Head Start Grants & Program Lead (Hybrid)

FM Talent Source; Kansas City (MO); Hybrid; USD 95,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

FM Talent Source is seeking an experienced Lead Program Specialist to support Head Start and Early Head Start programs nationwide. The role focuses on grants management, program oversight, data analysis, and stakeholder engagement to ensure program effectiveness and compliance.

You will advise federal staff and collaborate with regional offices across multiple regions. This high-impact, client-facing position requires strong communication, analytical, and leadership skills to drive continuous

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education, Human Services, Public Administration, or related field.
• Minimum 5+ years of progressive experience supporting early childhood programs (Head Start preferred).
• Experience with federal grants management and lifecycle administration.
• Program oversight, monitoring, and compliance.
• Financial and programmatic analysis.
• Ability to analyze and synthesize complex data from multiple sources.
• Develop high-quality written deliverables (reports, memos, presentations).
• Communicate effectively with diverse stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Support end-to-end administration of federal grants, including application review, award processing, and post-award activities.
• Analyze grant applications, budgets, and supporting documentation to ensure compliance with federal regulations and program requirements.
• Coordinate with grant recipients to resolve issues, negotiate revisions, and finalize documentation.
• Support budget modifications, supplemental funding requests, and waiver reviews.
• Conduct ongoing monitoring and oversight of grant recipient performance.
• Analyze program data, reports, and correspondence to identify risks, trends, and compliance issues.
• Provide technical assistance and guidance to improve performance and ensure regulatory compliance.
• Support onsite and remote monitoring reviews, including planning, execution, and follow-up reporting.
• Provide direct support to Office of Head Start Regional Offices in managing grant portfolios.
• Contribute to national initiatives, including enrollment performance, change in scope actions, and incident tracking.
• Support development and implementation of standardized procedures, tools, and training.

Skills

Grants management

Program oversight

Data analysis

Stakeholder engagement

Regulatory compliance

Communication

Leadership

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education, Human Services, Public Administration, or related field

Job description

FM Talent Source is seeking an experienced Lead Program Specialist to support Head Start and Early Head Start programs nationwide. The role focuses on grants management, program oversight, data analysis, and stakeholder engagement to ensure program effectiveness and compliance.

You will advise federal staff and collaborate with regional offices across multiple regions. This high-impact, client-facing position requires strong communication, analytical, and leadership skills to drive continuous