Child Services Center Director I

Job Description

Job Description

Blue Ridge Community Action is seeking an experienced early childhood professional to lead a child care center serving fewer than 60 children, with responsibility for daily operations, staff supervision, child safety, licensing compliance, enrollment, family engagement, and overall program quality.

Primary Responsibilities

• Oversee the daily operations of the assigned child care center.
• Ensure compliance with North Carolina child care licensing requirements, Head Start Performance Standards, NC Pre-K standards, CACFP requirements, and agency policies, as applicable.
• Supervise, schedule, support, and evaluate center staff.
• Monitor classrooms, staffing ratios, attendance, and daily operations.
• Maintain systems to ensure children are supervised and accounted for at all times.
• Respond to child injuries, emergencies, behavioral concerns, and safety issues.
• Support curriculum implementation, child assessments, screenings, and school-readiness goals.
• Oversee enrollment, attendance, waiting lists, family communication, and parent-engagement activities.
• Maintain accurate child, staff, licensing, and program records.
• Prepare required reports, schedules, meal counts, and center documentation.
• Maintain a clean, safe, organized, and welcoming center environment.
• Address parent, staffing, and operational concerns professionally and promptly.
• Support staff training, coaching, and performance improvement.
• Assist with licensing visits, monitoring reviews, audits, and inspections.
• Keep agency leadership informed of staffing, enrollment, compliance, safety, and operational concerns.
• Attend required meetings and training.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education, Child Development, Education, or a related field.
• At least three years of experience in child care, early childhood education, or a related field.
• Must meet North Carolina child care licensing requirements for a five-star center director.
• Must meet applicable Head Start requirements.
• Valid North Carolina driver’s license.
• CPR and First Aid certification, or ability to obtain certification within the required timeframe.
• Ability to pass required background checks and substance-abuse screening.

Preferred Qualifications

• Supervisory or child care center leadership experience.
• Experience working with Head Start, NC Pre-K, CACFP, or another regulated early childhood program.
• Experience with ChildPlus or similar program-management systems.

Skills and Abilities

• Strong knowledge of early childhood education, child development, and child care center operations.
• Ability to supervise, support, and develop staff.
• Ability to monitor child safety, staffing ratios, enrollment, attendance, and compliance requirements.
• Strong communication, organization, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Ability to build positive relationships with children, families, staff, and community partners.
• Ability to maintain accurate records and meet deadlines.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and program databases.
• Dependable, professional, and able to work independently and as part of a team.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to move throughout classrooms and center areas.
• Ability to stand, walk, bend, and sit as needed.
• Ability to lift and carry up to 50 pounds occasionally.
• Ability to respond quickly during child-safety or emergency situations.

Additional Requirements

• Must be able to work flexible hours when needed.
• Must be able to travel to other agency locations as required.
• Must maintain the confidentiality of child, family, employee, and agency information.

Blue Ridge Community Action is an Equal Opportunity Employer.