Director of Early Childhood Programs

Job Description

Job Description

About This Role

The Orange County Parent Child Center (OCPCC) is dedicated to helping families and children thrive by connecting them to education, support, advocacy, and wellness opportunities.

We hope that each member of our team takes pride in being part of a mission-driven organization that makes a lasting impact in the communities we serve.

Come be a part of our brand new center in Randolph, Vermont! The Director of Early Childhood Programs provides leadership and oversight to all OCPCC children’s center-based programs to ensure they are high-quality, accessible, educational programs that are aligned with OCPCC’s mission, vision, and goals.

This position serves as a mentor, consultant, leader, coach, and supervisor. While there is not a large element of direct teaching, maintaining a regular and consistent presence in classrooms is essential for mentoring and supporting staff.

Location: Orange County Parent Child Center’s Woodlands Campus, Randolph, VT

Terms: Permanent, exempt, full-time. Occasional evenings or weekends for events, trainings, or emergencies.

Reports to: OCPCC Executive Director

Administrative and program oversight, staff supervision and development, family engagement and conflict resolution, and grant oversight.

• Responsible for administrative tasks, including but not limited to; parent contracts, child files, attendance, supporting the finance director in billing tuition and receiving payments including subsidy billing and payments, timesheets, staff evaluations, communications systems with parents. Assure that they are done well and in a timely manner. Delegate to teachers as appropriate, training and supporting to perform the tasks.
• Schedule and attend staff meetings with each teaching team, individual supervision, full group staff meetings, and general OCPCC staff meetings.
• Provide direct coverage in each classroom at least weekly and as needed to cover the need for substitutes.
• Assure that Individual Professional development Plans (IPDP) are in place for each teaching staff person and that they are reviewed an updated at least annually. Give feedback to each person about their plan and encourage them to actively work toward their professional development goals.
• Provide a timely annual performance evaluation for each teacher and assistant teacher (usually in the Spring of each year), and a 90-day review for all new hires in accordance with OCPCC’s personnel policies.
• Communicate with parents who have complaints that they feel have not been addressed through communication with the teacher(s) and help them achieve resolution for their concerns.
• Recruit and enroll children into Early Education programs.  Be responsible for full enrollment and managing a healthy balance of programming.
• Responsible for staff schedules and substitute coverage for absences. Develop and maintain a system for arranging staff coverage when you are not able to do it.
• Oversight of the program for volunteers and job site supervision, mentoring teachers to do this work in a high-quality manner.  Arrange and /or provide training in teaching adults as needed.
• Interpret policies, directives, and regulations and assure we are current in meeting them, including keeping childcare licenses and CQI plan current.
• Aid in decisions about hiring and firing working closely with the Executive Director.
• Oversee any ECE related grant funding.
• Ensure that a solid curriculum is built by teaching staff and that staff post and share weekly curriculum with families. In addition to supporting staff with the development of monthly classroom newsletters. 
• Maintain the school calendar and parent handbook.
• Be a liaison with EEE, CIS and other “consultant” programs and refer children to these programs and services as warranted.
• Ensure that all spaces used by children, inside and outside, meet licensing requirements and are kept in a neat and organized condition.
• Keep the Executive Director informed about program activities and issues and notify the Executive Director immediately of any issues that present safety or licensing concerns.

• Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education; Vermont ECE certification required.
• Minimum 3 years of teaching experience in early childhood settings.
• Minimum 2 years supervisory/leadership experience in ECE.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Ability to meet deadlines and complete paperwork in a timely manner
• Sense of humor and ability to play
• Ability to observe and give objective feedback to teachers
• Knowledge of best practice in the field of Early Childhood Education and ability to stay current with trends and new research
• Ability to work independently and as a member of a leadership team
• Must have a strong commitment of the importance of outdoor education for children 

• Current First Aid & CPR certification (or ability to obtain prior to start).
• Vermont Agency of Education required background checks, including fingerprinting.
• Completion of state-mandated trainings prior to or shortly after hire (Mandated Reporter, Medication Administration, etc.).

• Ability to lift up to 40 lbs.
• Frequent bending, squatting, and floor-level interaction with children.
• Ability to work indoors and outdoors in all seasons.

Benefits for employees working 32+ hours/week include:

• Paid holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Indigenous Peoples Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving (and day after), Week of Christmas.
• Health, dental, and life insurance options (employer-sponsored)
• Short-term disability and additional life insurance available.
• Vacation and sick time accrual based on years of service, with carryover limits.
• Professional development time and mileage reimbursement for mandatory training.
• Workers’ compensation coverage.
• Additional leave provisions (FMLA, parental leave, bereavement leave, jury duty, military leave, personal leave) as outlined in the employee handbook.