Administrative Assistant

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Child Care Center Administrative Assistant supports the Child Care Center Director and Curriculum Coordinator by coordinating staffing and daily operational needs, providing front-desk support, and assisting with program and activity planning. This position helps ensure the Center operates efficiently, families and visitors receive timely assistance, required staff-to-child ratios are maintained, and transportation, events, field trips, preschool programming, and no-school-day activities are organized. The Administrative Assistant will maintain confidentiality, support compliance with Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) requirements, and uphold the mission, vision, and values of the Center.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

• Prepare and maintain staff schedules, coordinate schedule changes and call-ins, and communicate assignments while helping ensure required staff-to-child ratios are maintained.
• Develop and adjust daily staff break schedules based on child attendance, classroom coverage, staffing levels, and operational needs.
• Monitor daily staffing and classroom needs and assist the Director and Curriculum Coordinator with coverage, room transitions, supplies, and other operational concerns.
• Serve as the primary point of contact at the front desk for families, visitors, vendors, and callers by greeting them, answering questions, directing them appropriately, and following Center visitor procedures.
• Assist with timely communication to families and staff through phone, email, approved Center communication systems, calendars, notices, and other correspondence.
• Plan and coordinate Center events, field trips, and special activities, including reservations, transportation, permission forms, schedules, rosters, and staff and child assignments.

• Plan and organize no-school-day activities, school-break programming, and other special programming in collaboration with the Director and Curriculum Coordinator.
• Assist with planning and coordinating the half-day preschool program, including schedules and transportation to and from local schools for children attending morning or afternoon preschool.
• Coordinate transportation logistics, maintain route and pickup/drop-off schedules, communicate changes, and ensure required permissions and records are complete.
• Monitor weather forecasts and local conditions and communicate possible impacts on transportation, outdoor activities, field trips, delayed openings, or closures to Center leadership.

• Maintain accurate administrative records, calendars, forms, attendance and transportation information, event documentation, and other Center files.
• Support the Child Care Center Director and Curriculum Coordinator with licensing preparation, special projects, purchasing, service coordination, and all other duties deemed appropriate, necessary, or assigned.

EXPERIENCE:

• One year of experience in administrative support, staff scheduling, customer service, child care operations, or a related role.
• Experience working in a licensed child care center or school-age program and coordinating transportation, events, or activities is preferred.

EDUCATION/CERTIFICATION:

• High school diploma or general education development (GED) certificate required; an associate degree in business administration, early childhood education, child development, or a related field is preferred.
• Must meet and maintain all applicable Iowa HHS requirements and required training for child care center employees.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Strong organizational, scheduling, time-management, interpersonal, and communication skills.
• Reliable, flexible, detail-oriented, and able to work collaboratively with staff, children, families, schools, and community partners.
• Mandatory reporter training for child abuse in Iowa and other required child care training.
• Clearance of required background checks, fingerprint checks, and a physical examination.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality, use sound judgment, manage frequent interruptions, and adjust priorities throughout the day.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Must be at least 21 years of age.
• Must have a high school diploma or have passed a general education development test.
• Must have experience working with children and/or providing administrative or customer service support.
• Must be able to maintain a high degree of efficiency when changing from one task to another, establishing priorities, and meeting deadlines.

PHYSICAL QUALIFICATIONS:

• Position requires frequent sitting, standing, walking, reaching, bending, stooping, squatting, and occasional kneeling, pushing, and pulling. The employee may be exposed to changes in temperature and humidity, odors, and infectious disease conditions while working in the Center or participating in off-site activities.
• Must be able to routinely lift up to 30-50 pound to respond to children and daily Center needs.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

This position does not have formal supervisory responsibility but may coordinate schedules, breaks, coverage, transportation, and assigned daily tasks under the direction of the Child Care Center Director or Curriculum Coordinator.

EQUIPMENT TO BE USED:

Must be able to operate computer and other office machines such as a tablet, calculator, phone, etc.

TYPICAL PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

Maintain emotional control under stress. Work with frequent interruptions. Occasional district wide travel; occasional prolonged and irregular hours, frequent standing, stooping, bending, kneeling, pushing, and pulling; prolonged use of computer and repetitive hand motions; occasional lifting up to 50 pounds.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

May be called upon to work overtime or odd schedules. Typically works in an office setting, although may be called upon to work in the classroom. This position requires proficient organizational and communication skills. Must be able to perform several tasks at one time. This job requires the individual to be able to read, write and communicate with a diverse set of staff, children, youth, and parents/guardians.