Director WIU Infant and Preschool Center - Western Illinois University

APPOINTMENT: August 1, 2026

RESPONSIBILITIES: To fulfill responsibilities of the WIU Infant and Preschool Center Director role, including providing day-to-day supervision, instructional coaching, planning and implementing all operational aspects of the lab site including the budget and all coordinating grants, assisting with ECACE support for Macomb workforce members including serving as the onsite mentor teacher for necessary observational/field hours, serving as a community liaison and committee attendee for the Macomb area early childhood community as well as a partner to the Center for Best Practices in Early Childhood Education, and ensuring all compliance and instructional tasks are completed for a high quality early care and education site. The Director will also be responsible for fundraising and securing philanthropic support, as well as ensuring that diverse family engagement is implemented regularly.

RANK & SALARY: 10-month appointment. $44,000 - $46,000 per year, commensurate with experience.

Western Illinois University employees may be eligible for a variety of State of Illinois benefits. These benefits are administered through the Illinois Department of Central Management Services (CMS). These benefits include: Health Insurance plans, (HMO's, OAP's, QCHP, and CDHP), Dental Insurance, Vision Plan, Life Insurance, Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D), Supplemental Long-Term Disability (LTD), Flex Spending Accounts (HAS, MCAP, and DCAP), 403(b) Supplemental Retirement Plans and 457(b) Deferred Compensation Plans.

Eligible employees are required to participate in the State Universities Retirement System (SURS). SURS is the retirement administrator for employees in public higher education in the State of Illinois.

Other benefits available to eligible employees include: paid time-off, Employee Assistance Program, Tuition Waiver programs, and discounts to the local YMCA.

For a full list of benefits as a WIU employee, please visit our Benefits Homepage: https://www.wiu.edu/human_resources/benefits/.

For questions on benefits, or eligibility, contact our benefits team at HR-Benefits@wiu.edu or by calling 309-298-1971.

Required Qualifications

• Associate degree in Early Childhood Education or Child Development or a closely related field
• Minimum of 3 years of experience working in an early childhood setting with children from birth through preschool age
• Knowledge of Illinois DCFS licensing regulations, child development, curriculum development, developmentally appropriate instructional practices, and assessment.
• Knowledge of budgeting, strategic planning, personnel supervision, and early childhood program operations.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively supervise, mentor, and support staff and teacher candidates while establishing and maintaining collaborative relationships with families, staff, community agencies, and university personnel.
• Strong organizational, communication, interpersonal, and leadership skills, with current CPR, First Aid, and Mandated Reporter certification (or willingness to obtain prior to employment), and successful completion of all required Illinois DCFS background checks and clearances prior to employment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education, Child Development, Administration, or a closely related field.
• Illinois Professional Educator License (PEL) in Early Childhood Education and/or an Illinois Director Credential Level I or higher (or equivalent relevant credential or certification).
• Experience serving as a director or administrator in an early childhood center, laboratory school, or community-based program, including responsibility for budgets, enrollment, and overall program operations.
• Experience with quality improvement initiatives (including ExceleRate Illinois Circles of Quality), inclusive practices for diverse learners, and collaboration with families, community agencies, and university/student preparation programs.

For a degree to be considered, it must be conferred from a regionally accredited degree-granting institution of higher education (or equivalent from an international accrediting body). Unless otherwise stated, the degree must be conferred at the time of appointment.

THE UNIVERSITY:

About WIU

Since 1899, Western Illinois University has provided outstanding educational opportunities to individuals in west central Illinois and well beyond our region and state. WIU's traditional residential campus in Macomb, Illinois, is the educational, cultural and athletic center of the region, while the WIU-Quad Cities non-residential branch campus in Moline, Illinois, is the only public university in the immediate Quad Cities region.

WIU-Macomb, IL: Western's traditional, residential main campus offers a comprehensive slate of undergraduate and graduate programs, including a doctorate in education, and post-baccalaureate certificates. A diverse community in west central Illinois, Macomb features a unique blend of agriculture, industry, service, retail, education, and culture. Macomb serves as the county seat, with connections across the state with Amtrak providing twice-daily service from Macomb to Chicago (and point in between). Macomb is located approximately 75 miles from the Quad Cities International Airport (Moline, IL) and 70 miles from the Greater Peoria Regional Airport (Peoria, IL).

WIU-Quad Cities: Located on the banks of the Mississippi River in Moline, Illinois, the WIU-Quad Cities campus is the only public four-year regional university that serves the Quad Cities region. Designed as a metropolitan commuter campus, WIU-Quad Cities offers select undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs. Moline is located just 80 miles north of the Macomb campus and is centered within a diverse, bi-state community of 383,000 that offers a broad range of cultural, social, and entertainment amenities and experiences, as well as varied businesses and industries.

Academics

More than 61 undergraduate degree programs, 41 graduate programs, two doctoral programs and 16 post-baccaulaureate certificate programs prepare students for a successful career after graduation.

Student Resources

More than 200 student organizations at Western provide social, academic, recreation, athletics, service, academic, and many other opportunities for students to grow and learn, develop leadership skills, and much more.

Numerous concerts, lectures, films, dance performances, cultural events and more are presented and performed each year, along with numerous major theatrical and dance productions and studio shows, and a variety of service-oriented projects and activities.

WIU Intercollegiate Athletics

The University's athletics program, based on the Macomb campus, sponsors 17 NCAA Division I intercollegiate men's and women's varsity sports. All varsity sports compete at the Division I level through The Ohio Valley Conference.