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Head Start Program Jobs in Philadelphia, PA (NOW HIRING)

Bucks IU

Head Start Teacher

Warminster, PA · On-site

$33K - $38K/yr

The Teacher works in collaboration with other Head Start team members to support the goals of the program. The position caseload, and/or center location may be reassigned as deemed necessary for ...

Bucks IU

Head Start Teacher

Langhorne, PA · On-site

$33K - $38K/yr

The Teacher works in collaboration with other Head Start team members to support the goals of the program. The position caseload, and/or center location may be reassigned as deemed necessary for ...

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All JobsHead Start Program JobsHead Start Program Jobs in Philadelphia, PA

Head Start Program information

See Philadelphia, PA salary details

$29.8K

$78.9K

$138.2K

How much do head start program jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 29, 2026, the average yearly pay for head start program in Philadelphia, PA is $78,906.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $53,500.00 and $93,300.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a Head Start Program?

A Head Start Program is a federally funded initiative in the United States that provides early childhood education, health, nutrition, and parent involvement services to low-income children and their families. The goal of the program is to help prepare young children, typically ages 3 to 5, for success in school and beyond by supporting their cognitive, social, and emotional development. Head Start programs are free for eligible families and often include comprehensive services such as health screenings, nutritional meals, and family support. The program also encourages strong family engagement and community partnerships. Services are delivered in a variety of settings, including centers, schools, and in some cases, homes.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Head Start Program director?

To thrive as a Head Start Program Director, you need expertise in early childhood education, program management, and compliance with federal Head Start regulations, usually supported by a relevant degree and administrative experience. Familiarity with child assessment tools, data management systems, and state licensing requirements is crucial. Strong leadership, problem-solving abilities, and interpersonal skills help foster a positive environment for staff, children, and families. These capabilities ensure effective program delivery, regulatory compliance, and improved outcomes for underserved children and communities.

What are some common challenges faced by staff in a Head Start Program, and how are they typically addressed?

Staff in a Head Start Program often face challenges such as managing classrooms with diverse needs, engaging families from various backgrounds, and meeting federal and state compliance standards. These challenges are typically addressed through ongoing professional development, strong team collaboration, and access to resources like family liaisons and mental health consultants. Additionally, staff receive support from administrators and are encouraged to participate in regular training to stay current with best practices in early childhood education.

What is the difference between Head Start Program vs Preschool Teacher?

AspectHead Start ProgramPreschool Teacher
Required CredentialsEarly childhood education certification or CDA, background checksEarly childhood education certification or CDA, background checks
Work EnvironmentHead Start centers, community settings, sometimes home visitsPreschools, childcare centers, private or public schools
Employer & Industry UsageFederal-funded program serving low-income familiesPrivate, public, or charter schools providing preschool education

While both roles focus on early childhood education, Head Start Program staff work within federally funded programs emphasizing comprehensive services for low-income children and families. Preschool Teachers typically work in various educational settings, focusing on classroom instruction. The main difference lies in program scope, funding, and target populations.

What qualifications do you need to be a Head Start Program teacher?

A Head Start Program teacher typically needs a minimum of a high school diploma or equivalent, with many programs requiring an associate's or bachelor's degree in early childhood education or a related field. State licensing or certification requirements may also apply, and experience working with young children is often preferred.

Will Head Start Program employees get paid?

Yes, employees of the Head Start Program are typically paid for their work, which may include roles such as teachers, family service workers, and administrative staff. Compensation varies based on position, experience, and funding, and employees often need relevant certifications or qualifications. The program generally offers a regular schedule with pay periods consistent with other employment standards.

What cities near Philadelphia, PA are hiring for Head Start Program jobs?

Cities near Philadelphia, PA with the most Head Start Program job openings:

Head Start Program jobs near you
Infographic showing various Head Start Program job openings in Philadelphia, PA as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 86% Full Time, 10% Part Time, 2% Temporary, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 96% In-person, and 4% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $78,906 per year, or $37.9 per hour.

Head Start Director of Education

Chester County Intermediate Unit

Malvern, PA • On-site

Full-time

Posted 11 days ago

Job description

Position Type:
Administrator/Director
Date Posted:
8/19/2026
Location:
Gordon Early Literacy Center
Closing Date:
08/29/2026
A vacancy exists for a Head Start Director of Education position within the Student Services division of the Chester County Intermediate Unit. This position is located at the Gordon Early Literacy Center in Coatesville, PA, will be supporting Head Start programming IU Countywide.
Are you motivated to create brighter futures for students, families, and the entire community? If so, we want you on Team CCIU! At the CCIU, we pride ourselves on the creativity, dedication, and collaborative spirit that our employees bring to their work every day, and we know that achieving success together takes a team approach!
We strive to hire exceptional, motivated, and passionate individuals that help us achieve our vision of acting as educational leaders who contribute to a better Chester County and beyond.
If you are looking for an exciting, challenging opportunity to grow your career, don't wait - apply today to make Team CCIU even stronger tomorrow!
Summary:
The Director of Head Start provides executive-level leadership, administration, and oversight for a comprehensive portfolio of federal and state-funded early childhood programs administered by the Chester County Intermediate Unit (CCIU), including Federal Head Start, Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts, and the Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program (HSSAP). The Director has overall responsibility for the successful administration of these programs and for ensuring the delivery of high-quality, comprehensive services to enrolled children and families. The position oversees an annual grant portfolio totaling approximately $10 million and is accountable for programmatic performance, regulatory compliance, fiscal stewardship, staff leadership, service quality, strategic planning, and achievement of grant and organizational outcomes. The Director is responsible for the full scope of program operations and comprehensive services, including education and child development; health, dental and nutrition services; mental health and social-emotional supports; family and community engagement; eligibility, recruitment, selection, enrollment and attendance (ERSEA); services for children with disabilities; transitions; data and reporting; facilities and safety; professional development; and continuous quality improvement.
Duties and Responsibilities:
Program Leadership and Administration
  • Provide overall leadership, direction, and administration for CCIU's publicly funded programs for 3 - 5 year olds including federal Head Start, Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts, and Head Start State Assistance Program grants.
  • Maintain responsibility for the successful operation and performance of an early childhood grant portfolio totaling approximately $10 million annually.
  • Establish a unified vision and strategic direction across programs while ensuring that the unique requirements of each funding source are maintained.
  • Translate federal, state, and organizational requirements into effective operational systems, policies, procedures, and expectations for staff.
  • Develop annual and multi-year program priorities based on child and family outcomes, community needs, monitoring results, program data, funding requirements, and organizational goals.
  • Ensure that program structures, staffing, resources, and services remain responsive to the changing needs of children, families, employees, and communities.
  • Lead continuous quality improvement efforts and establish systems for identifying program strengths, areas of risk, and opportunities for improvement.

Comprehensive Services
  • Provide executive oversight for the full range of Head Start comprehensive services, ensuring that all component areas operate as an integrated system rather than as separate program functions.
  • Ensure high-quality implementation and coordination of education and child development; health, dental and nutrition; mental health and social-emotional supports; family engagement and family services; parent leadership; ERSEA; disabilities and inclusive services; child safety and supervision; transitions; community partnerships and referrals; and other required comprehensive services.
  • Ensure comprehensive services are individualized and responsive to the strengths, needs, culture, and circumstances of children and families.
  • Establish systems that promote effective communication and collaboration among education, family services, health, mental health, disabilities, enrollment, and administrative teams.
  • Ensure families receive coordinated services and that program systems minimize fragmentation, duplication, and inconsistent expectations.

Regulatory and Grant Compliance
  • Maintain comprehensive knowledge of and ensure compliance with the Head Start Act, Head Start Program Performance Standards, Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts requirements, HSSAP requirements, OCDEL requirements, PDE requirements, CCIU policies, and all other applicable federal and state regulations.
  • Establish and oversee comprehensive monitoring systems to ensure ongoing compliance across all grants, locations, classrooms, service areas, and administrative functions.
  • Lead preparation for federal and state monitoring, audits, reviews, and other oversight activities.
  • Develop and oversee corrective action and quality improvement plans when monitoring or program data identify areas of noncompliance or concern.
  • Ensure required policies, procedures, service plans, written plans, and internal controls are current, consistently implemented, and regularly reviewed.
  • Ensure accurate and timely completion of required federal and state program, enrollment, child outcome, fiscal, and performance reporting.

Fiscal and Grant Management
  • Provide programmatic oversight and stewardship of an annual grant portfolio totaling approximately $10 million.
  • Collaborate with CCIU Business Services and Student Services administration in the development, monitoring, and management of grant budgets.
  • Ensure program expenditures align with approved grant applications, program priorities, applicable regulations, and the needs of children and families.
  • Monitor expenditures, staffing allocations, contracts, purchasing, and other resource decisions to support fiscal responsibility and maximize the impact of available funding.
  • Lead or significantly contribute to continuation applications, competitive grants, amendments, funding requests, and other required grant documents.
  • Identify funding opportunities and partnerships that support program sustainability, expansion, innovation, and improved services.
  • Participate in long-range fiscal and program planning to ensure services remain sustainable and responsive to community needs.

Personnel Leadership and Organizational Development
  • Provide direct and indirect leadership to a multidisciplinary workforce responsible for education, family engagement, health, mental health, disabilities, ERSEA, data, and program operations.
  • Ensure staff work closely in collaboration with other CCIU early learning providers including the ABA clinics, Preschool Special Education, Early Head Start, the Early Learning Resource Center, the Young Parent's Program, and Migrant Education to ensure participants and their families have a seamless experience in CCIU services
  • Supervise and evaluate assigned administrators, supervisors, specialists, and other staff.
  • Establish clear expectations and accountability for program leaders and ensure supervisory structures support consistent implementation across programs and locations.
  • Lead recruitment, interviewing, selection, onboarding, development, and retention strategies for key program personnel.
  • Ensure job descriptions, staffing structures, supervisory assignments, and employee responsibilities align with grant requirements and program needs.
  • Develop leadership capacity among supervisors and other program leaders to strengthen succession planning and organizational sustainability.
  • Promote a collaborative culture focused on accountability, communication, problem-solving, professional growth, and shared responsibility for children and families.
  • Ensure staff receive training, coaching, professional development, and technical assistance necessary to meet program requirements and deliver high-quality services.

Education and Child Outcomes
  • Provide leadership for high-quality early childhood education across funded programs.
  • Ensure implementation of research-based curricula, assessment systems, instructional practices, classroom quality measures, and individualized supports.
  • Establish systems for analyzing child assessment, classroom quality, attendance, behavioral, and other program data to inform instructional and program decisions.
  • Ensure appropriate supports are provided to children with disabilities and children experiencing developmental, behavioral, social-emotional, or other challenges.
  • Promote strong transitions between early childhood programs, school districts, community providers, and kindergarten.
  • Develop meaningful partnerships with school districts to strengthen alignment with kindergarten readiness and school success.

Family and Community Engagement
  • Ensure family engagement is embedded throughout program planning and service delivery.
  • Oversee systems supporting Family Partnership Agreements, parent education, family goal-setting, referrals, community resources, father engagement, and other family support activities.
  • Ensure meaningful parent leadership and participation in Head Start governance, including effective engagement of the Policy Council.
  • Establish and maintain partnerships with school districts, childcare providers, social service organizations, health and mental health providers, higher education institutions, and other community organizations.
  • Ensure community partnerships expand access to services and address identified needs of children and families.

Governance and Stakeholder Communication
  • Ensure Head Start governing bodies receive timely, accurate, and meaningful information necessary to fulfill their oversight responsibilities.
  • Work collaboratively with the Policy Council and CCIU Board and administration to support shared governance and compliance.
  • Present program information, outcomes, risks, needs, and recommendations to executive leadership, governing bodies, staff, families, community organizations, and funding agencies.
  • Represent CCIU early childhood programs with federal, state, regional, and local stakeholders.
  • Serve as a visible and responsive program leader for families and staff and ensure concerns are addressed appropriately and promptly.

Data, Evaluation and Continuous Improvement
  • Establish a culture of data-informed decision-making across all programs and service areas.
  • Ensure systems are in place to collect, analyze, validate, and report accurate program data.
  • Oversee use of child, family, workforce, enrollment, fiscal, compliance, and program quality data to evaluate effectiveness and identify areas for improvement.
  • Lead or oversee required community assessments, self-assessments, annual reports, program improvement planning, and other evaluation activities.
  • Use program data and stakeholder feedback to recommend changes in staffing, service delivery, professional development, resource allocation, and program design.
  • Ensure identified concerns result in clearly defined actions, responsible parties, timelines, monitoring, and follow-through.

Program Operations, Safety and Risk Management
  • Ensure effective daily operations across program locations and service delivery models.
  • Maintain systems to ensure the health, safety, supervision, and well-being of children.
  • Ensure appropriate response to significant incidents, family concerns, personnel issues, compliance concerns, and operational emergencies.
  • Collaborate with CCIU Facilities, Human Resources, Business Services, Technology, and other departments to resolve operational needs and maintain appropriate learning and working environments.
  • Identify emerging programmatic, fiscal, regulatory, personnel, and operational risks and communicate significant concerns to Student Services leadership.
  • Perform other duties as assigned in support of CCIU's early childhood programs and Student Services Department.

Qualifications:
Education & Experience
  • Master's degree in Early Childhood Education, Education, Educational Leadership, Human Services, Public Administration, or a related field preferred; bachelor's degree in an appropriate field required
  • At least two (2) years of progressively responsible leadership experience in Head Start, early childhood education, human services, or another complex publicly funded program required
  • Demonstrated experience with federal and/or state grant administration, regulatory compliance, program monitoring, and budget oversight preferred
  • Experience with Head Start Program Performance Standards and comprehensive Head Start services strongly preferred
  • Experience administering multiple early childhood funding streams or programs preferred

Professional or Other Required Clearances
  • Candidate must have valid Driver's License and reliable transportation
  • Current police, child abuse, NSOR, and FBI Fingerprint- DHS clearances within 1 year required

Anticipated Salary Range:
2026-2027: Administrator, Level TBD
*Placement on band is based on years of direct experience in a comparable role.
260 day position, 7.5 hours per day, 5 days per

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