First 5 Executive Director

Are you a visionary leader passionate about shaping the future for young children and families? This is a unique opportunity to lead First 5 Ventura County, an influential agency dedicated to ensuring every child in Ventura County thrives from prenatal to age five. Join us in making a meaningful and lasting impact on our community's youngest residents.

FIRST 5 VENTURA COUNTY

First 5 Ventura County (F5VC) envisions a future where all children in Ventura County are born healthy, thrive in nurturing environments, and enter school prepared and eager to learn. This overarching vision drives every aspect of our work, as we are deeply committed to ensuring that the youngest members of our community have the strongest possible start in life.

As catalysts for systemic change, we actively partner with parents, local school districts, influential community leaders, and essential social and healthcare agencies. Through these crucial collaborations, we work tirelessly to develop and enhance a comprehensive service system that truly meets the evolving needs of our community's children and their families. Our mission is clear: to strengthen families, communities, and the vital systems of care that support children from the prenatal stage through their fifth birthday. We achieve this by strategically deploying our resources through investments, sharing our extensive expertise, and providing decisive leadership, all with the ultimate goal of ensuring all children reach their full potential.

F5VC was established as part of the statewide Proposition 10 voter initiative, the California Children and Families Act of 1998. This initiative is funded through an increased tax on tobacco products, providing the essential resources that empower us to invest directly in the well-being and development of Ventura County's youngest residents.

The Role of the Executive Director The Executive Director of First 5 Ventura County, reporting to the Commission, is responsible for the overall operations and strategic direction of the organization. This includes leading staff, managing grants and budgets, and overseeing the evaluation of child development programs to ensure high-quality outcomes.

Key responsibilities include:

• Directing strategic planning and implementation efforts.
• Building and nurturing community partnerships.
• Monitoring budgets and finances, including long-term financial planning.
• Ensuring compliance with the Children and Families First Act (Proposition 10) and all state and local regulations. Overseeing the development and implementation of policies and procedures.
• Directing the Commission's evaluation activities to assess the overall impact of First 5funding.
• Providing direction for community outreach and educational initiatives.
• Representing the Commission at various meetings and events.

This essential role also involves developing and implementing policies, fostering strong community partnerships, and acting as a key liaison between the Commission, county departments, and other agencies. The Executive Director ensures continuous quality improvement of the organization, all while promoting the Commission's mission to strengthen families and support young children.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

First 5 Ventura County is seeking a dynamic and innovative leader to develop and execute activities for the Ventura County First 5 Commission. A well-qualified candidate will excel in a highly collaborative environment at the local, state, and federal levels and be skilled at building consensus among multiple stakeholders, working with a high degree of independence.

The ideal candidate will also possess a professional history that demonstrates the following experience & leadership competencies:

• Demonstrated experience in administering policies/programs for young children ages0 to 5 and families, with a focus on promoting health, safe environments, education, and/or parenting.
• Experience in administering and managing contracts.
• Experience reviewing and implementing State and local legislation and regulations.
• Ability to mentor and coach managers, peers, and leaders.
• Leads, supports, and/or participates in cross-sectoral work that impacts population outcomes across public and private sectors.
• Carefully considers implications and impact of decisions across time and on others.
• Demonstrates an understanding of multiple stakeholder needs.
• Builds and supports mutually beneficial relationships with other organizations, associations, and community contacts.
• Strong public speaking and group facilitation skills.
• Proven ability to network and collaborate with other agencies, stakeholders, and county personnel.
• Advocates for children and families.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college or university in a field such as Social Work, Psychology, Public Administration, Business, Education, or a closely related area. A Master's degree or equivalent is highly desirable.

Five years of progressively responsible full-time experience in a public or private organization, social service agency, or community development agency focused on children and families. This must include:

• A minimum of three years in a leadership position, including experience supervising managerial or professional-level staff.
• Experience working with governance boards (e.g., Board of Directors, Commission).
• Experience in organizational and program management, as well as financial and contract management, is preferred.
• Additional years of experience with the Neighborhoods for Learning (NfLs) program may be substituted for the education requirement. Knowledge of the local early childhood arena and children’s issues is a plus, and bilingual proficiency in English and Spanish is highly desirable.

Special Requirements

• Possession of a valid driver's license and adequate car insurance coverage, with an acceptable driving record. Must be able to obtain and maintain a valid California driver’s license with an acceptable driving record as required by our insurer.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule based on assignments and travel both within and outside Ventura County for meetings and conferences.
• Requires working some evenings and weekends; a hybrid work schedule is available.
• Must be able to pass a comprehensive background and criminal clearance, including California Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) fingerprint live scan clearance.

HOW TO APPLY

To apply, please submit your current resume or CV and a compelling cover letter to the County of Ventura's CEO HR Division. Be sure your application materials highlight all relevant experience you'd like to be considered for this role.

To ensure full consideration, please submit your application materials by July 31, 2025 . This position will remain open until filled, but application materials submitted after this date may not be considered if enough qualified candidates are already under review.

Please submit your confidential cover letter and resume to Bill Friedel at the email address First5VC.ExecutiveDirector@venturacounty.gov

For more information about First 5 Ventura County, please visit their website. https://www.first5ventura.org/

View the fill recruitment brochure here First 5 Ventura County - Executive Director

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• County of Ventura