We are seeking an experienced, charismatic leader to serve as our Director of Children's Services. This is an opportunity to do more than lead programs, it is an opportunity to shape how children and families experience services across CDR and to help strengthen the systems that support them throughout our community. Most importantly, you'll have the opportunity to use your leadership experience to make a lasting difference in the lives of children and families.
As a key member of CDR's executive leadership team, the Director of Children's Services provides strategic, operational, fiscal, and organizational leadership for a comprehensive portfolio of programs. The Director ensures that services work together as an integrated system of care, creating seamless pathways for children and families while maintaining excellence in quality, compliance, fiscal stewardship, innovation, and community impact.
This position is based at our Williamsburg, Virginia campus and works closely with CDR's Executive Director, senior leadership, program leaders, community partners, donors, and governing bodies.
About the RoleThe Director of Children's Services provides executive leadership for CDR's early childhood, early intervention, family support, home visiting, prevention, and community-based programs. The Director connects strategy with day-to-day operations, ensuring that programs have the leadership, resources, systems, and partnerships necessary to deliver exceptional services.
This role requires someone who can see both the big picture and the operational details behind it-an experienced leader who can develop other leaders, manage complex funding and compliance requirements, use data to drive improvement, build strong community partnerships, and identify opportunities for thoughtful innovation and sustainable growth.
What You Will DoStrategic Leadership & Children's Services Direction- Provide executive leadership for the planning, development, integration, improvement, and expansion of Children's Services programs.
- Translate CDR's mission and strategic priorities into clear goals, operating plans, measurable outcomes, and sustainable service models.
- Identify emerging community needs, policy changes, funding opportunities, operational risks, and opportunities for innovation.
- Advise the Executive Director and agency leadership on program performance, workforce needs, compliance, fiscal conditions, capacity, and strategic opportunities.
- Lead with transparency, sound judgment, cultural humility, and attention to the experiences of staff and families.
Program Leadership, Quality & Compliance- Ensure programs operate in accordance with applicable federal, state, local, contractual, licensing, accreditation, and CDR requirements.
- Strengthen systems connecting referral, enrollment, assessment, service delivery, transition, and follow-up.
- Maintain executive oversight of program policies, procedures, internal controls, documentation standards, health and safety practices, and risk-management systems.
- Ensure program leaders are prepared for monitoring visits, licensing inspections, audits, funder evaluations, and other external reviews.
- Promote data-informed decision-making, program evaluation, Continuous Quality Improvement, and evidence-informed practices.
Fiscal Stewardship & Resource Management- Partner with the Director of Finance to develop, oversee, and monitor complex budgets supported by multiple federal, state, local, private, and blended funding streams.
- Align staffing, expenditures, contracts, and resources with program requirements and organizational priorities.
- Monitor financial performance, forecasts, grant spending, purchasing, and contracts.
- Balance program quality, workforce needs, compliance, and long-term sustainability when making resource decisions.
Leadership Development & Workforce Capacity- Supervise, coach, evaluate, and develop program directors, coordinators, and other leaders.
- Build leadership capacity through mentoring, delegation, succession planning, and meaningful opportunities for shared leadership.
- Create an environment of accountability, collaboration, respectful communication, and psychological safety.
- Partner with Human Resources and program leaders to strengthen recruitment, onboarding, retention, professional development, and performance management.
- Ensure staffing and leadership structures support excellent services, employee wellbeing, compliance, and continuity of operations.
Grants, Partnerships & Community Impact- Identify and evaluate public and private funding opportunities aligned with CDR's mission and strategic priorities.
- Lead or coordinate grant narratives, budgets, work plans, applications, renewals, and continuation requests.
- Develop productive relationships with funders, grant officers, community organizations, educational institutions, healthcare organizations, public agencies, and other partners.
- Strengthen partnerships that improve access, coordination, workforce development, referral pathways, and outcomes for children and families.
- Help advance CDR's role as a trusted leader, convener, educator, and advocate within early childhood and family-support systems.
Governance & Executive Communication- Prepare clear and timely information for the Executive Director, Board of Directors, Policy Council, advisory groups, and other governing or oversight bodies.
- Help governing bodies understand program performance, compliance responsibilities, fiscal conditions, emerging risks, and strategic considerations.
- Communicate complex information clearly, candidly, and in an action-oriented manner.
Minimum Qualifications- At least eight years of progressively responsible experience in early childhood, early intervention, Head Start/Early Head Start, home visiting, family support, child care, public or nonprofit human services, or a related field.
- At least five years of significant supervisory and management responsibility, including experience leading managers or multidisciplinary teams.
- Demonstrated experience managing complex budgets, grants, contracts, compliance systems, and multiple funding streams.
- Substantial experience with grant writing, program development, strategic planning, and external partnerships.
- Master's degree from an accredited college or university in early childhood development or education, human services, social work, public administration, nonprofit management, or a closely related field. An equivalent combination of advanced education and highly relevant executive experience may be considered.
- Licensure in the professional field of study noted above.
Ideal CandidateThe successful candidate is a strategic and systems-oriented leader who can see connections across programs while never losing sight of the children and families behind the work.
They are equally comfortable discussing strategy with executive leadership, reviewing budgets and grant requirements, coaching a program leader, analyzing outcomes, collaborating with community partners, and spending time in programs to understand what staff and families are experiencing.
They lead with sound judgment, integrity, cultural humility, collaboration, and accountability. They develop other leaders rather than simply directing them and can translate ambitious ideas into clear priorities, reliable systems, and measurable results. These qualities reflect the leadership capabilities identified for the position, including strategic and systems thinking, executive judgment, collaborative leadership, operational excellence, fiscal and grant stewardship, and communication and influence.
Why Work at CDR?Make a Lasting Impact: Your work will directly influence the quality, accessibility, and future of services that support children and families.
Competitive Total Compensation: We believe compensation is more than salary. Our package combines pay with comprehensive benefits, generous leave, paid holidays, retirement contributions, and other programs designed to support employees personally and professionally.
Exceptional Retirement Benefit: CDR provides a 6% non-contributory 401(k) contribution of your compensation, subject to a three-year vesting period.
Meaningful Executive Leadership: Serve as a key member of CDR's leadership team and help shape organizational strategy, program quality, innovation, and sustainable growth.
Outstanding Benefits: Enjoy health, dental, and vision insurance, generous paid time off and holidays, and paid Spring and Winter breaks.
Develop People Who Develop Others: Coach and support talented program leaders and build leadership capacity that strengthens CDR for the future.
Community Impact: Build partnerships and systems that extend beyond individual programs and improve opportunities for children and families throughout the communities we serve.
Work-Life Balance: Join an organization that understands that sustaining exceptional services requires supporting the wellbeing of the people who provide them.
If you are an experienced leader who believes strong programs, strong teams, and strong community partnerships can change the trajectory of children's and families' lives, we invite you to consider bringing your leadership to CDR.
Join us in supporting the people who support families and helping every child have the opportunity for a strong start.
