Area Director

Area Director

Brella is on a mission to create a beloved child care experience for today's families and the educators who support them. Founded in 2019 by two busy moms, Brella was created to reimagine child care through a flexible model that meets the needs of modern families while providing children with a high-quality early learning experience. At Brella, our regional and corporate leadership team play a critical role in bringing our mission to life. We believe great child care starts with strong, supportive leadership and caring for the educators who provide it. Leading at Brella is a great fit for someone who is adaptable, collaborative, and passionate about developing educators, building strong relationships with families, and creating a high-quality center experience where children can thrive.

Brella currently has three centers in the Los Angeles area: Playa Vista, Hollywood, and Pasadena. We are excited to expand our footprint to Orange County with our newest center opening in Newport Beach in Fall 2026.

About the Role

This is an exciting opportunity to step into a new leadership role designed to support Brella's centers and center leadership as we continue to grow. As Area Director, you will provide quality oversight, operational support, and leadership coaching across multiple Brella centers, helping ensure a consistent and high-quality experience for children, families, and employees.

This is a remote and field-based role, with regular visits to Brella centers to observe, coach, support operations, and partner directly with Center Directors and site leaders. You will play an important role in strengthening center performance, supporting leadership development, and helping bring Brella's values to life across our growing village.

As the Area Director, you will:

• Coach, support, and develop Center Directors and other site leaders.
• Drive operational excellence across centers by identifying gaps, strengthening consistency, and supporting continuous improvement.
• Monitor program quality, curriculum implementation, classroom environments, compliance, and health and safety standards.
• Partner with center leaders to support family engagement, staff communication, enrollment, retention, and the overall center experience.
• Step in as acting Center Director when needed during leadership transitions, vacancies, openings, or leaves of absence.
• Support hiring, onboarding, mentoring, and leadership transition planning.
• Partner with regional and corporate leadership to identify strategic improvements and implement solutions across centers.
• Model Brella's values through thoughtful leadership, professionalism, and a visible presence across sites.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education, Child Development, or a related field preferred.
• 5+ years of leadership experience in child care or early education.
• Experience supervising multiple sites or leading a large single site with both infant and preschool programs.
• Multi-site leadership experience preferred.
• Experience serving as an interim or acting director preferred.
• Strong knowledge of relevant pedagogy, quality standards, professional development, licensing regulations, and health and safety requirements.
• Experience with quality measurement systems and the ability to objectively assess program quality.
• Understanding of center budgets and financial metrics.
• Familiarity with and comfort using a wide range of technology, including Google Workspace, Microsoft Office, Canva, and child care management platforms such as Brightwheel or Procare.

Skills & Abilities

• Proven ability to coach leaders, solve problems, and manage leadership transitions effectively.
• Excellent communication, organization, and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to balance strategic oversight with hands-on operational support.
• Strong judgment under pressure and the ability to stabilize teams during change.
• Ability to represent and embody a brand's values with professionalism, consistency, and care.
• Experience motivating teams around a brand's unique vision and values and acting as a brand ambassador.
• Ability to model warmth, professionalism, accountability, and high standards across multiple centers.

Physical Demands

• Regular onsite presence across multiple Brella centers, including travel between work locations as needed.
• Movement throughout classrooms, offices, playgrounds, and center spaces, including standing or walking for extended periods during center visits and observations.
• Alertness and energy needed to respond appropriately to center needs, unexpected situations, and emergencies.
• Occasional lifting or carrying of center-related materials and supplies up to 25 pounds.
• Extended use of a computer, phone, and other office or center technology.
• Follow all applicable state, federal, and Brella guidelines regarding immunizations, employment physicals, and required health and safety training and practices.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature of work performed, not an exhaustive list of all essential functions and responsibilities. Qualified applicants or employees with a disability must be able to perform the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation.

Benefits

At Brella, we care for our caregivers through competitive pay, meaningful benefits, paid time off, and opportunities to grow and connect. Full-time educators at Brella are eligible for:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Brella-sponsored life insurance and LTD
• 401(k) eligibility to contribute after 3 months
• Technology and Travel Reimbursements
• Paid Time Off
• Sick & Safe Time
• Paid Holidays
• Wellness Days at tenure milestones
• Access to Stanford FIND professional development
• Leadership development and professional growth opportunities
• Cross-functional exposure and direct executive partnership

The pay range for this position is $110,000 - $120,000 annually with final compensation determined based on experience and qualifications.