Executive Director

Addison County Parent Child Center; Middlebury (VT); On-site; USD 82,000 - 105,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Retirement plan (SIMPLE IRA)

Paid time off

Disability & life insurance

Flexible spending accounts

Job summary

Addison County Parent Child Center in Addison County, Vermont, seeks an Executive Director to guide mission, strategy, financial sustainability, and program excellence. You will work with program leads, staff, families, and partners to advance advocacy, fundraising, and partnership efforts.

This role requires 5+ years of nonprofit leadership, a relevant bachelor's degree, and a demonstrated commitment to equitable access and high-quality early childhood and family services across the county.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in early childhood education, social work, or a related field.
• 5+ years of organizational or departmental leadership in a community service or family-support setting.
• Demonstrated experience fostering a culture of trust, transparency, and mutual respect across functions and programs, and supporting a leadership team.
• Proven experience overseeing organizational leadership, finances, budgets, and core operations of a multi-program organization.
• Experience working with community partnerships, boards, or multi-program organizations.
• Knowledge of Vermont’s early childhood and family-support systems, regulatory requirements, and related accountability practices.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement ACPCC’s strategic plan and long-term priorities.
• Serve as ACPCC’s representative and board member of VPCCN, attending monthly meetings and retreats, serving on committees, and engaging in legislative advocacy for PCC funding and policy priorities.
• Ensure timely completion of all ACPCC grant obligations including fiscal implementation, requests for payment, and program reporting.

Skills

Leadership experience

Regulatory knowledge

Community partnerships

Strategic planning

Education

Bachelor’s degree in early childhood education, social work, or related field

Master’s degree preferred

Job description

• Are you passionate about supporting families in our community?

• Are you ready to lead ACPCC into its next era while preserving our outstanding legacy of support for parents and children in Addison County?

• Do you want to build something that lasts - strong systems, a supported team, and a sustainable future for this work?

If so, we’d like to hear from you!

About ACPCC

For more than 40 years, Addison County Parent Child Center (ACPCC) has been a trusted resource for children, families, and individuals throughout Addison County. Founded in 1980 to address a shortage of quality child care and support services for families with young children, ACPCC has grown from serving 70 families in its first year to reaching nearly 2,000 residents annually. Today, the organization provides a wide range of programs, including early childhood education, parenting support, playgroups, family services, job training, academic education, and assistance for individuals transitioning from welfare to work. Guided by a commitment to strengthening families, fostering resilience, and building a healthier community, ACPCC meets people where they are, providing compassionate support and opportunities that help children and families thrive.

We operate on a $3M+ annual budget with a dedicated staff whose commitment to families runs deep. Following the retirement of our long-tenured Executive Director, our Board is seeking a leader to guide ACPCC’s next chapter: someone who will honor what has been built here, strengthen the organization’s internal foundation, and position it for long-term vitality.

The Opportunity

The Executive Director is ACPCC’s chief executive, reporting to the Board of Directors and holding clear authority and accountability for the organization’s mission, strategic direction, financial sustainability, and program excellence. The E.D. works closely with program leads day to day and in partnership with the Board, staff, families, and community and state partners.

This is a role for someone who wants both kinds of work: the outward-facing work of advocacy, partnership, and fundraising, and the inward-facing work of building a stable, collaborative, and trusted workplace.

What You’ll Do

Set direction and strategy

• Develop and implement ACPCC’s strategic plan and long-term priorities. Translate mission and values into clear organizational goals, metrics, and action plans.
• Serve as ACPCC’s representative and board member of VPCCN - attending monthly meetings and retreats, serving on at least one standing committee, and engaging in legislative advocacy for PCC funding and policy priorities.
• Ensure timely completion of all ACPCC grant obligations including fiscal implementation, requests for payment, and program reporting.
  Serve as primary liaison to the Board, keeping it informed of organizational performance, risks, and opportunities.

Lead our programs

• Provide strategic and operational oversight across all ACPCC programs. Promote inclusive and equitable access to programs and services for families and community members.
• Evaluate program effectiveness and community needs regularly, adjusting strategy and service offerings as needed.
• Represent program and community needs in regional collaborations, public forums, and community systems.

Build and support the team

• Lead, support, mentor, and oversee program leads, empowering them to achieve program excellence, regulatory compliance, and community impact.
• Recruit, hire, develop, and retain qualified staff through clear and consistent expectations, coaching, professional development, and feedback. Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and accountable culture - with real attention to transparent decision-making and follow-through on commitments to staff.
• Oversee HR compliance, operations, and employee relations, including a functioning employee handbook, consistent onboarding, and clear supervisory structures.
• Model open, two-way communication among staff, leadership, and the Board, including regular staff meetings and accessible channels for raising concerns.

Steward our resources

• Lead annual budgeting and financial planning with the CFO/finance function and the Board Finance Committee.
• Monitor financial performance and key indicators to maintain ACPCC’s fiscal health. Oversee program revenue, grants, contracts, and fundraising, including funder and donor relationships.
• Track enrollment and caseload trends alongside their revenue and staffing implications.

Run the operation

• Oversee day-to-day operations, ensuring efficiency, accountability, and effectiveness across all programs and sites.
• Ensure program leads meet state and federal licensing and regulatory requirements and maintain best practices.
• Oversee facilities, equipment, safety, and risk management.

What We’re Looking For

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in early childhood education, social work, or a related field
• 5+ years of organizational or departmental leadership in a community service or family-support setting
• Demonstrated experience fostering a culture of trust, transparency, and mutual respect across functions and programs, and supporting a leadership team
• Proven experience overseeing organizational leadership, finances, budgets, and core operations of a multi-program organization
• Experience working with community partnerships, boards, or multi-program organizations
• Knowledge of Vermont’s early childhood and family-support systems, regulatory requirements, and related accountability practices

Preferred

• Master’s degree or advanced training in nonprofit management, educational leadership, or a related field.
• Experience with licensed childcare, early intervention, family services, or related programs, including: CACFP program knowledge; Housing knowledge and renting/ leasing and property management; STARS CQI knowledge; BFIS and CDDIS knowledge, and; extensive knowledge around CIS.
• Ability to build relationships that secure philanthropic support, including personal solicitations and multi-year foundation and donor relationships
• Experience leading through organizational change and rebuilding trust following a leadership transition

Core Competencies

Strategic leadership and vision • Financial acumen • Staff development and mentoring • Transparent and consistent communication • Relationship building and external representation • Regulatory and compliance knowledge • Change management • Sound judgment and accountability

Working Conditions

Primarily based at ACPCC’s center(s) in Addison County, with travel to off-site programs, meetings, and events, including occasional evenings and weekends. Regular travel is required for monthly VPCCN meetings, legislative advocacy, and community and funder engagement. Occasional remote work is permitted to support flexibility. The role involves frequent interaction with children, families, staff, board members, and community partners, and requires the ability to sit, stand, and use a computer for extended periods and to occasionally lift and carry up to 25 pounds.

Compensation and Benefits

Salary: A starting salary commensurate with qualifications will be offered within a hiring range of $82,000 - $105,000.

Benefits Highlights

• Health insurance through the PCC group plan (BCBS) - premium paid in full by ACPCC for employee coverage
• Employer HSA contribution up to $3,000, or a Health Reimbursement Account up to $5,000 for employees who decline the group plan
• Dependent care assistance up to $5,000, per IRS guidelines
• Short-term and long-term disability insurance and life insurance at no cost to the employee
• SIMPLE IRA with employer match up to 3% of salary
• Flexible spending accounts for medical and dependent care expenses
• 22 paid personal days annually, increasing with years of service to a maximum of 28, plus 10 sick days and paid holidays

Equal Employment Opportunity

Addison County Parent Child Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to building a staff that reflects the diversity of the families and communities we serve. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, age, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital or civil union status, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran or military status, place of birth, or any other characteristic protected by federal or Vermont law. All employment decisions - including recruitment, hiring, compensation, training, promotion, and termination - are based on job-related qualifications, merit, and business need. ACPCC provides reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities.