Director of Early Learning Center

Tobosa Developmental Services has been providing high-quality, accessible services to children and adults for 45 years. Tobosa's Learning Center offers students a fun, relevant, and engaging education so they can be successful. Our education model includes combining flexibility with a strong academic culture based on healthy relationships and student engagement.

Essential Functions:

The Director of Early Learning Center is responsible for the overall leadership, administration, and quality assurance of the Center's programs, including the Daycare Program, New Mexico 3-Year-Old PreK Program, Afterschool Program, and participation in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). The Director ensures that all programs operate in compliance with New Mexico Early Childhood Education and Care Department (ECECD) regulations, licensing requirements, funding guidelines, and quality standards.

The Director provides strategic leadership in program development, staff supervision, curriculum implementation, family engagement, budget management, enrollment growth, regulatory compliance, and continuous quality improvement. The Director promotes a culture of excellence that supports positive outcomes for children, families, staff, and the community.  

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Program Leadership and Operations

• Direct and oversee all Early Learning Center operations, including the Daycare Program, New Mexico 3-Year-Old PreK Program, Afterschool Program, and CACFP.
• Establish and implement a vision for program excellence, safety, quality, and child development.
• Ensure all programs maintain compliance with ECECD regulations, childcare licensing requirements, New Mexico PreK standards, CACFP regulations, and agency policies.
• Oversee enrollment, attendance, staffing, scheduling, and daily program operations.
• Develop and implement strategic plans to support program growth, sustainability, and continuous improvement.
• Maintain accurate records and reporting systems in accordance with regulatory and funding requirements.

Educational Leadership

• Ensure implementation of developmentally appropriate curriculum and learning experiences for children of varying ages and abilities.

• Support instructional excellence through classroom observations, coaching, mentoring, and professional development.
• Monitor child outcomes, assessments, and school readiness indicators.
• Promote practices that support cognitive, social-emotional, physical, language, and behavioral development.

New Mexico PreK Program Administration

• Oversee all aspects of the New Mexico 3-Year-Old PreK Program.
• Ensure compliance with ECECD PreK requirements, program standards, assessments, reporting, and grant expectations.
• Coordinate enrollment, attendance monitoring, family engagement activities, and required program documentation.
• Support teachers in implementing high-quality PreK instruction and developmentally appropriate practices.

Afterschool Program Administration

• Oversee the planning and implementation of safe, engaging, and enriching afterschool programming.
• Ensure activities support academic achievement, positive youth development, recreation, and social-emotional learning.
• Build partnerships with local schools and community organizations to enhance programming opportunities.

Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)

• Administer and monitor compliance with CACFP requirements.
• Ensure meal planning, nutritional standards, recordkeeping, reimbursement documentation, staff training, and reporting requirements are completed accurately and timely.
• Promote healthy nutrition practices and wellness initiatives throughout the Center.

Quality Improvement and Compliance

• Lead the Center's participation in FOCUS, New Mexico's Tiered Quality Rating and Improvement System (TQRIS).
• Coordinate quality improvement initiatives, assessments, observations, corrective action plans, and documentation required to achieve and maintain quality ratings.
• Monitor program performance indicators and implement continuous quality improvement practices.
• Maintain positive working relationships with licensing representatives, ECECD staff, auditors, and other regulatory agencies.

Staff Leadership and Development

• Recruit, hire, train, supervise, evaluate, and retain qualified staff.
• Conduct employee orientations, performance evaluations, coaching sessions, and disciplinary actions as needed.
• Foster a collaborative, positive, and professional work environment.
• Ensure staff maintain required certifications, training, and professional development hours.

Family and Community Engagement

• Maintain strong communication with parents, guardians, and families.
• Facilitate family engagement activities, conferences, and community outreach initiatives.
• Build partnerships with schools, service providers, community organizations, and funding agencies.
• Represent the Early Learning Center within the community and at professional meetings.

Financial Management

• Develop and manage annual program budgets.
• Monitor revenues, expenditures, grant funds, and operational costs.
• Assist in identifying and securing funding opportunities, grants, and community resources.
• Ensure fiscal accountability and efficient use of program resources.

Minimum Qualifications

• Associate Degree in Early Childhood Education, Child Development, Education, Human Services, or a related field required; Bachelor's Degree preferred. Equivalent combinations of education and experience may be considered.
• Minimum of three years of experience in licensed childcare, early childhood education, or related setting.
• Minimum of two years of supervisory, administrative, or program management experience preferred.

·         Enthusiasm for serving individuals with developmental disabilities and advancing the mission of a specialized support agency.

• Strong organizational, leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to establish collaborative relationships with families, staff, school districts, community partners, and regulatory agencies.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and program management, enrollment, and reporting systems.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Education, Education, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Experience managing multi-program early childhood centers.
• Experience with grant management, budgeting, and compliance reporting.
• Experience leading quality improvement initiatives and maintaining high FOCUS/TQRIS ratings.