Director of Family Engagement

For more than 50 years, Children’s Council has been the heart of childcare and early education in San Francisco, advancing the belief that high-quality childcare can transform lives and communities. Our more than 150 team members help families navigate their childcare and preschool options and secure financial assistance to pay for it. We provide home-based childcare businesses with the training and resources to succeed. Through a wide range of free programs and workshops, we support parents and caregivers as they build child development skills. As the city’s second-largest nonprofit contractor, with an annual budget of over $240 million, we are a major stakeholder in the childcare system. We educate the public and advocate for increased investment in early education at the local and state level. If you are a childcare champion, we want you on our team.

ABOUT THE CHILD CARE FAMILY SERVICES DEPARTMENT 

As the second-largest department within our organization, the Child Care Family Services Department is dedicated to partnering with families at every stage of their early learning journey. From initial community outreach and child care referrals to education on tuition assistance, our team guides participants through the pre- and post-enrollment process with hands-on wrap-around support engagement. Families in our department receive comprehensive care from a multi-faceted team of professionals. This includes early childhood education guidance for children, families, and child care educators, all expertly facilitated through our network of Family Child Care Education Network (FCCHEN) Coaches. Additionally, our Navigators connect families to vital external resources, while our dedicated Advocates work closely with participants receiving supportive services through SF Human Services Family & Children Services. Together, our team also hosts a variety of engaging family workshops designed to foster community connection and growth.

Job Title: Director of Family Engagement   

Department: Child Care Family Services  

Reports To: Senior Director of Child Care Family Services  

FLSA Status: Fulltime (40 hours per week), Exempt 

Compensation: $120,589 - $128,589 Annually

POSITION SUMMARY 

Reporting directly to the Senior Director of the Child Care Family Services Department, the Director of Family Engagement provides strategic vision, supervision, and coaching to a team of managers who support our FCCHEN Coaches, Navigators, and Advocates. In this role, you will serve as a key thought partner, collaborating closely with departmental directors, cross-functional teams, and external partners to continuously elevate our program's support for families, children, and educators. As a vital member of the senior leadership team, additionally, you will partner with the Child Care Family Services leadership team to drive annual planning and strategic development, maintain strong internal and external relationships, and ensure compliance with all contracts, grants, and funding requirements.

KEYS TO SUCCESS  

• A welcoming presence that puts both families and home-based educators at ease, empowering parents as they learn to support their child's early development and helping educators feel deeply valued and supported in their ECE journey. 

• Steady under pressure, especially when managing complex compliance rules, strict grant budgets, or the day-to-day challenges of running a Family Child Care Network.  

• Deeply committed to EIB (equity, inclusion and belonging) and trauma-informed care, helping providers actively recognize and remove their own biases when supporting children with developmental delays and neurodivergent needs—ultimately empowering educators to be more welcoming and open to enrolling these children in their programs with patience and respect. 

• A flexible, strategic leader who seamlessly switches between big-picture planning and on-the-ground problem-solving, while acting as a supportive thought partner who builds trusting relationships with immediate managers to guide the broader team. 

KEY RESPONSIBLITIES  

• Lead Strategic Initiatives: Serve on the Senior Leadership Team to shape organizational culture, monitor strategic goals, guide program expansion, and balance micro- and macro-level planning. 

• Champion Values & Integrity: Model the organization’s mission and values within Child Care Family Services, fostering a transparent, ethical, and high-morale work environment. 

• Manage Budgets & Fiscal Health: Develop and oversee program budgets (Family Child Care Education Network, Parent Caregiver, and Development Playgroup) and resource allocation. Partner with Finance to ensure fiscal accountability, contract earnings, and goal alignment. 

• Oversee Program Operations & Contracts: Direct the execution, administration, and reporting for key department contracts and MOUs—including FCCHEN, Family Engagement and Children’s Services, and the Department of Early Education’s Access & Enrollment and Developmental Playgroup MOUs—and assist in writing grant proposals. 

• Guide the Family & Caregiver Senior Manager to Coach Child Care Quality: Collaborate cross-functionally with the Family & Caregiver Engagement Senior Manager to guide and support the Family Engagement Coaches using the Family Child Care Environment Rating Scale (FCCERS) framework and the DRDP assessment tool, helping educators elevate home-based learning environments, child development tracking, and daily practices. 

• Translate ECE Theory into Practice: Partner with the Family & Caregiver Senior Manager and Family Engagement Coaches to support FCCHEN Network child care educators by utilizing the Family Child Care Environment Rating Scale (FCCERS) as a collaborative growth tool rather than an inspection metric. Empower coaches to act as trusted partners who help providers navigate the unique challenges of mixed-age groups and shared living spaces while continuously elevating overall care quality. 

• Family Engagement & Specialized Playgroup Oversight: Continuously innovate and improve family engagement workshops to dynamically meet the evolving needs of families in our community. Provide ongoing support, guidance, and ECE mentorship to the Developmental Playgroup Coach. Ensure the successful facilitation of weekly free playgroups designed for families and caregivers of children aged birth to three years with mild to moderate disabilities, learning differences, and/or complex medical needs. 

• Family Engagement & ECE Integration: Guide and support the Family Engagement Manager in enhancing wrap-around services delivered by the Family Provider Connection Navigators, while strengthening cross-collaboration with San Francisco HSA Family & Children's Services and building departmental capacity to help families of children ages 0–5 find quality child care through an ECE lens. 

• Build Integrated Services & Systems: Partner cross-functionally with the Family Engagement Navigator Manager and the Family & Caregiver Senior Manage to develop wrap-around service delivery systems, training programs, and workflow documentation. Ensure that DEI and trauma-informed practices are deeply integrated into this work, continuously improving program quality through robust feedback loops and cross-departmental collaboration. 

• Promote External Relations: Foster strong internal and external relationships through effective communication, advocacy, and organizational promotion to secure the best outcomes for families and children. 

• Lead & Mentor Talent: Recruit, motivate, and manage a diverse team of exempt and non-exempt staff in partnership with HR. Provide ongoing performance feedback, champion professional development, and maximize individual contributions. 

• Engage Stakeholders & Funders: Represent the organization with external stakeholders, community partners, and funders, building credibility and collaborating on systems design, program evaluation, and resource development. 

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS  

• Valid Child Development Program Director’s Permit: Must hold a valid child development program director’s permit to support FCCHEN Network educators.  

• Early Childhood Education (ECE) & Education: A master’s degree in early childhood education (or a closely related field) combined with deep knowledge of ECE principles, ECE theory, and hands-on classroom experience. 

• Assessment Tools: Working knowledge and practical experience with child and environment assessment/rating tools, such as the FCCERS (Family Child Care Environment Rating Scale) and the DRDP (Desired Results Developmental Profile). 

• Specialized Needs Support: Ability to support educators and families in accommodating children with developmental delays and neurodivergent needs. 

• Leadership & Supervision: 3 to 5 years of progressive management experience, specifically involving direct staff supervision, team-building, and performance management. Proven track record of managing, coaching, and developing high-performing teams.  

• Financial & Administrative Acumen: 3 to 5 years of experience overseeing operational budgets, resource allocation, and ensuring strict compliance with contracts, grants, and funding requirements (such as local and state child care voucher programs like CDSS subsidized care, FCCHEN, and Early Learning for All). 

• Program Design & Community Engagement: Demonstrated ability to design, implement, and evaluate culturally responsive family engagement programs that address community needs. 

• Schedule Flexibility: Ability to work some evenings and weekends to provide direct support, mentorship, and availability for the FCCHEN and Family Engagement managers, programs, and community events. 

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Must have the ability to sit at a desk, and/or stand for extended amounts of time. 

• Need to have the ability to understand, comprehend and navigate multiple ways of communicating.  

•  Need to have the manual dexterity to use all office equipment. 

BACKGROUND CHECK
All offers of employment are contingent upon successfully completing this process.

Hybrid Work  

We have adopted a hybrid working model and currently require employees to be present in the office at least 3 days per week, with the option to work 2 days per week remotely. Applicants should be comfortable with both the remote and in office scenarios. 

Please note: First month of this role will require being 100% in office.

Benefits, and Employee Perks

We offer a family-friendly workplace, plus competitive pay, and industry leading benefits package that includes:

• Generous Medical coverage for staff, including paid medical plan deductibles, copays and out-of-pocket maximums.
• Dental, Vision, Chiropractic & Acupuncture, Life, LTD and AD&D coverage.
• Voluntary benefits that include Supplement Life, Accident, Critical Illness, and Pet Insurance.
• 401(k) retirement plan with a generous employer match.
• Pre-tax Flexible Spending Accounts, Health Savings Account and Commuter Benefit programs.
• Generous paid time off  package, including 14 paid holidays + a floating holiday for your Birthday.
• Ongoing training and professional development for all staff.
• Tuition Reimbursement.

Children's Council of SF is committed to building a staff that is rich with cultural, social and experiential diversity. Candidates who want to join us on this journey and who can uniquely contribute to that goal are encouraged to apply.

Equal Opportunity & Equity Statement 

Children’s Council is an equal opportunity employer that values diversity as central to our work serving the San Francisco community. We comply with all applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. Our practices are in alignment with our commitment to workplace equity, diversity, and inclusion. We foster a work environment where our current and future staff feel welcomed without regard to race, color, religion, gender identity, national origin, sex, age, disability or sexual orientation.