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Why United Way Since 1925, Valley of the Sun United Way (VSUW) has unified diverse partners, donors, businesses, nonprofits, government, and faith-based communities to build a stronger Valley for us all. United Way belongs to our community, so we seek community input on the most pressing issues, and then we bring people, organizations and companies together to proactively solve them. Right now... many people seek trustworthy insights and information Why United Way

Since 1925, Valley of the Sun United Way (VSUW) has unified diverse partners, donors, businesses, nonprofits, government, and faith-based communities to build a stronger Valley for us all. United Way belongs to our community, so we seek community input on the most pressing issues, and then we bring people, organizations and companies together to proactively solve them. Right now... many people seek trustworthy insights and information AND they want to help, but they don’t know how. United Way makes it simple for people and organizations to be part of the solution; to come together to take action.

What is Mighty Change 2026?

We envision a community where every child, family and individual is healthy, has a safe place to live, and has every opportunity to succeed in school, in life, and in work. And we believe there’s never been a better time to make that happen. Now is our opportunity to band together and fight for a more equitable future. To be bold and loud. To kick down old barriers and champion new ways of thinking. Now is the time for Mighty Change. Over the next five years, we will put all of our efforts behind driving positive change for our community to reach Mighty Goals in Health, Housing and Homelessness, Education and Workforce Development. We can’t beat today’s issues with yesterday’s thinking. Change demands bold new solutions. So we’re redeploying our energies and realigning our resources and partners to support our community. The goals we’ve set are not small or easy, but they are achievable when we work together as a community to be a force for change. Check out our Mighty Goals here: https://vsuw.org/mightychange.

Who We’re Looking For

We can’t do this work alone. We’re looking for people who live up to our competencies as an organization and demonstrate them in these ways:
• Accountability: delivering on their commitments and taking responsibility for the outcomes of their actions and decisions
• Adaptability: changes with business needs and priorities and open to different and new ways of doing things
• Influence: able to gain the support of others for ideas and solutions and promotes the creation of shared mission, vision and values
• Quality/Attention to Detail: sets and maintains high quality performance standards, open to continuous improvement, and pays close attention to details
• Teamwork: promotes cooperation and commitment to achieve goals and deliverables and willing to share and receive information

First Things First (FTF) is a voter-created, statewide organization that funds early education and health programs to help kids be successful once they enter kindergarten. Quality First (QF) is a signature program of First Things First that partners with licensed and regulated child care and preschool providers across the state to improve the quality of and access to their early learning programs for children from birth to age 5.

The First Things First Specialist for Valley of the Sun United Way (VSUW) is responsible for supporting the First Things First (FTF) Quality First Scholarships grant. This individual initiates and drives the completion of tasks and suggests/creates processes or improvements that enhance the team’s performance and goals. This position manages Transferable Scholarships and coordinates a statewide Fiscal Monitoring of Quality First Providers to assess and ensure their compliance with policies and procedures. They analyze child level data to ensure providers have properly followed policy in determining a child’s eligibility for a scholarship as well as their compliance with other programmatic policies and procedures. In conjunction, the First Things First Specialist assesses financial penalties as applicable. This position requires a systematic approach with high attention to detail, strong customer service skills, self-direction, friendliness and assertiveness. Bilingual profiency in both English and Spanish is strongly preferred. This is a grant-funded position.

What This Position Does:

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with different capabilities to perform the essential functions.
• Ensures Transferable Scholarship sites meet requirement to receive reimbursement.
• Coordinates a statewide fiscal monitoring schedule to include 200 of over 700 Providers.
• Work directly with childcare/preschool service providers (including Spanish-speaking providers) on the Transferable Scholarship and Fiscal Monitoring aspect of the program in person and/or virtually.
• Input and review monthly financial reports for accuracy, cross-checking with reporting services.
• Gives service providers a 30-day fiscal monitoring follow up, guidance visits, and training.
• Works with manager to further develop and streamline processes and reporting methodology to include continuous process improvement and continuous quality improvement.
• Suggests improvements to department processes and workflow processes to ensure increasing compliance of providers.
• Reviews Family Applications and qualification documents (in both English and Spanish) for accuracy and completeness; crosscheck the provider’s determination of eligibility.
• Verifies the provider’s record keeping for billing during the audit months selected.
• Emails Transferable Scholarship and Fiscal Monitoring notifications/reports.
• Assists with email and phone call inquiries (in both English and Spanish).
• Travels locally and other regions within Arizona with overnight stays.
• Helps Scholarship Specialists with surveys, policies, procedures, and forms, renewal tasks, provider contracts, parent calls, financial reconciliation reports, and quality assurance.
• Facilitates team meetings.
• Facilitates/presents annual training presentation (in both English and Spanish).
• Proofreads documents (in both English and Spanish); organize a high volume of uploaded documents with specific formatting.
• Sets monthly goals to meet/exceed expectations.
• Handle other general administrative items to include making copies, scanning, filing (electronic and paper), maintaining record of contacts and calendar information.
• Operates program tools used for creation of electronic files or archives; modify and improve filing systems.
• Other duties are assigned as needed.

Have a degree? Great. Have work experience? Amazing. A combination of education and/or relevant work experience can be considered in lieu of a degree.

A combination of education or relevant experience may be considered in lieu of degree requirements.
• Associates Degree in Business, Nonprofit Management or a related field.
• Bilingual in Spanish and English (Strongly preferred).
• Ability to obtain a Level One Fingerprint Clearance card.
• Must be willing to utilize a personal vehicle for work travel with federal mileage reimbursement guidelines.
• A valid driver license and vehicle insurance with limits as required by Arizona statute.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite with advanced Excel skills.
• Knowledge of basic tools for maintaining accounting information.

In addition to the Organizational Competencies listed above, this individual must also be able to demonstrate the following:
• Analytical Thinking: synthesizes large amounts of data and identify what is relevant; visualizes and communicates findings to rationalize choices; compares available resources and draws logical conclusions
• Decision Making: Uses sound judgment to make good decisions based on information gathered and analyzed. Considers all pertinent facts, goals, constraints, and risks before deciding on the most appropriate action. Commits to decisions
• Facilitation: Enables cooperative and productive group interactions. Conveys ideas and facts using language the audience will understand. Formally delivers information to group.
• Initiative: Takes action to influence events without hesitation. Generates ideas for improvement, takes advantage of opportunities, and suggests innovations. Reasonably resolves issues, problems, and situations
• Integrity: Shares complete and accurate information. Maintains confidentiality and meets own commitments. Adheres to organizational policies and procedures
• Motivation: Displays energy and enthusiasm in approaching the job. Commits to putting in additional effort. Maintains high level of productivity and self-direction
• Reliability: Takes personal responsibility for job performance. Completes work in a timely and consistent manner. Sticks to commitments

This job might not be the right fit if you:
• Are hesitant to innovating current processes
• Become overwhelmed by fast paced environments
• Have a hard time making decisions
• Are uncomfortable or hesitant with change
• Like your own permanent desk and space

What We Offer:
• An opportunity to become an active part in bringing vital partners and passionate community members together in an effort to crew Mighty Change in Maricopa County
• A robust benefits package that includes:
• Different options for medical, dental and vision benefits so you can select what’s best for you and your family
• Health Savings Account (HSA), Flexible Spending Accounts for healthcare and dependent care
• Teladoc for convenient and affordable access to quality medical care via phone or video anytime
• A 403B retirement savings plan with a company match after one (1) year of employment
• Eligibility for up to $2,500 in educational assistance per fiscal year and we’re an eligible employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program for federal student loans
• Generous Paid Time Off (PTO) and 11 paid holidays per year
• Employer-Paid premiums for life insurance for up to two times employees’ annual salary
• An Employee Assistance Program (EAP) that includes counseling visits, text/chat capability, personal coaching sessions, and wellness app

Budget: $21 per hour

We work in a hybrid environment and some in-office work will be expected at our office at 32nd Street and Camelback. We’ve been telecommute-friendly for eligible roles since 2015 and most employees work in the office 1-3 days a week. Working in a hybrid environment hasn’t affected our collaboration, communication and relationship-based culture. To be successful at this, you’ll need to make sure you have high-speed internet access and a quiet, noise-free home office space that is free from distractions.

Referral request: This job may not be for you, but perhaps you have a friend who would be a perfect fit. Send them this link. Thanks!

VSUW believes culturally diverse governance structures and workforces are assets to VSUW and its participating organizations. VSUW values each person as an individual, promotes the understanding and appreciation of cultural differences, and advocates, encourages, and supports the development and implementation of plans and actions to recruit, retain, develop, and advance people of culturally diverse backgrounds throughout VSUW.

VSUW is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing a work environment that is free from unlawful discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. It is the policy of VSUW and the responsibility of every staff member to treat colleagues fairly and in a professional, cooperative manner. It is the policy of VSUW to hire, employ, train, retain, promote, compensate, demote, discipline, terminate, and otherwise treat all staff members and job applicants on the basis of merit, qualifications and competence without regard to race, age, sex/gender, sexual orientation or preference, gender identity or expression, color, national origin, citizenship status, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, religion, marital status, genetic characteristics, mental or physical disability, veteran status or any other factor protected by law
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