Director of National Programs (Internal Only)

APPLICATION DEADLINE: July 15th, 2026 by 11:59pm EST

LOCATION OF POSITION: Remote (within the United States). Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States and must be currently employed by SEIU ESF. 

SALARY RANGE: The selected candidate will receive one of the following salaries: $102,293, $114,569, or $125,821 depending on their location. Salaries are assigned by matching the candidate’s current location to our cost-of-labor chart and cannot be negotiated. This is a FULL-TIME salaried position with a competitive benefits package. See below for details.

JOB CLASSIFICATION: 

This position is exempt from overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). It is not eligible for overtime pay.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

This position will supervise up to three positions within the National Programs department.  

UNION STATUS: 

This position is managerial and not included in the collective bargaining unit represented by ESF’s union, the Juntos Podemos Guild.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:
Research shows that qualified talent from historically marginalized groups often self-select out of applying to positions if they don't meet all the qualifications listed. Consider this description our best thinking at the moment. Strong candidates may not meet all the requirements but still have valuable experience and expertise to offer. If you believe you could be a strong candidate, please apply! 

ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW

An increasing number of Americans – most of whom are women and people of color – are employed in service sector jobs that are marked by low wages, no health care, job insecurity, and lack of training and career advancement opportunities. The SEIU Education & Support Fund tackles these issues by designing and facilitating worker-centered, relationship-based, and accessible education, training and workforce development programs.  We serve as a strategic partner to the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), and collaborate with other unions, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and employers to help workers access good jobs and spark positive social change.

POSITION SUMMARY

ESF is seeking a Director of National Programs, with a broad set of relational, systems building, and strategic thinking skills to oversee ESF’s National Programs department, including:  1) overseeing ESF’s National Early Educator Training Center (NEETC) and the amplification of our programmatic work in strategically identified external spaces; and 2) support the internal alignment and efficiency of our programmatic work across the states and sectors in which we work, providing ongoing continuous improvement and capacity building support to ESF’s state and sector specific programmatic departments.
This position will report to the Chief Program Officer, and will supervise up to three positions within the National Programs department.  

EXPERIENCE/QUALIFICATIONS:

• Seven to ten  years of program leadership with increasing responsibility in  workforce development, education or other related sector 
• Experience and knowledge of labor management training partnerships preferred
• Proven ability to manage complex projects (including grant funded programs)  with multiple stakeholders, innovate new methods/practices, brainstorm solutions to improve outcomes, and appropriately scale projects up or down.
• Experience working with diverse populations including black, brown and indigenous communities 
• Experience working with stakeholders including  unions, employers, workforce development agencies, higher education institutions, etc.

KEY ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Programmatic Alignment, Capacity Building & Continuous Improvement

• Oversee the design and implementation of cross-programmatic spaces (to be facilitated and led by staff in the National Programs Department) structures, and tools that promote learning, alignment, collaboration, and data driven reflection and decision making, including but not limited to:
  • All programs meetings and  initiatives
  • Child Care leadership meetings and initiatives, including national conference & convening policies and procedures, and ESF’s child care Curriculum Clearinghouse
  • Program specific Communities of Practice
  • Programmatic training & PD opportunities
  • Programmatic data analysis and continuous improvement processes
  • Programmatic annual work plan template design & technical assistance
  • Special projects in collaboration with Programmatic Leadership and/or the Chief Program Officer that qualify as increasing programmatic alignment, efficiency, and/or capacity building initiatives

NEETC Programming and Partnerships

• In partnership with Chief Program Officer, NEETC Manager,  and the Child Care Leadership team, identify and cultivate relationships with strategic external partners, who are values aligned, and have a national presence in the ECE ecosystem
• Oversee the strategic sharing of ESF’s work nationally, creating and implementing an equitable process for internal ESF staff and Family Child Care Educator Leaders to be present in, values-aligned, national spaces.  
• Provide oversight of ESF’s child care communities of practice, supporting the Sr. Manager of National Programs in planning for, facilitating, and leveraging these spaces, to ensure alignment and amplification of ESF’s multi-state, national work, and the voices of Family Child Care Educator-Leaders.  
• In partnership with ESF’s Communications staff, and the Sr. Manager of National Programs, develop strategic narrative change campaigns, and other communications deliverables, that promote ESF’s work, and the voices of Family Child Care Educator-Leaders

Organizational Leadership & Collaboration

• Foster an environment of collaboration with and amongst Programmatic leadership, ESF Infrastructure Leadership, and external partners to ensure seamless, innovative, best-in-class delivery of  programmatic initiatives;
• Actively build and execute partnership with ESF’s technology and data department, representing programmatic perspective and needs on The Network team, and supporting in the creation and implementation of a system which can seamlessly and accurately collect and report programmatic data for a wide variety of communications, reporting and continuous improvement uses;
• Ensure effective internal, cross-departmental communication by adhering to ESF’s program and operational reporting/monitoring policies;
• Manage, clear roadblocks, and provide guidance to direct reports,  ensuring alignment with the overall mission and goals

Financial Management & Fundraising

• In conjunction with ESF’s finance department, work to establish, forecast, monitor and report on all National Programs/NEETC grant and contract budgets;
• In partnership with ESF’s Advancement department, identify new national program (public and private) funding opportunities, aligned with ESF’s strategic plan, and support the submission of all national programmatic proposals to funders

Team Leadership and Development

• Holds primary responsibility for employment decisions affecting direct reports, including hiring, discipline, and termination, either directly or through effective recommendation
• Directly supervises the day-to-day management of assigned staff
• Exercises independent judgment within their vertical in managing staff and making decisions that impact team operations, work priorities, deadlines, and employee outcomes
• Conducts performance evaluations and provides ongoing coaching, feedback, and development support via regular scheduled one-on-one meetings, team meetings, or impromptu meetings
• Has the authority to issue disciplinary action and/or effectively recommend corrective action up to and including termination. 
• Participates in hiring decisions, including candidate selection and evaluations
• Makes recommendations regarding promotions and other employment actions based on performance and organizational needs
• Addresses employee relations matters, including responding to concerns, resolving conflicts, and escalating issues as appropriate 
• Maintain accountability for team performance, productivity, and adherence to expectations.
• Ensures team compliance with organizational policies, procedures, and applicable employment laws 

BENEFITS

We understand the importance of offering our employees strong support and benefits. That’s why we provide 100% employer-paid medical, dental, and vision plans for you and your eligible dependents and offer a defined benefit pension plan for retirement. We also offer an initial and annual home stipend, and you can choose between a biweekly cell phone stipend or a company-sponsored cell phone.

In your first two years with us, you’ll accrue up to four (4) weeks of vacation and five (5) weeks after completing two years of service. We also recognize the value of work-life balance, so we offer paid holidays, 13 days of sick leave, six (6) personal days, and two (2) floating holidays. 

COMPENSATION

At the Education and Support Fund (ESF), we understand how crucial it is to create a compensation and benefits system that not only attracts but also retains a diverse and talented team. We are committed to ensuring that our compensation practices reflect our values and the unique experiences of each employee. Our philosophy focuses on the following important principles:

1. **Honoring Our Culture**: We believe that every individual's lived experiences and professional journeys are invaluable. Our compensation framework aims to acknowledge and celebrate this diversity, as it enriches our organization and strengthens our community.

2. **Innovative**: We strive to be forward-thinking in our approach. By embracing an inclusive design process, we are dedicated to crafting a compensation program that is not only fair but also transformative, promoting a culture of growth and opportunity for everyone at ESF.

3. **Worker-Centered**: Your voice matters to us. We are committed to listening to the needs, experiences, and perspectives of our staff as we develop our Compensation Framework. We want to ensure that all factors are thoughtfully considered to create a supportive and equitable environment.

At ESF, we are committed to fairness, consistency, and transparency in our compensation practices. The salary for this role is predetermined based on standardized geographical cost of labor data and the candidate's primary place of residence.

Salaries are assigned by matching the candidate’s current location to our cost-of-labor chart and cannot be negotiated. We understand that compensation is an important factor in your decision-making and encourage candidates to review and ask questions about our benefits information to get a better understanding of our total compensation package. 

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER 

SEIU Education and Support Fund follows the spirit and intent of all federal, state and local employment law and is committed to equal opportunity in all aspects of employment. In alignment with our mission, we recognize the importance of our staff reflecting the communities our work aims to benefit as well as the desirability of increasing employment opportunities for people from historically marginalized groups. We encourage and seek applicants from people of color, women, members of the LGBTQ+ communities, bilingual and bicultural individuals, and people with disabilities.