Preschool Assistant Director/Site Supervisor/Director

Our preschool is seeking an experienced, collaborative, and child-centered Preschool Assistant Director/Site Supervisor/Future Director to join our community and help lead the next chapter of our school. This is a unique opportunity for an established early childhood leader to work alongside the current Director during an extended transition period (6months-1 year) before stepping into a long-term leadership role.

The position begins in August 2026, or earlier, and includes a minimum six-month onboarding and mentorship period with the current Director. During this training period, the successful candidate will serve primarily in a teacher & assistant admin role while learning the systems, operations, culture, and leadership responsibilities of the school. This intentional transition is designed to support continuity for children, families, and staff while providing meaningful opportunities to learn the vision and day-to-day management of the program.

About Our Preschool

We are committed to creating a warm, collaborative school community where children, families, and teachers feel seen, supported, and valued.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education, Child Development, Education, or a related field (or equivalent qualifying experience).
• Hold a current Site Supervisor Permit issued by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) or meet Director qualifications as defined by California Community Care Licensing Title 22 regulations.
• Minimum 5 years of teaching experience in a preschool classroom.
• Minimum 3 years of experience as a Preschool Director in a licensed California child care center.
• Extensive knowledge of California Community Care Licensing regulations, including Title 22 requirements, with demonstrated experience maintaining compliance, preparing for licensing visits, managing required documentation, and submitting licensing reports.
• Strong understanding of child development and developmentally appropriate practice.
• Experience supervising, mentoring, collaborating, and supporting teaching staff.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills with families, children, and teaching staff.
• Experience with play-based, emergent, or other child-centered educational approaches.
• Experience with enrollment, admissions, budgeting, and school operations.
• Strong organizational and leadership skills with a collaborative approach to management.

ResponsibilitiesLeadership & Administration

• Provide overall leadership and oversight of the preschool program.
• Ensure ongoing compliance with all California Community Care Licensing regulations, including Title 22 requirements, and serve as the primary liaison with licensing agencies.
• Maintain all required licensing records, incident reports, health and safety documentation, and regulatory filings.
• Support hiring, onboarding, mentoring, and evaluation of teaching staff.
• Foster a collaborative, supportive, and healthy workplace culture.
• Build strong relationships with staff and create an environment where teachers feel valued, respected, and supported in their professional growth.
• Support coaching and team development with professionalism, empathy, and clear communication.
• Build strong partnerships with families through clear communication and responsive leadership.
• Lead enrollment, tours, admissions, and family engagement efforts.
• Lead marketing for the school
• Oversee daily operations, scheduling, staffing, and school systems.
• Foster a positive, collaborative, and supportive workplace culture.
• Collaborate with the current Director during the transition period to ensure continuity of leadership, operations, and school culture.
• Oversee payroll preparation, staff timekeeping, and coordination with payroll providers to ensure timely and accurate processing.
• Manage billing, tuition collection, invoicing, and payment tracking through the school's billing systems.
• Monitor enrollment, tuition accounts, and related administrative records to support the financial health of the program.

Classroom Leadership

• Spend regular, meaningful time working directly in the classroom with children and teaching staff and be counted towards ratios during onsite time.
• Model best practices in early childhood education.
• Mentor and support teachers through observation, coaching, and professional development.
• Support collaborative curriculum development, child observation, assessment, and documentation.
• Assist with classroom coverage and maintain a strong connection to the day-to-day life of the school.
• Ensure high-quality learning environments that support children's social-emotional, cognitive, and physical development.

About the Role

This is not a traditional administrative position. We believe strong leadership begins with staying connected to children, families, and teachers. The Preschool Director is an active member of the school community and maintains a visible presence throughout the program.

This is a hybrid teaching and administrative role. During the transition period, the incoming Director will spend significant time in the classroom teaching alongside the team while learning the culture, systems, operations, and educational philosophy of the school. This hands-on approach provides an opportunity to build authentic relationships with the children, get to know our close-knit family community, and develop a deep understanding of what makes First Friends special before assuming full leadership responsibilities.

The Director serves as a key leader and culture-builder within the school community. This person is the glue that helps bring the team together—fostering collaboration, supporting teachers, strengthening communication, and creating a positive, healthy work environment where educators feel valued and supported. We believe that when teachers thrive, children thrive, and we are looking for a leader who shares that philosophy.

We are looking for a thoughtful, relationship-driven leader who values collaboration, professionalism, operations, and the joy of early childhood education. The ideal candidate is excited to become a long-term part of our community and help steward the continued growth of the school for years to come.

Pay: From $85,000.00 per year

Application Question(s):

• Do you have your Site Supervisor Permit?

Work Location: In person

Salary : $85,000