Center Manager

Description

JOIN THE ECS4Kids TEAM

ECS4Kids (formerly Episcopal Children’s Services) is a 2026 Top Workplace that honors young children’s immense potential by helping them enter school ready to learn. We cultivate lifelong learners by immersing children in enriching guided experiences and discovery-oriented approaches. Through programs like Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK), Head Start, School Readiness, Child Care Resource & Referral (CCRR), and more, our dedicated professionals work with families and caregivers throughout Florida to promote children’s well-being. These enable us to strengthen key areas including motor development, cognitive development, social and emotional development, language and communication skills, and problem-solving skills.

Partner with us to help empower communities to rise above generational poverty with comprehensive early childhood education and holistic family support. We have career opportunities available in several counties throughout Northeast and Central Florida.

ECS4Kids offers a competitive benefit package which includes:

• Medical, dental and vision insurance
• 403(b) plan with 5% employer match
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Long-term & short-term disability insurance
• Employer-paid life insurance
• Paid holidays
• Generous paid time off
• Career development
• Qualifying employer for Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

The Center Manager is responsible for the overall operation of the assigned center and staff members.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Monitor the EHS/HS site to ensure compliance with the Head Start/Early Head Start Performance Standards, Florida Department of Children & Families, and NAEYC/APPLE Accreditation standards.
2. Promote a culturally sensitive educational program that is developmentally appropriate for each child's age and language.
3. Ensure classrooms meet the standards for high-quality learning environments.
4. Provide leadership and supervision to the teaching staff by providing direct feedback in the areas of performance and professional development.
5. Support teachers in curriculum implementation, child observations, and analysis of child data.
6. Work cooperatively with the Family Advocate to ensure that in-kind is collected and properly calculated monthly.
7. Enroll eligible 4-years-olds into the Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten program and fill open slots as needed throughout the school year. Submit all required VPK paperwork and reports to the appropriate ECS staff as required.
8. Work with Family Advocate to plan parent committee meetings, workshops, trainings, and other parent involvement activities to help generate Non-Federal Match.
9. Establish a relationship of mutual trust and two-way communication with parents, providing support to staff in relationship building and parent take-home activities and ensuring that each family has a minimum of two parent-teacher conferences and two home-visits per year.
10. Coordinate, develop and provide infant/toddler and/or preschool training and technical assistance as needed to teaching staff.
11. Lead and facilitate regular staff meetings with teaching and center staff (according to Center Manager workplan) to review policies, procedures and their implementation that include team building activities, conflict resolution and peer mediation. These meetings should include Family Advocates to ensure that there is regular communication amongst all center staff.
12. Provide support to the center in the absence of staff and follow proper procedures to enlist substitutes, adhering to the established budgetary limits.
13. Work with the Education Manager, Education Specialist and teaching staff to ensure quality classroom environments with regard for student perspective.
14. Model appropriate child guidance techniques that include redirection, positive reinforcement, anticipation of and elimination of potential problems, and verbalization of feelings as needed for teachers to help support challenging behaviors in the classroom.
15. Coordinate and schedule meal preparation, service and clean-up that comply with all regulations.
16. Create daily schedules that include all HS & APPLE requirements that promote a balance of quiet, child-initiated, teacher directed and age-appropriate activities using Creative Curriculum as a guide.
17. Participate in summer screenings and as children enroll throughout the year.
18. Work with health support staff to ensure children receive the health, mental health, and/or special needs services that they may be eligible for.
19. Enter and print all health screening information as discussed in procedures.
20. Participate in and supports community activities.
21. Initiate and maintain collaborative relationships with the local schools and community partners.
22. Ensure that records in the classroom such as lesson plans, individual child goals, daily attendance, meal counts, child assessments, portfolios and education files are maintained.
23. Account for petty cash and follow procedures to replace funds as they are used.
24. Ensure administrative tasks, such as monthly nutrition paper work, health and safety documentation, monthly reimbursements, performance reviews, professional development plans, staff files, etc. are accurately maintained and submitted in a timely manner.
25. Maintain supplies needed to operate the center and implement curriculum.
26. Manage the center budget to ensure adequate yearly funds for program supplies, office supplies and other expenditures.
27. Monitor staff time and attendance records and addresses and documents attendance concerns following the attendance policy guidelines.
28. Develop a plan for achieving in-kind contributions at the center level
29. Participate in and monitor the daily maintenance of the site. Follow procedures for reporting maintenance needs in a timely manner.
30. Attend required workshops and in-service trainings and stay current in the field of ECE by reading articles and books and by attending conferences, workshops and peer group meetings.
31. All other duties as requested to maintain the success of the center and ECS.

(These essential job functions are not to be construed as a complete statement of duties performed. Employees will be required to perform other related marginal duties as required.)

ORGANIZATIONAL RELATIONSHIP:

This position reports to the Manager of Center Operations.

Requirements

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelors degree in Early Childhood Education, Management or related field preferred with related child care management experience
• Director’s Credential; VPK endorsed for applicable centers

SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES:

• Knowledge of governmental, educational, and religious standards set forth by DCF, NAEYC/APPLE, Head Start and any other agency to which the agency commits
• Commitment to strengthen families but with ultimate commitment to the well being of the child
• Ability to build and maintain good human relations with staff and parents.
• Ability to work with the public in a tactful and diplomatic manner
• Ability to perform tasks with little direct supervision
• Ability to exercise good judgment and emotional maturity
• Knowledge of applicable safety and abuse-reporting procedures
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office products at an intermediate to advanced level
• Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing
• Ability to maintain confidential information
• Ability to plan and organize work as well as maintain records and prepare reports
• Ability to multi-task, prioritize and work in fast-paced environment

CERTIFICATIONS:

• Complete TB screening & physical before having direct contact with children. Renew every 2 years.
• Commence within ninety (90) days and complete within 12 months of employment the DCF required 45-hour training.
• Complete on-line Food Handlers course Serving Safe Food in Childcare within 90 days of employment.
• Must have current First Aid and Pediatric Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) training.
• Complete a minimum of 25 hours of in-service training annually, July 1- June 30.
• Renewal of Director’s Credential six months prior to expiration date to ensure compliance

ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS:

• Works inside in a child care setting
• Some travel required
• Some night and/or weekend work possible

ESSENTIAL PHYSICAL SKILLS:

• Acceptable eyesight (with or without correction)
• Acceptable hearing (with or without correction)
• Ability to communicate both orally and in writing
• Ability to lift up to 50 pounds.

(Reasonable accommodations will be made for otherwise qualified individuals with a disability)

Background Requirements

A Level II Background Screening which consists of a local, state, and federal criminal check will be completed on all employees and any contracted employee position, intern position or volunteer position in which individuals have contact with children, have access to confidential information and / or are in a position of special trust. To learn more about the system used to conduct these checks, you can use this link -