Managing Director, Network Strategy - Agenda for Children

WHO WE ARE

The first 1,000 days of a child's life are crucial for developing social and emotional skills, executive functioning, and relationships that lay the foundation for life. However, many children and families across Louisiana and New Orleans lack access to high-quality resources essential for early learning. In 2022, less than half of New Orleans children entered kindergarten meeting school readiness benchmarks, and fewer than one-third of socioeconomically disadvantaged children under age 5 had access to publicly-funded early care and education. The Annie E. Casey Foundation's 2024 KIDS COUNT Data Book ranks Louisiana 48th in child well-being.

Agenda for Children believes this is unacceptable and works tirelessly to improve child well-being by supporting, informing, and empowering the adults who shape their lives—teachers, parents, policymakers, and donors. We connect these adults to resources, ideas, services, and networks to help children thrive, even in challenging circumstances. We believe every child deserves the opportunity to succeed and pursue their dreams, and we partner with families to make this a reality. Watch our video to learn more.

The New Orleans Early Education Network (NOEEN) was established in 2012 to build a stronger, more connected system for early care and education, helping children and families better prepare for kindergarten. Agenda for Children and NOLA Public Schools serve as co-lead agencies for NOEEN. In 2019, NOEEN became one of the state's first Ready Start Networks, created to expand access to high-quality early childhood education locally. 

Today, NOEEN includes all publicly funded early childhood education providers in Orleans Parish, such as over 150 public and private schools, early learning centers, Early Head Start and Head Start centers, and family child care providers. This network serves more than 5,500 children from birth to five years old. NOEEN also has the most comprehensive network and diverse funding among local community networks in Louisiana.

NOEEN coordinates enrollment and liaises between individual center programs and the Louisiana Department of Education for reporting and funding requests. Additionally, NOEEN supports educators by conducting CLASS observations, offering coaching, and providing professional development training.

WHY WE NEED YOU

Agenda for Children seeks a strategic and collaborative Managing Director, Network Strategy. This person will oversee activities for Agenda's role as the Orleans Parish Community Network Co-Lead Agency and Ready Start Network. As the Lead Agency, we manage compliance, government functions, and contracts while coordinating leadership for the community network. The Ready Start Network focuses on building capacity, enhancing access and quality, and fostering innovation. This person will also play a crucial role as the “glue” for the NOEEN Steering Committee, ensuring that this local early childhood coalition informs strategic conversations to shape early care and education in New Orleans.

We need you to act as the 'air traffic controller' who aligns all the moving parts to help us achieve NOEEN's strategic priorities, which include: 

1. Developing a high-quality early childhood education workforce  
2. Securing sustainable and equitable funding for early childhood education in New Orleans  
3. Providing comprehensive and coordinated services that meet the needs of families with young children  
4. Building an informed and engaged community with a diverse coalition for policy advocacy  
5. Ensuring quality and inclusive programs that support the developmental needs of all children  

As our next Managing Director, Network Strategy, you'll be a key leader in early childhood education, working with local, state, and national partners—such as nonprofits, government agencies, universities, workforce, and early childhood program leaders—to identify and achieve strategic goals for improving early childhood education. You'll be managed by Agenda's Chief Program Officer and work closely with the Chief Executive Officer, Agenda's Center for Early Childhood Advancement (CECA) leaders, and other senior colleagues in finance, programs, and data and research. You'll lead a team of seven employees and directly supervise the Director, Early Childhood Systems & Support; the Director, Birth to Three Access & Outreach; and the Director, Facilities Expansion, Planning, & Support.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

Network Strategy, Coalition Building, and Quality Improvement (60%) 

• Help execute NOEEN's 2023-27 strategic plan by identifying opportunities and addressing challenges to expand high-quality early childhood education programs for vulnerable families. 
• Collaborate with senior leadership and local, regional, and state partners to strengthen the early childhood education system while staying updated on best practices to improve access, quality, and workforce development. 
• Build strategic partnerships with higher education institutions, government entities, and community organizations. 
• Plan and lead meetings to ensure effective operations and program delivery. 
• Represent Agenda for Children on various boards and in the media, report on network progress to stakeholders, manage NOEEN Steering Committee operations and advocate for network goals at all levels.

Network Administration (20%) 

• Lead and manage Agenda's role as Orleans Parish Co-Lead Agency and Ready Start Network, ensuring compliance with regulations and coordination with New Orleans Public Schools (NOLA PS), the Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE), and the City of New Orleans. 
• Liaise with key stakeholders, oversee $45M budget and strategy, and ensure timely completion of all required tasks and applications. 
• Conduct outreach with early childhood sites and attend all mandatory LDOE events.

Resource Management and Innovation (10%)

• Manage and optimize NOEEN's funding streams, ensure fiscal responsibility of the $45M budget, maximize public funding, attract new resources, develop partnerships, and expand revenue opportunities.

Organizational Leadership (10%) 

• Develop long-term strategy aligned with Agenda for Children's holistic goals, ensure relevant services through ongoing research, maintain high-quality delivery, gather partner feedback, and improve program efficiency.

WHO YOU ARE

Below are some specific skills, experiences, and qualities we seek in an ideal candidate. However, we understand that no one excels in every single area. We encourage applicants to apply if the role interests them, even if they do not meet every attribute. 

Work Experience and Background

• You have expertise in early childhood education. 
• You have stellar fiscal management skills and are ready to manage a $45M budget with various timelines, allowable uses, and stakeholders. You can communicate internally with finance and program leaders and deeply understand how to execute program objectives with available resources. 
• You have experience building and scaling teams or organizations with a positive culture. You have 10+ years of senior leadership experience, ideally in nonprofit, educational, or government settings; former executive directors are encouraged to apply. 
• You have directly managed others and enjoy being responsible for their professional growth. You also have a strong commitment to your own personal and professional growth. 

Characteristics and Qualities

• You are passionate about early childhood education and solving challenges for young children and their families. You are enthusiastic about the Agenda for Children's growth and impact.
• You have a proven track record of delivering results. Your stellar work and ability to communicate it build trust. You have exceptional multitasking, prioritization, and time management skills and can perform under pressure and meet deadlines. You are highly organized and operate with excellence, accountability, efficiency, and urgency.
• You are an excellent communicator, writer, and presenter. You're excited to serve as a face of NOEEN's work at Agenda for Children — translating our mission, vision, and program elements to different audiences and in different environments and gaining their buy-in. You've planned for and led high-stakes meetings and been told your presentations are engaging and clear. You are comfortable handling media requests, board members, and City Council relationships and presenting at City budget hearings on Agenda's behalf. You have gravitas and enjoy having public visibility and responsibility. 
• You are a skilled relationship builder across diverse groups, including junior and senior professionals, and those from public, private, and nonprofit sectors. You are known as a people person, consensus builder, trusted partner and active listener. 
• You are a strategic and creative problem-solver motivated by tackling complex problems that others may consider overly aspirational or ambitious. You are a self-starter with vision and the ability to maintain focus on the bigger picture. You can quickly digest complex policy information and data, synthesizing themes and translating them into strategic action. 

Agenda for Children's Organizational Competencies

• Commitment
• Responsibility
• Quality
• Cross-cultural responsiveness
• Can-do positive attitude

THE NITTY GRITTY

• Interested candidates should apply here [click button at top of this post]. 
• Target start date: December 2, 2024
• Candidates should live in or be willing to relocate to Louisiana for this role. We prefer candidates with experience in systems-level leadership in Louisiana. 
• For this role, candidates must be willing and able to travel, have a current driver's license, and have vehicle access.
• The Managing Director, Network Strategy must participate in training required by the funding source and/or required by Agenda for Children, the Louisiana Department of Education, or others as required.
• Compensation: $100,000 to $120,000 based on experience and expertise
• Benefits: retirement with 3% employer contribution, health, dental, vision, flexible spending account, short-term disability, life insurance, ten days of sick leave, minimum of five vacation days, and a minimum of 22 additional days observed as organizational holidays.
• EOE statement: Agenda for Children is an Equal Opportunity employer and considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, gender, color, religion, national origin, age, marital status, or disability.