Head Start Program Lead & Grants Oversight Expert

BCT Partners LLC; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

BCT Partners LLC is seeking a Lead Program Specialist to support Head Start and Early Head Start grant recipients. The role involves supervising a hybrid team, coordinating with the Regional Office, and ensuring compliance with federal requirements across the grant lifecycle.

The position requires 5+ years in early childhood programs, 3+ years of supervisory experience, and strong data and grant management skills.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in early childhood education, human services, public administration, business administration, management, or related field.
• Master’s degree in related field preferred but not required.
• At least 5 years of progressive experience in early childhood programs, Head Start/Early Head Start preferred.
• At least 3 years of supervisory experience in a hybrid team environment.
• Experience with federal discretionary grants management and regulatory compliance.

Responsibilities

• Supervise onsite and remote staff; provide direction to project teams.
• Lead regional Office activities, track timelines, resources, deliverables, and outcomes.
• Serve as primary client liaison and COR interface; ensure project delivery.
• Execute project deliverables and maintain compliant operations.
• Establish workflows and systems to support operations.
• Prepare monthly status reports and task summaries as required.
• Coordinate with Regional Office, leadership, and external partners for alignment.
• Perform responsibilities onsite at the Regional Office to support coordination.

Skills

Leadership

Supervisory experience

Data analysis

Stakeholder management

Project coordination

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in related field

Master’s degree preferred

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Teams

OneNote

SharePoint

Smartsheet

SmartFlow

GrantSolutions

Job description

BCT Partners LLC is seeking a Lead Program Specialist to support Head Start and Early Head Start grant recipients. The role involves supervising a hybrid team, coordinating with the Regional Office, and ensuring compliance with federal requirements across the grant lifecycle.

The position requires 5+ years in early childhood programs, 3+ years of supervisory experience, and strong data and grant management skills.