The Early Childhood Education (ECE) Director, Provider Strategic Advising, will work in close partnership with the Social Impact Partners (SIP) Early Childhood Education team as a key partner in strengthening Connecticut’s early childhood system. This position will advance key strategies to support growth of high-quality ECE centers in areas of the greatest need in our state.
The ECE Director, Provider Strategic Advising provides hands‑on expert advising to leaders of established ECE programs, helping them strengthen their financial and management systems, plan for growth, and implement new strategies. The Director leads key elements of the ECE Growth Accelerator cohort, including coordination of advising and the development of relevant tools and resources for practical and effective implementation. This position requires a highly action-oriented, collaborative, and systems-minded professional. The Director must build trust with leaders from across Connecticut and lead implementation, assessment, and iteration of a new program to support our ECE partners in a challenging, rapidly changing environment.
Reports to: Director of ECE Provider Growth and Strategy
A Pivotal Moment
Connecticut is at a once-in-a-generation turning point for early childhood education. With a historic Early Childhood Education Endowment and a bold plan to create 16,000 new affordable, high-quality child care spaces by 2030, the state is setting a national standard for equitable early learning. Social Impact Partners (SIP) has been at the heart of this movement—partnering with the Office of Early Childhood since 2020, taking a lead role with the Blue Ribbon Panel that shaped the state's ECE strategy and secured public investment, and helping launch Child Care for CT to elevate parent and provider voices. We also partner directly with exemplary local ECE centers such as Friends Center for Children and Maritime Odyssey Preschool to strengthen leadership and operations, expand capacity, and ensure statewide policy reflects real community insight.
For a mission-driven candidate who wants to make a tangible impact, this is a pivotal moment for SIP to provide catalytic support, help exemplary ECE centers grow, and translate learnings for systems impact. SIP is the place where your skills and passion can make a difference: increasing children’s school readiness while supporting family stability and fueling long-term community economic growth.
About Social Impact Partners
Social Impact Partners (SIP) is a nonprofit working to close the opportunity divide and increase economic mobility across Connecticut. We collaborate with leaders in government, business, education, and the nonprofit sector to advance equitable education and workforce systems and practices that shape opportunity – from early learning through meaningful employment.
SIP works at the local level where services are actually delivered, and at the statewide level where strategy, policy, and funding decisions shape long-term impact. We develop and implement strategies, strengthen organizational capacity, align efforts and catalyze high-impact initiatives. Together with our partners, we are expanding access to high-quality early care and education, aligning public higher education with career pathways and modernizing workforce development to ensure that every resident has access to living wage careers.
By combining skilled volunteers with professional staff, we can accelerate progress cost-effectively, always focused on action, collaboration and measurable results. We partner with trust and humility – listening deeply, learning continuously, and honoring the experience and expertise of others.
Key Responsibilities
Direct Advising and Organizational Support
- Advise ECE leaders on budgeting, long‑term financial planning, staffing, facilities planning, and other growth-related needs.
- Develop and refine practical tools (e.g. budgeting templates, planning frameworks), tailored to each organization.
Growth Accelerator Cohort Leadership
- Lead end-to-end design, project management and operations for the Growth Accelerator cohort, including cohort refinements, application management, timelines, and cross-functional logistics.
- Manage skilled volunteer engagements by defining scope, aligning schedules, and overseeing deliverables to ensure organizations receive high-quality, tailored support.
- Guide structured planning so participating organizations produce clear, actionable plans and implementation ready next steps.
Evaluation, Learning, and Alignment
- Oversee evaluation and continuous improvement by incorporating feedback and outcomes data.
- Partner with the ECE Director, Provider Business Consulting to align cohort work with the broader provider‑support offerings.
- Synthesize insights from provider and cohort work to inform strategy, statewide systems efforts and opportunities for national impact and growth.
Qualifications
- Bring 4+ years of experience in business or nonprofit management with a focus on finance, operations, planning, staffing and growth strategy.
- Demonstrate management consulting experience, including securing resources and/or building practical tools to address organizational challenges
- Lead complex, goal-oriented initiatives through strong project management - from design and work planning through execution, meeting deadlines, and implementation.
- Apply an iterative approach to improvement by implementing, testing, and refining new approaches to increase effectiveness.
- Excellent communication, facilitation, and analytical skills.
- Commitment to equity and inclusion, and to ensuring that all children and families have access to high-quality early learning opportunities.
- Experience in early childhood systems or education program implementation preferred.
- Experience working in or alongside community-based organizations preferred.
- Strong understanding of early childhood systems, funding models, staffing recruitment/retention, and cross-sector collaboration preferred.
Work Location and Requirements
This is a hybrid position based in Connecticut. The Director will work 2–3 days per week at SIP’s office in Westport or travel for parter site visits, meetings and events with flexibility for remote work on other days. This position requires travel across Connecticut.
Physical Requirements
The employee is regularly required to communicate clearly, in oral and written formats, with others in-person, via video conferencing, over the phone, and via other devices. The employee must be able to transcribe, read extensively, prepare and analyze data, and constantly operate a computer and other standard office machinery. The employee must be able to travel throughout the state.
How to Apply
Interested candidates should submit a resume and cover letter through the Workable online portal. Applications submitted through any other channel(s) will not be considered. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.
Equal Opportunity Employer Statement
Social Impact Partners is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive work environment. We are an equal opportunity employer and committed to sound EEO practices in all professional activities and employment practices. We comply with the Connecticut Fair Employment Practices Act, and all other applicable federal, state and local laws. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds. We prohibit discrimination, including harassment, against any employee or applicant on the basis of race, color, creed, age, sex, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, marital status, military status, disability, or any other protected category.
SIP offers a supportive hybrid work environment and competitive salary, health, dental, vision and life insurance benefits, a tech stipend, participation in a 401K retirement savings plan with employer matching, and paid holidays and time off. You’ll work with a dynamic and collegial team of change makers with a bias for continuous learning, and 200+ skilled volunteer and cross-sector partners.
This is a full-time position with a salary range of $115,000 - $130,000, commensurate with experience and qualifications.
Employment with SIP is on an at-will basis. This means that either employee or SIP may terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without cause or notice, subject to applicable law. Nothing in this job posting or any other communication should be interpreted as a guarantee of employment for any specific duration.
