s shared services model centralizes our Centers’ administrative needs, allowing Center Directors to focus on high quality programming, family support services, and professional development for teachers. Central Office staff serve as the Center Directors’ team of support, managing benefits administration, payroll, accounts payable, liability insurance, center budgeting, financial reporting with strategic advising, contracts management, fund development, IT consulting, and connection to legal and human resource counsel.

SCCS began as one program serving 17 children and now serves 450 children and 140 staff in 11 program locations. Our intentional hiring practices ensure that teachers and Center Directors represent the diversity of the communities we serve. SCCS Central Office staff consists of 4 FTEs (including the Executive Director) and oversees a total annual budget of close to $7.5M. SCCS holds one of the largest contracts with the City of Seattle’s Department of Education and Early Learning, and we are well-positioned within the P-3 system for continued growth. Click here to learn more about SCCS.

MISSION

To create a high quality, culturally relevant education for all children through the collaboration of early learning centers.

VALUES

• Engaged Learning
• Collaborative Relationships
• Joyful Work
• Social Justice
• Shared Accountability
• Intentional Practice
• Sustainable Community

DEI COMMITMENT STATEMENT

Sound Child Care Solutions (SCCS) is committed to cultivating and nurturing a diverse community of individuals that is dedicated to creating high quality, culturally relevant education. SCCS views diversity, equity, and inclusion as central to the well-being of our organization and key to the success of our mission. We know that a child’s positive identity is critical to healthy development, and inclusive working environments are supportive of an employee’s sense of belonging.

THE POSITION/YOUR ROLE

SCCS seeks an Executive Director (ED) who can see and act on the big picture to grow the organization’s capacity while also managing the day-to-day functions to ensure SCCS succeeds in fulfilling its mission. In this, the ED directs and manages administrative needs for the eleven (11) Centers and Central Office, including accounting and budget management, policies and business practices, payroll, fund development, board development, staff management, communications, facilities, licensing and compliance, and IT. This position has a heavy focus on individualized customer service.

The ED leads with an anti-bias lens and continues to build the organization’s programming, in collaboration with the Center Directors, to sustain its commitment to high quality, culturally relevant early learning education.

The ED fosters a culture of educational excellence, integrity, and positive energy, and ensures that the organization follows all laws, rules, and regulations under which it operates and receives funds. The ED partners with, reports to, and is accountable to the Board of Directors, currently at 5 members, and fosters the relationship between the Board and the Central Office and eight Center Directors and their educators and administrators.

This position is an excellent opportunity for an executive leader who has expertise in expanding organizations, along with a passion for a childcare consortium framework where teachers are appropriately supported, and business staff help ensure that resources are used effectively.  

LEADERSHIP ABILITIES/WHAT YOU BRING

Candidates will be evaluated on the full range of their lived and learned experience, professional background, and direct and transferable skills. SCCS seeks candidates with a compelling combination of demonstrated knowledge and skills in some or all of the following:

• Experience serving as an Executive Director or 5 or more years of relevant professional experience. Should include supervisory experience of 4 or more staff, managing a medium-to-large organizational structure including operations, budget, and payroll, with financial accountability of $7M, preferably in a nonprofit setting. Focus on childcare/early learning and development a plus.

• Bachelors or master’s degree in education, early childhood education, or applicable field with training or experience in the areas of education and ECE along with business administration.
• Genuine enjoyment of young children and families of diverse backgrounds.

• Visionary leadership with expertise in executing a strategic plan, in partnership with the Board, leadership team, teachers and staff, and vigorously expressing that vision to community partners, donors, families, city officials, and others. With this, know to balance growth effectively with patience, self-control, and strategic compromise.
• Experience and acumen running all aspects of a nonprofit agency, including human resources, marketing/communications, budgeting, finance, strategic revenue development, contracts, compliance, and working with a Board of Directors.
• Demonstrated experience in staff management, including building and uniting staff teams within and across an organization, facilitating diverse groups in problem-solving and decision making, and empowering others to lead and be accountable to common goals in a fast-paced, unique childcare environment.
• Ability to lead with humility and a growth mindset, and have strong aptitude for prioritization, with a clear understanding of risk and impact.
• Flexible, creative, and solution-focused thinking, moving from vision to strategy to action in an inclusive and collaborative fashion.
• Exceptional experience in customer service and relationship building, recognizing no one-size-fits-all in a consortium framework model.
• Excellent communication skills, written and oral.
• Demonstrated ability to uphold ethical standards, including honesty, integrity, compassion, empathy, inclusiveness, anti-racism, and understanding the needs and perspectives of the diverse and financially insecure communities SCCS serves.
• Be the face of SCCS and grow relationships with partner agencies, community leaders, political entities, and funders of all types (government, foundation, and individual donors). Communicate the unique value and relevance of SCCS to the community.
• Fundraising experience and motivated and fearless about making direct financial asks.
• An understanding of the Greater Seattle landscape and/or existing relationships with community leaders and funders in the childcare sector is desirable.
• Experience with a Shared Services business model is desirable.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

• The annual salary range for this full-time position is $135,000 - $145,000, depending on qualifications and experience.
• Based in Seattle, with some evenings and weekends.
• Partially remote/onsite. The ED would set their schedule to best meet the needs of the organization.
• Generous staff benefits including medical and dental insurance, short-term disability, and Washington State Paid Family Medical Leave. In addition to employee coverage, medical and dental benefits are also available to dependents, with SCCS paying a portion of dependent children’s premiums.
• To ensure a healthy work-life balance, 12 paid holidays per year, 3 weeks paid vacation, and up to two weeks of accrued sick leave. A remote work model is widely used by central SCCS administrative staff.
• After a year of employment, staff are eligible to participate in SCCS’s 401(k) retirement plan, which is an employer-match plan.
• In-building parking space and a SCCS cell phone are provided.

SCCS’s administrative office is located in the International District, specifically Little Saigon, which is on the outside edge of Seattle’s downtown business core. The building is centrally located in relation to the SCCS centers and is conveniently located near transit lines, major highways, and restaurants.

TO BE CONSIDERED

The position is open until filled and initial interviews will begin by mid-March, although we highly encourage applying as soon as possible. Please submit a resume and cover letter as a single WORD or PDF document addressed to the hiring committee at:  https://valtasgroup.hire.trakstar.com/jobs/fk0xsre/

You may direct questions to Liz Swanson at liz@valtasgroup.com or 425.761.6721.

SCCS is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to addressing racism, sexism, heterosexism, and other discriminatory practices. SCCS is also committed to working toward racial equity through undoing institutional and structural racism. People of Color, people with disabilities, and LGBTQIA individuals are encouraged to apply.