Lead Infant Teacher

Position Summary

St. Catherine Little Saints Childcare is seeking a faith-filled, compassionate, and experienced Lead Infant Teacher to create a safe, nurturing, and Christ-centered environment for infants in our care.

The Lead Infant Teacher is responsible for managing the daily operation of the infant classroom, providing responsive and individualized care, supporting each child’s development, and maintaining strong communication with families and coworkers.

This position requires prior experience working in an infant room within a licensed childcare setting.

Essential Responsibilities

• Create a warm, loving, and Christ-centered classroom in which every infant is known, valued, and cared for.
• Provide attentive, responsive care based on each infant’s individual feeding, sleeping, diapering, and developmental needs.
• Plan and implement age-appropriate activities that encourage spiritual, social, emotional, physical, language, and cognitive development.
• Incorporate simple prayers, Christian songs, biblical teachings, and Catholic virtues into daily classroom routines.
• Follow safe sleep practices and all applicable childcare licensing requirements.
• Maintain accurate records for feeding, diapering, sleep, medication, incidents, and developmental progress.
• Observe and document each infant’s development, behaviors, interests, and emerging needs.
• Communicate professionally and compassionately with families about their child’s daily care, development, and classroom experiences.
• Build positive, trusting relationships with infants and their families.
• Maintain a clean, organized, sanitary, and developmentally appropriate infant classroom.
• Follow all health, safety, sanitation, supervision, and emergency procedures.
• Prepare bottles and handle breast milk, formula, and infant food according to licensing requirements and center procedures.
• Inspect toys, furnishings, and classroom materials regularly to ensure they are clean, safe, and appropriate.
• Coordinate classroom routines and responsibilities with assistant teachers and other childcare staff.
• Provide guidance, training, and support to assistant teachers assigned to the infant room.
• Maintain required child-to-staff ratios and ensure active supervision at all times.
• Participate in staff meetings, training, professional development, and center events.
• Protect the confidentiality of children, families, and staff.
• Perform other duties reasonably assigned by the Childcare Director.

Required Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Prior infant room experience in a licensed childcare setting.
• Sound understanding of infant development, responsive caregiving, safe sleep, feeding, diapering, and sanitation practices.
• Ability to meet all North Dakota childcare licensing and background-check requirements.
• CPR and First Aid certification, or willingness to obtain certification within the required timeframe.
• Strong communication, organization, collaboration, and classroom-management skills.
• Patience, empathy, dependability, and a genuine love for caring for infants.
• Commitment to supporting the Catholic identity and Christ-centered mission of St. Catherine Little Saints Childcare.

Preferred Qualifications

• Degree, diploma, or coursework in Early Childhood Education, Child Development, or a related field.
• Child Development Associate credential or other recognized early childhood credential.
• Experience serving as a lead teacher in an infant classroom.
• Training in safe sleep, infant development, responsive caregiving, and recognizing signs of child abuse or neglect.

Physical Requirements

• Frequently lift and carry infants and childcare materials.
• Safely lift at least 40 pounds.
• Sit on the floor, bend, kneel, reach, stand, and move throughout the classroom for extended periods.
• Place infants safely into and remove them from cribs, highchairs, and other approved equipment.
• Respond quickly to children’s needs and emergency situations.
• Supervise children effectively in indoor and outdoor settings.
• Complete routine cleaning and sanitation duties.

Professional Expectations

• Model Christian values through words, decisions, and daily interactions.
• Treat children, families, coworkers, and visitors with dignity, kindness, and respect.
• Maintain dependable attendance and arrive prepared for scheduled shifts.
• Follow center policies, licensing regulations, and all required reporting procedures.
• Demonstrate a trainable, team-oriented mindset and a commitment to continued professional growth.
• Use good judgment and maintain professional boundaries and confidentiality.

Benefits may include:

• Hourly Wage: $16–$18 per hour (commensurate with experience)
• Health Insurance: Available single health plan through Blue Cross Blue Shield ND
• Paid Time Off (PTO)
• Childcare Discount: Full tuition discount for eligible childcare-age dependents attending Little Saints Childcare Center through the ND Workforce Benefit.
• Tuition Discount: Full tuition discount for eligible school-age dependents attending St. Catherine Elementary School.
• Retirement: 6% employer contribution after 1 year of employment and 1,000 hours worked.
• A supportive, faith-filled workplace rooted in the mission of St. Catherine School.
• Ongoing professional development opportunities.

Note: While you do not need to be Catholic to apply, we do ask that you respect the mission of Little Saints Childcare and the principles that guide our program.

Pay: $16.00 - $18.00 per hour

Expected hours: 40.0 per week

Benefits:

• Employee discount
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan

Work Location: In person

Salary : $16 - $18