Chief Executive Officer

Chief Executive Officer, Center for Early Learning Excellence Location: Baton Rouge, LA Type: Full-time Compensation: $150,000 - $175,000 with a competitive benefits package The Organization The Center for Early Learning Excellence (CELE) is a new non‑profit organization that has been many years in the making. Baton Rouge has the opportunity to become a city where every child has the foundational experiences before kindergarten that ensure a strong start and help them thrive throughout their lives. The founding CEO of the Center for Early Learning Excellence will help make this happen. CELE’s mission is to prepare young children for success and transform the future of the Greater Baton Rouge area by fostering and investing in a thriving early learning ecosystem that continually improves outcomes. The organization was created by a diverse group of community leaders, including families, providers, educators, advocates, philanthropists, and policymakers, following more than three years of planning and community engagement to identify opportunities to improve early childhood education and chart a path toward a stronger early childhood ecosystem. The early years of a child’s life shape everything that comes after. Yet, in Baton Rouge, too many families face barriers when trying to access high‑quality early care and education (ECE). Fragmented systems, inconsistent communication, limited investments, and limited capacity across 200+ providers make it hard for children, families, and early learning providers to thrive. Over 15,000 children under age five in East Baton Rouge parish do not have access to a high‑quality early childhood education their families can afford. Assessments show half of children in the parish enter kindergarten not ready to learn. Meanwhile, available public funding programs and many high‑quality early learning providers have long waiting lists. These challenges along with key organizations, assets, and opportunities have been documented with additional details in recent years by the East Baton Rouge Ready Start Network, the Baton Rouge Area Foundation, the Founding Committee, the Louisiana Policy Institute for Children, and others. CELE will be the hub that connects early childhood programs, aligns funding and policy, builds shared infrastructure, and helps families access the childcare they need. The Organization Will Work To Strengthen understanding of the importance of ECE across the community; Grow investment in ECE to improve both access and quality; Increase the number of children who are prepared for kindergarten; Improve accessibility and coordinated enrollment for families to access ECE programs that work for them; Better connect systems and institutions to support young children and their families. About The Role We are seeking an entrepreneurial leader who is strategic, relationship-oriented, and dynamic to serve as the founding CEO of the Center for Early Learning Excellence. The CEO will lead the development and implementation of a bold strategic plan to strengthen the early childhood education system across Baton Rouge. The Center for Early Learning Excellence’s founding CEO will guide a growing team, build and sustain strong partnerships with local providers, government agencies, funders, and families, and drive systemic improvements that expand access, improve quality, and support the ECE workforce. The CEO will spearhead efforts to design and implement a more aligned, accessible, and high‑quality early childhood system that meets the needs of all children and families in Baton Rouge. The CEO reports directly to the Board of Directors and manages all day‑to‑day operations while the Board of Directors executes governance responsibilities. Key Responsibilities The CEO will be responsible for leading a team of employees and contractors to execute on: System Leadership Serve as the organization's strategic lead, setting a clear vision, defining priorities, and aligning partners to strengthen the ECE system across Baton Rouge. Lead the development and continuous refinement of a comprehensive strategic plan focused on expanding access, improving quality, and supporting the ECE workforce. Work with partners to ensure effective implementation of a community‑wide ECE strategic plan. Define a clear, shared vision of ECE quality that includes provider support and a strong focus on workforce development. Identify system gaps and roles and responsibilities the Center for Early Learning Excellence should address to best fulfill its mission. Stay informed of local, regional, and national best practices to ensure the ECE system remains responsive to local context and evolving conditions. Funding Strategy Serving as the chief fundraiser for the organization and the ECE system in Baton Rouge, in partnership with the Board of Directors and others. Lead private sector fundraising to fuel growth of existing high‑quality programs and to fund new opportunities and partnerships to advance a holistic thriving ECE ecosystem for young children and families from birth to five. Develop and implement a strategy to maximize every philanthropic and public dollar to provide quality care and education to as many children as possible in the mixed delivery early childhood system through pilots and partnerships, ensuring high‑quality service delivery, and supporting participating providers and families. Oversee strategic financing efforts, including efforts to increase sustainable philanthropic and public funding for ECE in Baton Rouge and support sustainable growth of the organization and the region’s early learning system. Partnerships Build and maintain strong, collaborative relationships with all ECE providers, including public schools, private centers, Head Start grantees, and family child care providers, as well as health care providers, and other organizations and agencies that provide services to families with young children. Build and sustain a coalition of public and private partners, including ECE providers, business, government agencies, community leaders, and funders, who can act through influence, funding, and leadership to implement the community‑wide plan. Pursue Louisiana Department of Education Ready Start designation and transition responsibilities smoothly from the local school system, ensuring appropriate approvals by all parties. Serve as a visible, trusted spokesperson and advocate for the local ECE system. Communications Develop and lead a family‑centered communications strategy to ensure families can easily navigate the system and access available services. Build a strong brand among the Baton Rouge community to invest in the entire community’s ECE vision and plan. Tell the story of ECE in Baton Rouge in ways that are compelling and attract resources and support to advance collective efforts to strengthen the local ECE system. Advocate with policy makers and others to bring additional resources to the ECE system. Organizational Development Lead organization startup and launch, and support its scaling and long‑term sustainability, including hiring staff, securing resources, and establishing internal operations. Support the organization through the development of a multi‑year strategic plan in the first year. Lead a team that ensures the availability of consistent and reliable data to inform planning, drive quality improvement, and measure progress against established goals. Work closely with the Board of Directors to shape organizational governance and advance the organization’s mission. Establish systems for effective and transparent financial management and manage budgets, contracts, funding streams, and reporting requirements. Ensure compliance with local, state, and federal laws and requirements, and report transparently to stakeholders. Other duties as assigned. Qualifications And Experience Required Experience Bachelor’s degree in education, public policy, public administration, nonprofit management, or a related field. Proven leadership experience in early childhood education, education systems and nonprofits or public‑sector organizations. Understanding of ECE systems, programs, regulations, and funding sources (e.g., Head Start, Child Care Assistance Program, etc.). Experience leading cross‑sector initiatives and building partnerships across diverse stakeholders. Demonstrated success in fundraising, grant management, and public‑private partnerships. Track record of launching or scaling initiatives, especially in early childhood or human services. Preferred Experience Advanced degree (e.g., M.Ed., MPA, MBA, MSW, JD, or a related field). Knowledge of Baton Rouge communities Deep knowledge of the local, statewide, regional and national ECE landscape Experience with strategic financing and resource development to support system‑wide initiatives Experience working directly with families, community organizations, and/or government agencies to strengthen access to early childhood or human services. Skills And Characteristics Entrepreneurial strategic thinker with an operational lens: you see the big picture AND execute the details Relationship builder who can earn trust across institutions and communities Clear communicator who can make complex systems understandable to families, funders, and policymakers Comfortable with ambiguity, adaptable, and energized by building something from scratch Deep commitment to supporting young children and families in Baton Rouge Role Logistics Anticipated Start Date: January 2027 Salary Range: $150,000 - $175,000/year Benefits: To be finalized in consultation with selected candidate, but expected to include health, dental, and vision insurance; retirement; paid time off; and a budget for professional development. Travel: Must have access to reliable transportation and the ability to travel locally around the Baton Rouge area Reports To: Board of Directors Application Deadline: Applications will be accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis through October 26, 2026 #J-18808-Ljbffr