Director of Early Childhood

Principal Responsibilities:

The Director of Early Childhood and Family Engagement will have a demonstrated knowledge of Jewish values and traditions and experience integrating Jewish culture into early childhood curriculum as well as extensive experience creating and Implementing Innovative early childhood curricula, strong relationship building abilities, organizational skills and a deep understanding of child and family development. The Director of Early Childhood will supervise and lead staff, design program plans, oversee daily activities and prepare budgets. The Director of Early Childhood will be responsible for all aspects of the program, which may include oversight of related programs.

The Director of Early Childhood and Family Engagement will be responsible for the leadership and operations of our program, including the following:

• Lead a vision for excellence in Jewish early childhood education and foster an inclusive, collaborative team rooted in Jewish values.
• Develop and implement a developmentally appropriate, play-based curriculum aligned with Jewish values.
• Collaborate with teachers on curriculum planning, classroom setup, and a focus on process over product.
• Promote Jewish family engagement through home, school, and community experiences.
• Evaluate program effectiveness regularly and apply improvements based on feedback and best practices.
• Supervise. Mentor, evaluate, train staff and ensure that staff understand licensing and safety protocols.
• Lead staff meetings, ongoing professional development and meet regularly with teachers for curriculum, behavior, and child-specific planning.
• Act as a liaison between staff and JCC Executive Directors.
• Maintain professional, open communication with families.
• Collaborate with JCC departments and partners to strengthen family programming.
• Manage sensitive child matters with discretion and teamwork.
• Work with the Early Childhood committee and Board to support program goals and outreach.
• Oversee daily operations, ensuring safety, staffing ratios, documentation, student records and supervision.
• Manage classroom supplies, food, and cleaning needs.
• Ensure full compliance with licensing and safety standards through regular audits.
• Develop and manage the program budget with leadership.
• Drive full enrollment through retention, outreach, and planning.
• Partner with marketing on Early Childhood outreach strategy.
• Model professionalism, confidentiality, and respectful communication.
• Participate in meetings, events, and professional development.

Minimum Qualifications:

Required Licenses/Certifications/Registrations:

• Child Development Associate (CDA) certification.
• Appropriate state licensure.
• CPR and first aid certifications.

Required Education & Experience:

• Master's degree in education, Early Childhood Education, Child Development, or related field.
• Minimum of five years of experience working with union negotiations, discussions and reaching agreements on issues like staff wages, benefits, working hours and other employment conditions while considering the needs of both the staff and the organization's financial limitations while representing the management side of the Early Childhood program.
• Five years of experience in administration, including knowledge of State licensing requirements and Head Start Performance Standards.
• Five years of management and/or leadership experience overseeing an Early Childhood program.
• Exceptional communication skills - both verbal and written.
• Significant diagnostic and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to handle highly stressful and sensitive situations in a professional manner.
• Ability to work independently and maintain professional boundaries and confidentiality.
• Ability to exercise tact and discretion in all employee interactions

Additional Technical Requirements:

• Strong computer skills, including internet and e-mail, Excel and the ability to learn new systems as needed.