Vice President of Programs (Early Childhood Education, Anti-Hunger, Community In Reach)

Join the NVFS Family: NVFS is hiring a Vice President (VP) of Programs to provide strategic leadership, vision, and operational oversight for various NVFS service areas including Early Childhood Education, Anti-Hunger and Community In Reach. This role will oversee integrated, family-centered programs that strengthen child wellbeing, improve family stability, and address key social determinants to child and family stability across Northern Virginia. The VP is responsible for ensuring high-quality, evidence-based services while driving innovation in funding and sustainability. The VP will also lead efforts to diversify revenue streams beyond traditional federal funding, identify opportunities to monetize existing high-quality programs and expertise, and strengthen financial resilience. This leader will ensure excellence in the administration and compliance of federal, state, and local grants.  

Why This Role Matters: The VP will play a critical role in positioning these service areas for long-term sustainability and growth. This role will play a pivotal part in advancing a coordinated continuum of support for children and families – recognizing the direct connection between early learning, nutrition security, and long-term success.     This role is critical to ensuring the long-term sustainability and growth of this umbrella of programs. By blending program excellence with entrepreneurial thinking, the VP will help expand impact, reach more families, and build a more resilient funding model.

Benefits and Compensation: We want you to be well, have work/life flexibility, grow your career with us, and have the resources and support you need. Check out our comprehensive benefit offerings here in support of various dimensions of your wellbeing.  The salary range for this role is 165k-175k.  

In this role, you will be responsible for:   

Strategic Leadership & Program Excellence  

• Provide vision, leadership, and strategic direction for NVFS’s early childhood, community in reach and anti-hunger portfolio; specifically for early childhood education, this includes Head Start, Early Head Start, and Mixed Delivery programs.
• Ensure services are aligned through a holistic, family-centered approach.
• Champion a two-generation (2Gen) approach, supporting both child development and family wellbeing.
• Ensure all programs maintain high-quality, culturally responsive, and outcomes-driven service delivery.
• Use data and outcomes to drive continuous quality improvement and demonstrate program impact.
• Lead expansion and innovation in service delivery models to meet evolving community needs.

Revenue Diversification & Financial Sustainability  

• Develop and implement strategies to diversify funding streams.
• Identify and operationalize opportunities to monetize existing high-quality programs and expertise, such as training and technical assistance for external providers; consulting and capacity-building services; fee-for-service workshops or parent education programs; strategic partnerships and sponsored programming.
• Explore expansion opportunities through public-private partnerships, local government investments, and philanthropic partnerships.
• Partner with Development and Finance teams to align fundraising, philanthropy, and earned revenue strategies.
• Cultivate relationships with foundations, corporate partners, and public-sector funders to support new and existing initiatives.
• Develop business plans and financial models to assess feasibility and scalability of new revenue-generating efforts.

Federal Grant Oversight & Compliance  

• Oversee federal, state, and local grants including Head Start and Early Head Start funding, ensuring compliance with federal regulations and strong performance outcomes.
• Ensure readiness for federal monitoring reviews, audits, and recompetition (e.g., DRS).
• Oversee grant planning, budgeting, reporting, and performance management systems.
• Collaborate with internal teams to develop competitive grant applications and continuations.
• Stay informed of policy and funding trends affecting early childhood education, food security and other relevant programs.

External Engagement  

• Represent NVFS in regional and state coalitions, advisory groups, and strategic partnerships related to early childhood education and food security.
• Build collaborative relationships with school systems, local jurisdictions, philanthropic organizations, and community partners.
• Serve as a thought leader and advocate for integrated family support systems.
• Position NVFS as a leader in comprehensive, whole-family services and innovation in Northern Virginia.

Operations & Team Leadership  

• Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing team.
• Oversee program budgets, ensuring fiscal responsibility and alignment with strategic priorities.
• Foster a culture of accountability, innovation, and continuous learning.

Your Background: We understand that you may obtain skills through a variety of professional, personal, educational, and volunteer experiences.

• Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education, Social Work, Public Administration, or related field
• At least 10 years of progressive leadership experience in human services, early childhood education or related field, including supervisory experience
• Experience with federally funded programs, including Head Start and/or Early Head Start programs
• Demonstrated success in diversifying funding streams, including non-federal revenue sources
• Experience developing or scaling earned revenue or fee-for-service program models
• Strong financial acumen, including budget oversight and program financial management
• Proven ability to lead large, complex programs
• Exceptional leadership, communication, and relationship-building skills
• Familiarity with Virginia’s early childhood systems, including Mixed Delivery models and public-private partnerships preferred
• Track record of innovation in program design, funding, or social enterprise
• Experience leading through federal monitoring reviews
• Oral and written fluency in English; additional language skills always welcome
• Digital and technical proficiency, including working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite
• Must be able to demonstrate and live the organizational values of Communication, Integrity, Respect, Collaboration, and Accountability

Additional Requirements:

• Successful completion of background checks required upon hire
• TB and physical
• Must have reliable transportation to visit designated community locations
• May be called upon to work beyond normal working hours 

Working at Northern Virginia Family Services (NVFS) means doing work that matters every day because of the difference you will make in the lives of children and families in Northern Virginia. NVFS’ breadth, depth and scope of services offer the resources and support to ensure that everyone in need, at every stage of life, maximizes their potential and fully contributes to a thriving community. At NVFS, we value every team member’s contribution and our collective impact on our clients and the community. NVFS is an equal opportunity employer, E-Verify participant and drug-free workplace.