Assistant Center Director

Assistant Center Director - Head Start

Closing Date: Open until filled

Employment Type: Full-time/Non-exempt

Amount of Travel Required: 20%

Salary: $60,000 Annually

Overview of General Responsibilities and Duties

The Assistant Center Director plays a vital role in ensuring that educational activities are effectively executed in collaboration with the Center Director. This position involves overseeing the early childhood education program operations as a site administrator to guarantee compliance with all Head Start Performance Standards, North Carolina child care licensing laws, and applicable Federal or state health and sanitation regulations. The Assistant Center Director works closely with the Center Director to align educational activities with the center's goals and standards, facilitating communication between staff and leadership to maintain a cohesive educational approach.

Essential Functions

Assistant Center Director must commit to accuracy, quality, and confidentiality in the exercise of job duties. The Assistant Center Director is required to monitor all aspects of assigned classrooms to ensure quality and accountability are an everyday event and to recommend steps for improving systems and practices when necessary. The Assistant Center Director must recognize and adhere to comprehensive policies that govern program and agency operations. The Assistant Center Director is expected to become familiar with program policies and grant conditions that affect his or her duties. Assistant Center Director provides accurate and timely reports on activities in the assigned education section of Head Start or Early Head Start Programs. The Assistant Center Director will be responsible for management duties over assigned centers as needed with direct oversight by a Center Director.

Monitoring

• Assist the Center Director in reviewing and monitoring assigned classroom documents, child and staff records, and activities to ensure each classroom and staff meets and maintains required health, safety, ECERS/ITERS, and North Carolina Childcare regulations.
• Evaluates the Emergency Response capabilities of classrooms. Assist Center Director in ensuring required drills and checklists are completed promptly and documented.
• Inspect assigned classroom equipment, toys, etc., for safety and sanitation purposes. Ensures classrooms have developmentally appropriate instructional materials designed to promote the development and learning; observes effectiveness of instructional methods and materials.
• Confers with teaching staff to plan and implement a curriculum designed to meet needs of Head Start/ Early Head Start children and families.
• Assist Center Director in monitoring classrooms weekly to ensure compliance with the Head Start Program Performance Standards and provide support to classroom teachers.
• Prepares written reports weekly on classroom performance along with recommendations for quality improvements.
• Provides written reports to the Education Manager as requested.
• Assumes management duties over assigned center(s) as needed.

Record – Keeping

• Assist Center Director in entering classroom data into ChildPlus software, including home visits, parent conferences, developmental screening results, and related child information required by PIR or other regulations.
• Assist Center Director in entering Teaching Strategies Assessment dates and monitoring data results for each child in Teaching Strategies Gold.
• Coordinates required reports according to timelines.
• Assists the Center Director in preparing work plans and Standard Operating Procedures for practical day-to-day program operations in compliance with Head Start Performance Standards and best practices.
• Assists the Center Director with monthly staff meetings to provide input, feedback, and monitoring reports.

Training

• Assist in coordinating Early Head Start/ Preschool and related staff training.
• Assists in providing pre-service and in-service training to teaching staff.
• Prepares educational and informational materials for training events; submits to supervisor for approval; disseminates to staff.

Please Note: All childcare providers and household members who have incurred any pending charges, indictments or convictions (other than minor traffic offenses) since the last qualification letter was issued by the DHHS Criminal Background Check Unit must notify the operator of such charges within five business days or before returning to work, whichever comes first. The operator must notify the Criminal Background Check Unit within one business day of being notified. 10A NCAC 09 .2703. Any new charges or convictions could result in disqualification. In addition, if the individual has been placed on the Responsible Individual List (RIL), Child Maltreatment Registry (CMR), or the Sex Offender Registry (SOR), this will result in disqualification.

Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's Degree Preferred (four-year college or university) in Early Childhood Education or in Administration. The position requires a Level II Administration Credential or ability to obtain the Level III NC Credential.

Experience: Two to five years of related experience with, at minimum, two years of experience in an early childhood educational setting. An equivalent combination of education and experience may be permitted.

General Requirements

Certificates & Licenses It is the employee's responsibility to obtain and keep current all certifications, licenses, physicals, etc., at all times. Required certificates and licenses are listed:

• Early Childhood Credential (or CDA)
• Level II Administration Credential
• Food Handler's License
• Annual physical
• Annual (negative) TB test
• CPR certification
• First Aid certification
• Valid driver's license and own transportation. Must provide proof of and maintain vehicle liability insurance and annual state vehicle inspection.

Other Requirements

Must have good supervisory skills and be able to effectively perform duties with a minimum of supervision. The employee must have a thorough knowledge of age-appropriate activities for infants and toddlers as well as 3 and 4-year-old children. Familiarity with the needs of low-income families and community resources to resolve problems is essential to success in the position. The employee must be able to pass a criminal background record check and be able to pass initial and random substance abuse tests. The employee must be able to complete a criminal background check and maintain an active Criminal Background Check (CBC) Qualification letter through the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Division of Child Development. Ability to speak Spanish as a second language is preferred.

Conditions of Employment

A background check with state and Federal law enforcement agencies is required. Selected applicants must submit to a pre-employment substance abuse screening test and receive a negative result for the use of drugs and alcohol as specified in agency policies. Must submit and receive negative results for random testing of same. The employee must have a valid North Carolina Driver's License. Must be able to pass a post-offer physical examination. Action Pathways, Inc. is an "at-will" employer. Either the employee or Action Pathways, Inc. may terminate the employment arrangement at any time, with or without cause. Management has the exclusive right to alter this job description at any time without notice. The job description or announcement is not an employment agreement or contract.

Employee Benefits

• Competitive pay with periodic Cost of Living Adjustments (COLA)
• Zero-cost Health, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Short-Term Disability (Employee only)
• Retirement plan with 5% employer matching
• Paid Vacation/Sick/Personal leave
• 13 Paid Holidays
• Winter break
• Paid professional development training
• Education assistance
• Auto mileage reimbursement for official travel
• Employee discounts
• Bragg Mutual Credit Union Membership
• Employee Recognition Events