Senior Head Start Grants & Programs Lead

ICF; Washington; On-site; USD 74,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

ICF is seeking a senior Head Start Lead Program Specialist to provide programmatic and grants management support to the Office of Head Start regional offices. You will lead grant oversight, monitoring, and technical assistance to ensure compliance with federal statutes, regulations, and Head Start policies.

The role requires subject-matter expertise, supervisory experience, and the ability to coordinate across regional teams, develop guidance, and deliver high-quality written materials and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in early childhood education, human services, public administration, or a related field from an accredited institution.
• 5+ years of progressively responsible professional experience directly related to early childhood programs, with a strong preference for Head Start or Early Head Start experience.
• 3+ years of experience with federal discretionary grants management, non-profit or for-profit program and/or financial management, and regulatory compliance monitoring and oversight.
• 2+ years of supervisory experience.
• Must have valid driver’s license and successfully pass a Motor Vehicle Records (MVR) check.
• Must be obtain and maintain client background clearance

Responsibilities

• Lead and perform review, analysis, and administrative activities related to Head Start, Early Head Start, and Early Head Start–Child Care Partnership grants.
• Oversee and support review of grant applications, budget modifications, supplemental applications (including change in scope and facilities requests), waiver requests, and post-award requirements.
• Ensure grant-related analysis and documentation are completed accurately and recorded in appropriate federal systems, including HSES and GrantSolutions.
• Support execution of grant awards and related administrative actions in coordination with OHS and the Office of Grants Management (OGM).
• Identify performance or compliance concerns and support development of risk mitigation strategies and technical assistance responses.
• Provide accurate, policy-aligned guidance and technical assistance to support grant recipients’ compliance with Head Start Program Performance Standards and grant requirements.
• Support Central Office and Regional Office initiatives by contributing subject matter expertise and programmatic analysis.
• Serve as a lead and mentor to Program Support Specialists, supporting workload management, quality assurance, and consistent application of policies and procedures.
• Coordinate with the Project Manager and other team leads to align staffing, priorities, and deliverables.
• Support onboarding, training, and ongoing development of Program Support Specialist staff.
• Contribute to development and refinement of standard operating procedures, guidance documents, training materials, and webinars.
• Support data-informed process improvement efforts to strengthen consistency and efficiency across regions.
• Contribute to the preparation of management briefings, reports, and presentations for Government leadership as requested.

Skills

Grant management

Policy guidance

Team leadership

Data analysis

Project coordination

Driver's license

Background clearance

Education

Bachelor’s degree in early childhood education, human services, public administration, or related field

Job description

ICF is seeking a senior Head Start Lead Program Specialist to provide programmatic and grants management support to the Office of Head Start regional offices. You will lead grant oversight, monitoring, and technical assistance to ensure compliance with federal statutes, regulations, and Head Start policies.

The role requires subject-matter expertise, supervisory experience, and the ability to coordinate across regional teams, develop guidance, and deliver high-quality written materials and