Early Childhood Director

About the Company

The Director of the Early Learning Center (ELC) is a strategic, mission-driven leader responsible for the overall operation, staff management, program development, and financial health of the center. The Director ensures the ELC provides a high-quality, faith-centered early childhood education environment for children aged 18 months to 5 years. This role requires a warm, responsive, and relationship-based leadership style, a commitment to staff development, and the ability to articulate and execute a vision for the center's continued growth and integration with the adjacent K-8 programs.

About the Role

The Director of the Early Learning Center (ELC) is a strategic, mission-driven leader responsible for the overall operation, staff management, program development, and financial health of the center.

Responsibilities

Faith-Centered Leadership & Culture

• Modeling Faith: Lead the ELC with a personal commitment to the center's Christian mission and values, with a strong preference for regular attendance at Church leadership services.
• Team Culture & Attitude: Foster a workplace culture characterized by positivity, mutual respect, and support among all staff. Actively promote professional communication and speaking well of teammates and teachers.
• Collaboration & Partnership: Enthusiastically embrace partnership with the K-8 Administration and Church leadership, viewing them as allies, partners, and friends in the ministry and collective mission of the ELC.
• Ministry Outreach: Champion the center's ministry goals by developing creative and resourceful outreach initiatives targeting ELC parents, to fulfill Jesus' Great Commission to share the Gospel with all of creation (Mark 16:15).
• School/Church Integration: Attend two Church and School staff meetings per month for collective mission strategy and shared spiritual growth.

Operational & Program Management

• Center Management: Oversee all daily administrative and operational functions of a licensed child care center.
• Regulatory Compliance: Ensure strict adherence to all state and local licensing regulations, including maintaining and improving the Colorado Shines Level 4 rating.
• Financial Oversight: Manage the center budget, tuition collection, and administration of financial assistance programs (CCAP, UPK).
• Program Development: Establish and execute a clear vision for the center, including curriculum development and program enhancements.
• Food Program Management: Ensure efficient and compliant operation of the Child Care Food Program.
• Financial Management: Embrace the ELC's role as a profitable ministry. The Director is responsible for the financial health of the cost-center and is expected to achieve a minimum of $200,000 in annual surplus/net revenue.
• Continuity of Care: Work closely with the K-8 Administration leadership to achieve seamless continuity of care and educational alignment for students transitioning from the ELC.
• Staffing & Resourcefulness: Demonstrate exceptional resourcefulness in staffing. This includes proactively hiring and maintaining a talent pool of ELC Teachers to ensure seamless classroom operations, mitigating disruptions from teacher illnesses or performance issues.
• Administrative Support: Apply resourcefulness in hiring and scheduling Office Assistants, ensuring adequate backup staff is available to allow part-time assistants necessary time off to maintain high morale and consistency of support.

Staff & Team Leadership

• Recruitment & Retention: Recruit, hire, onboard, and retain highly qualified staff.
• Development & Coaching: Implement effective staff development, coaching, and team-building strategies to ensure professional growth and a high-performing team.
• Supervision: Provide consistent, reliable, and professional supervision and evaluation for all ELC staff.
• Problem-Solving: Utilize strong problem-solving and decision-making abilities to address staff, parent, or operational challenges promptly and professionally.
• Accountability & Performance: Provide clear and fair supervision. The Director must be willing to address poor staff performance directly and consistently, ensuring accountability while always maintaining an immediate backup plan for operational continuity.

Parent & Family Partnership

• Visibility & Relationship Building: Maintain a highly visible and approachable presence. Actively greet parents and guardians during drop-off and pick-up times to build strong, personal relationships and rapport.
• Communication: Ensure excellent, professional, and consistent communication between the center and families regarding student progress, school events, and operational updates.
• Engagement: Develop and implement strategies to actively engage parents in the life and mission of the Early Learning Center and the broader school community.
• Conflict Resolution: Handle parent concerns, complaints, and conflicts with professionalism, consistency, and strong problem-solving skills.

Communication & Community Engagement

• Communication: Serve as the primary professional and consistent communicator for the ELC to parents/guardians, staff, school leadership, and the broader community.
• Enrollment & Marketing: Develop and execute marketing, advertising, and outreach strategies to ensure full enrollment and strong community awareness.

Qualifications

• Large Center Director Certificate through PDIS
• Minimum of 2 years of experience in child care center management or a related administrative role.
• Demonstrated experience in staff development, team leadership, and coaching.
• Deep passion for early childhood education, child development, and school culture.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
• Proven record as a motivated, self-starter capable of working with professional consistency and reliability.
• Familiarity with the Colorado Shines Quality Rating and Improvement System.
• Familiarity with the regulations and operation of the Child Care Food Program.
• Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Education, Child Development, Business Administration, or a related field (or equivalent combination of education and experience).

Preferred Skills

• Active and centered in Christian faith.
• Experience in marketing and advertising for an educational institution.