Educational Director

Job Description

Job Description

Job Title: Education Director – Transformational Early Childhood Leader

Employment Status: Full-Time, 12-Month (Year-Round), Exempt

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Location: On-site

The Opportunity: Lead, Inspire, and Transform

We are seeking an exceptional, vision-driven Education Director to serve as the transformational anchor of our early childhood center. True transformation requires a convergence of evidence-based pedagogy, operational precision, and deep human empathy. As our Director, you are the pedagogical and administrative heartbeat of the school, setting the standard from morning open until evening close. If you possess an unwavering work ethic, a passion for research-backed early childhood practices, and the dedication to drive systemic excellence, this is your platform to make an enduring difference for our children, staff, and community.

Core Pillars of Leadership

Operational Reliability, Punctuality, & Site Supervision

• Flawless Punctuality & Attendance: Serve as the center’s dependable operational anchor. Because this role oversees daily site opening and closing protocols, uncompromising punctuality and consistent, reliable daily attendance are essential, non-negotiable requirements.
• Daily Site Supervision: Oversee all site operations, maintaining an immaculate, safe, organized, and joyful environment that supports learning and wellness throughout the entire day.
• Governing Agency Partnerships: Serve as the primary liaison to regulatory authorities, leading site visits, managing audits, and guaranteeing strict, continuous compliance with NYC DOHMH Article 47 regulations and NYC Department of Education (DOE) contract expectations.
• Health & Life Safety: Direct emergency evacuation drills, health checks, medical administration records, incident reporting, and strict adherence to mandatory staff-to-child ratios.

Research-Rooted Pedagogy & Quality Frameworks

• Curriculum & Fidelity: Drive the fidelity and execution of the Creative Curriculum , utilizing The Creative Curriculum Implementation Tool to benchmark classroom environments, routines, and adult-child interactions against gold-standard practices.
• State & Federal Standards Alignment: Align instructional programs with the NYS Early Childhood Core Body of Knowledge , the NYS Early Learning Guidelines (NYSELGs) , the Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework (ELOF) , and the NYC DOE Early Childhood Framework for Quality (EFQ) .
• Environmental & Observational Quality: Conduct ongoing program evaluations using standardized quality tools, including CLASS (Classroom Assessment Scoring System) , ECERS (Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale) , and ITERS (Infant/Toddler Environment Rating Scale) to ensure high-quality classroom emotional climate, organization, and instructional support.
• Inclusive Instructional Design: Champion Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles across all lesson plans and classroom layouts to remove learning barriers and ensure accessibility for diverse learners.

Screening, Assessment, Multi-Tiered Support, & Special Education

• Screening & Authentic Assessment: Supervise developmental screenings through the Ages and Stages Questionnaires (ASQ-3 and ASQ:SE-2) and lead continuous authentic observational assessment using Teaching Strategies GOLD (TSG) / SmartTeach .
• Positive Behavioral Systems: Architect a school-wide culture of social-emotional wellness by embedding the Pyramid Model for Supporting Social Emotional Competence alongside Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) to nurture emotional regulation and proactively reduce challenging behaviors.
• Special Education Leadership: Navigate the Early Intervention (EI) and Committee on Preschool Special Education (CPSE) frameworks, steering referral pipelines, coordinating multidisciplinary evaluations, leading IEP/IFSP meetings, and integrating SEIT, OT, PT, and speech providers.

Talent Management, Coaching, & Quality Control

• Full Talent Lifecycle: Sourcing, interviewing, hiring, onboarding, and—when necessary—compassionately and decisively managing employee terminations in accordance with organizational policies and labor laws.
• Supervision & Reflective Coaching: Supervise instructional and support personnel directly. Conduct periodic, structured classroom observations focused on quality control, pairing high standards with non-punitive, reflective coaching that elevates pedagogical practice.
• Professional Learning & Onboarding: Design comprehensive onboarding systems and ongoing professional development workshops anchored in modern early learning science and city/state mandates.
• Performance Evaluations: Author and conduct thorough annual performance reviews that evaluate core competencies, celebrate professional milestones, and establish individualized growth trajectories.

Fiscal Responsibility, Budgeting, & Procurement

• Budget Oversight: Manage the center’s operational budget with disciplined fiscal responsibility to ensure long-term program health and sustainability.
• Purchasing & Procurement: Direct the strategic purchasing of curriculum packages, instructional manipulatives, classroom furniture, and health/nutrition supplies, securing competitive pricing and optimal allocation of funds.
• Asset & Inventory Management: Oversee site inventory tracking, vendor relationships, and daily expense approvals to maximize resources directly where they impact classrooms.

Family Services & Community Mobilization

• Family Engagement: Meet regularly with parents and guardians to discuss developmental milestones, positive behavioral strategies, and individualized goals, handling sensitive conversations with empathy and clinical clarity.
• Wrap-Around Social Support: Partner with families to identify holistic needs, connecting them directly with social services, housing support, food resources, and specialized pediatric healthcare networks.
• Community Alliances: Establish enduring alliances with local neighborhood organizations, libraries, health clinics, and cultural centers to enrich the school's programming.
• Enrollment Management: Spearhead grassroots neighborhood recruitment campaigns, open houses, and community outreach to ensure the center remains vibrant, diverse, and fully enrolled year-round.

Required Qualifications & Credentials

• Education: Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education, Early Childhood Special Education, or an approved related field.
• Certification: Active New York State Teaching Certification in Early Childhood Education (Birth–Grade 2) (Initial, Professional, or Permanent).
• Work Ethic & Reliability: A documented history of exceptional punctuality, steadfast daily attendance, and the stamina to manage full-day operational leadership.
• Pedagogical Mastery: Demonstrated working knowledge of evidence-based frameworks, including:
• • The NYS Early Childhood Core Body of Knowledge & NYS Early Learning Guidelines
  • NYC DOE Early Childhood Framework for Quality (EFQ) & ELOF
  • The Creative Curriculum & The Creative Curriculum Implementation Tool
  • CLASS, ECERS, and ITERS observation frameworks
  • UDL (Universal Design for Learning), PBIS, and the Pyramid Model
• Assessment Proficiency: In-depth experience administering ASQ-3 / ASQ:SE-2 screenings and utilizing Teaching Strategies GOLD (TSG) / SmartTeach .
• Supervisory & Fiscal Track Record: Documented leadership experience in a licensed early childhood center, including direct authority over hiring, terminating, evaluating staff, and managing facility budgets.
• Regulatory Knowledge: Deep working familiarity with NYC DOHMH Article 47 , NYC DOE contracts, and CPSE / EI protocols.
• Clearances: Active (or immediate eligibility for) NYC DOHMH/DOE comprehensive background clearance, SCR clearance, and current certifications in CPR/First Aid and Mandated Reporting.

The Transformational Profile

• Models the Standard: You demonstrate the daily punctuality, presence, and professional rigor that you expect from your staff.
• Data-Informed & Pedagogically Grounded: You translate complex early learning frameworks and assessment data into actionable classroom practices that teachers can readily execute.
• Decisive & Fair: You address staffing challenges, performance deficits, and operational bottlenecks with calm authority, clear communication, and emotional resilience.
• Passionate Advocate: You hold an unshakable belief in the boundless potential of early childhood education and lead with the drive to build a truly transformative school community.

Company Description

Aim High Leadership Centers ensure excellence and equity to all scholars by providing a high quality program in a developmentally appropriate and nurturing environment. Our learning environments are play-based and scholar-centered. Aim High is unique in that we view every scholar as an expert learner whose needs can be met through multiple means/opportunities of representation, engagement, and expression. Aim High ensures the success and inclusion of all scholars by employing the concepts of Universal Design for Learning and Differentiated Instruction through creativity and inquiry. All our scholars are provided with equal opportunities to learn through the visual arts. We don't believe in a one-size-fits-all solution but rather flexible approaches that can be customized and adjusted for individual needs. At Aim High, Excellence and Equity leads to Efficacy and Empowerment. Having high expectations for our scholars leads them to reaching their greatest potential everyday.

Company Description

Aim High Leadership Centers ensure excellence and equity to all scholars by providing a high quality program in a developmentally appropriate and nurturing environment. Our learning environments are play-based and scholar-centered. Aim High is unique in that we view every scholar as an expert learner whose needs can be met through multiple means/opportunities of representation, engagement, and expression. Aim High ensures the success and inclusion of all scholars by employing the concepts of Universal Design for Learning and Differentiated Instruction through creativity and inquiry. All our scholars are provided with equal opportunities to learn through the visual arts. We don't believe in a one-size-fits-all solution but rather flexible approaches that can be customized and adjusted for individual needs. At Aim High, Excellence and Equity leads to Efficacy and Empowerment. Having high expectations for our scholars leads them to reaching their greatest potential everyday.