Director of Operations and Systems

Organizational Overview

Early Matters San Antonio (EMSA) ensures access to high-quality early learning and development for every family by catalyzing the power of people, partnerships, and investment, to make San Antonio the best place in the country for economic mobility, powered by children and families.

Operating as a collective impact organization, Early Matters San Antonio convenes partners from across the early childhood ecosystem to dramatically increase access and quality for our earliest learners. Inclusive of providers, parents, funders, higher education institutions, nonprofits, school systems, government, and community leaders, the Early Matter Partners align on a common agenda and goals, key indicators, and a coordinated and strategic approach to system improvement laid out in the community-developed strategic plan.

Early Matters San Antonio is a part of the Texas A&M San Antonio. Texas A&M San Antonio’s Institute for School and Community Partnerships. It is a model institute partnering with the Texas A&M University at San Antonio and area partners.  The Institute’s mission is to transform students through innovative practices, research, and policy.  The Institute serves as the employer for the Early Matters San Antonio team members.

Position Overview

Early Matters San Antonio, as part of the early childhood collective impact work, has an opportunity and obligation, to bring together the combined strength of our partners, shared systems, and data to deliver on the community-written Impact Plan. To deliver on this promise, the Director of Operations and Systems will work alongside the Executive Director and be accountable for building the strength of EMSA to serve as the backbone, aligning systems, leading project management, and advancing data systems, all in service of delivering on the Impact Plan.

When successful, the Director of Operations and Systems will have advanced the ability for the early childhood ecosystem to function together and to see and understand itself in new ways that will inform policy, investment, effective practices, and transformation.

Responsibilities

Backbone Development:

• Develop and enhance the capacity of EMSA to serve as the backbone organization for early childhood collective impact work.
• Project development, management, and execution – examples might include: financial landscape analysis, data infrastructure tools, pre-k enrollment campaign, etc.
• Work closely with the Executive Director to develop and manage the annual budget.
• Monitor and analyze financial reports, ensuring responsible resource allocation.
• Oversee administration of grant funds that includes making recommendations, drafting scope of work, and contract execution for sub-grantees

Project Management and Logistical Support:

• Lead project management for EMSA and partner with the Executive Director to ensure timely and high-quality completion of all commitments.
• Provide project management support to workgroups advancing the strategic plan.
• Ensure efficient execution of projects and initiatives related to early childhood education.
• Lead the execution of some projects that EMSA has direct responsibility for

Systems Alignment

• Facilitate the alignment of systems in the early childhood ecosystem, linking across agencies, partners, and municipalities.
• Serve as a strong, neutral, and skilled facilitator who can guide the team, partners, and stakeholders towards consensus and defined, shared results.
• Facilitate the development of new or expanded opportunities and partnerships identifying goal and resource alignment, negotiation, contract development, and resource identification.

Data Strategy, Systems, and Reporting

• Lead the development of an umbrella database that will interface with a variety of data sources and provide the ability to query across data sets, run reports, and make trends visible.
• In partnership with the Data Workgroup, develop additional capacity to capture measures and metrics across the early childhood sector, particularly in areas where community level data is scarce. Develop processes to ensure data is reliable, recent, and accessible for analysis.
• In partnership with the Data Workgroup, develop partner policies around data sharing, quality, security, reporting, and privacy.

Qualifications

This is an outstanding opportunity to play a critical role in improving access to high quality early learning and development across San Antonio. In addition to a commitment the purpose of Early Matters San Antonio, the ideal candidate must have:

• Advanced project management skills
• Strong community engagement and facilitation skills
• 7-10 years of systems or operations experience
• Experience in bridge-building with different groups and stakeholders
• Demonstrated understanding of systems change framework
• Strong planning and organizational skills, with the ability to think strategically in the design, integration, and execution of programs
• Experience working as part of a multidisciplinary team and ability to work in a complex environment requiring significant collaboration
• Familiarity with San Antonio and understanding of the local community
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to communicate complex concepts to a variety of stakeholders.

Preferred Skills

• A minimum of a bachelor’s degree required; master’s degree and/or certification in project management preferred
• Skills in facilitation and experience in conflict resolution
• Experience in a start-up or entrepreneurial environment
• Familiarity with social investments preferred
• Knowledge of grantmaking and philanthropy a plus

Reporting

The Early Matters Director of Operations and Systems will report to the Early Matters San Antonio Executive Director.

Compensation

Compensation for the role is competitive and commensurate with experience. In addition, the Early Matters Director of Operations and Systems will be provided with a comprehensive benefits package. All grant funded positions are term limited and contingent upon grant funding. This position will have a hybrid work schedule, with the majority of the time being work-from-home.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $90,000.00 - $110,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Flexible schedule
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In person