Program Director - Early Childhood

Tennessee Voices Inc. is Tennessee’s collaborative leader in mental health and family well-being. Each year, we serve thousands of children, parents, and adults across all 95 counties with services that prevent crisis, heal trauma, and build long-term stability. Our model works because it’s whole-family, trauma-informed, and community-driven. By healing parents alongside their children, providing critical resources like housing and mental health support, and advocating for systemic change, TN Voices helps families thrive and communities grow stronger.

Summary: The Early Childhood Program Director is responsible for the strategic oversight, coordination, and implementation of all grant-funded activities within the organization’s Early Childhood Program portfolio. This role provides leadership, supervision, and operational direction to ensure high-quality service delivery, adherence to grant requirements, compliance with applicable regulations, and alignment with organizational mission and system-of-care principles.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

• Oversee, coordinate, and implement all components of assigned early childhood grant scopes.
• Ensure all phases of the Wraparound process are implemented with fidelity and high quality.
• Provide direct supervision and leadership to Early Childhood Program Managers, Program Coordinator, Data Coordinator, and Intake Coordinator.
• Support staff development efforts, including training in culturally responsive practices, consultative approaches, and fostering brave and psychologically safe team environments.
• Monitor, manage, and oversee assigned program budgets in collaboration with the Sr. Director and CFO/CIO.
• Ensure timely, accurate, and compliant documentation and data reporting to meet agency, funder, and regulatory requirements.
• Collaborate with leadership to support continuous quality improvement initiatives across services and processes.
• Represent the organization at conferences, community events, policy-making bodies, and advisory groups to promote cross-system collaboration and expansion of early childhood mental health services.
• Support recruitment efforts, program presentations, and coordination of community events.
• Establish clear workload expectations, monitor performance, and guide professional development for direct reports.
• Facilitate regular individual supervision, group supervision, and team meetings.
• Oversee administrative functions including review and approval of time sheets, PTO requests, mileage reimbursement, and payment requests.
• Coordinate with program leadership to ensure efficient intake processes, service transitions, data collection, and service delivery.
• Maintain clear and consistent communication between agency leadership and direct service staff.
• Ensure compliance with all federal, state, agency, and accreditation standards, including CARF requirements.
• Participate in required supervision, staff meetings, training sessions, and professional development activities.
• Pursuing professional endorsement through the Association of Infant Mental Health in Tennessee, as required.
• Other duties/or tasks as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in social work, counseling, education, or a closely related field required
• Master’s degree in social work, counseling, education, or a closely related field (preferred).
• Minimum of five (5) years of relevant professional experience working with parents of children and youth, state and local agencies, and task forces or other community groups; and in parent training, consultation, and support.
• Demonstrated experience in program management, supervision, and fiscal oversight.
• Experience working with children and families impacted by complex behavioral, developmental, and mental health needs.

Skills & Knowledge Required:

• Strong leadership, supervision, collaboration, and customer service skills.

Core Competencies:

• Oversee and implement activities supporting families and children in the Child Care Consultation Program and Tennessee Resiliency Project.
• Monitor assigned program budgets in collaboration with the CFO and Finance Department.
• Provide technical assistance, recruitment, training, and ongoing consultation to develop family leaders and family support groups across the state.
• Represent program materials and services at conferences, health fairs, and community events statewide.
• Collaborate with Sr. Director and VP of Programs to meet program scope, implementation, sustainability, and strategic direction.
• Provide supervision and coaching to program managers and coordinators while supporting team development and positive interactions.
• Demonstrate knowledge of early childhood best practices, community-based services, cross-system collaboration, and system-of-care principles.
• Exhibit strong communication, organization, problem-solving, computer skills, independent time management, and readiness to travel locally and statewide.

Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand, walk, push, pull and carry/lift up to 50 pounds. The employee is occasionally required to climb, bend or crouch. Specific mental abilities required by this job include continuous concentration to detail; ability to remember multiple tasks, oral and written communication; and an attention span of 1+ hour(s) on a task.

Work Environment: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Performance Evaluation: Employees are evaluated on an annual basis. Performance Reviews are completed electronically by the employee’s direct supervisor then reviewed and approved by regional or program leadership. Employees are given the opportunity to review their performance evaluation with their supervisor and will be required to acknowledge receipt of the annual review electronically.

Core Values: V.O.I.C.E.

V – Vulnerability and Integrity. We lead with truth and act with authenticity. We choose deeds over words and transparency over pretense. We hold ourselves and each other accountable by following through on our commitments. Trust is built through kind, honest, ethical, and clear communication. We know our strengths and share them with intention.

O – Openness and Connection. We foster belonging and celebrate one another. We promote an environment where everyone feels safe, included, and heard. We value diverse perspectives, invite honest feedback, and lead with a welcoming spirit. We celebrate our wins—big and small—and lift each other up through support, presence, and shared pride in our work.

I – Innovation and Growth. We cultivate curiosity and embrace change. We embrace lifelong learning and welcome questions, feedback, and growth. We keep an open mind and heart, recognizing there is always more to learn and new perspectives to consider. No idea is too small and no voice is too quiet. We lean into the unknown, explore bold ideas together, and support one another across roles because shared growth moves us all forward.

C – Compassion and Hope. We lead with heart and serve with purpose. We show up with dedication, warmth, empathy, and humility. We listen with care and assume the best in others. We stay present and grounded, even when things are difficult, because we believe in the future we’re building for every child, family, person, and community we serve.

E – Experience and Insight. We believe in the power of lived and learned experiences. We rise by lifting others. We are driven by a deep passion for service and guided by the voices of those we serve. Our purpose is to help others flourish and build resilience and a better future. Grounded in joy, lifted by humor, and guided by vision, we stay focused on what matters to create lasting, meaningful change.

Promotion & Advancement: To be considered for promotion to a higher position, the employee must have met the personal and professional development requirements established by the company and must have demonstrated strong on-the-job performance. Please see your supervisor or manager for additional details.

Job Accommodations: If you need to request reasonable accommodations to perform the essential functions of this job, please contact Human Resources at hr@tnvoices.org.

All employees are expected to uphold the highest standards of integrity and ethical conduct, comply with all applicable laws, regulations, and organizational policies (including HIPAA and confidentiality requirements), promptly report compliance concerns, and actively participate in required compliance and ethics training to support a culture of accountability and quality care.