School Director

School Director

Department: School Management

Employment Type: Permanent - Full Time

Location: Geneva, Illinois

Reporting To: Lisa Jorgensen

Compensation: $80,000 - $88,000 / year

Description

Purpose of the Role

The School Director is the named leader of the school, with full responsibility for delivering outstanding education, exceptional family experience, and a thriving, values-led team culture.

This role sets the tone for the school, models N Family values, and ensures the school operates safely, compliantly, and to the highest quality standards. Working in close partnership with the School Education Manager and Front of House Manager, the School Director leads the school as a cohesive, high-performing community.

The School Director plays a critical role in building N Family School as the most loved early childhood education group in the U.S.

To be successful in this role, you will Go Beyond, Be Outstandingly Outstanding, and Play as a Team.

Key Responsibilities and Tasks

School Leadership & Culture

• Act as the named leader of the school, setting vision, expectations, and standards
• Create and sustain a safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment for children, families, and team members
• Model N Family values and leads with warmth, clarity, and accountability
• Build a strong, collaborative leadership team across education and operations

Education Quality

• Lead delivery of high-quality education aligned with the N Curriculum and Pedagogy
• Partner closely with the School Education Manager to maintain exceptional classroom practice
• Drive continuous improvement through self-evaluation, audits, and action planning
• Ensure education delivery meets state licensing, N Family, and quality framework expectations (including NAEYC where applicable)

Safeguarding, Health & Safety

• Serve as the school's lead for safeguarding, child protection, and mandated reporting
• Ensure full compliance with state licensing regulations, health and safety requirements, and N Family policies
• Monitor risk daily and take proactive action to maintain a safe, well-managed environment
• Ensure all required checks, documentation, and procedures are completed and maintained

People Leadership & Development

• Take full accountability for recruitment, onboarding, retention, performance management, and succession planning
• Lead, coach, and develop the full school team, supported by N Academy and People partners
• Ensure staffing, schedules, and ratios meet licensing and operational requirements
• Partner with the People Team on performance management, development plans, and disciplinary processes

Family Experience & Community

• Build strong, trusting relationships with families and caregivers
• Partner with admissions, sales, and marketing teams to drive enrollment and manage capacity
• Address family questions or concerns with professionalism, empathy, and follow-through
• Represent N Family School within the local community and with licensing authorities

Operational & Financial Performance

• Own overall operational performance, ensuring the school runs smoothly and efficiently
• Deliver strong financial performance in line with budgets, occupancy targets, and business plans
• Use data and insight to inform decision-making and continuous improvement
• Ensure systems, processes, and routines support high-quality daily operations

Professional Expectations

• Work a flexible schedule aligned with school operating hours, typically between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., with availability for events or meetings as needed
• Use digital systems confidently to support planning, communication, and compliance
• Take on additional responsibilities as needed to support the school and wider organization

Experience

• Experience leading a high-quality early childhood school or center
• Strong knowledge of curriculum, pedagogy, and early childhood best practice
• Proven experience managing teams, staffing, ratios, and performance
• Experience overseeing budgets, enrollment, and operational performance
• Strong understanding of U.S. child care licensing and inspection processes
• Confident, clear communicator with strong relationship-building skills

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required in Early Childhood Education, Child Development, Education, or a related field
• Must meet all state qualification requirements for school leadership
• Pediatric First Aid and Pediatric CPR certification maintained per state requirements
• Completion of child protection and mandated reporter training
• Successful completion of required background checks and clearances
• Must meet all state health screening and immunization requirements, including tuberculosis screening, as required by licensing authorities

Personal Attributes

• Calm, confident, and values-led leader
• Highly organized with strong attention to detail and follow-through
• Solutions-focused with sound judgment and resilience under pressure
• Warm, professional, and approachable with families and team members
• Deeply committed to high-quality early childhood education

Supervisory Responsibilities

Leads, supervises, and develops the full school team. Oversees hiring, onboarding, scheduling, and performance management, and partners with the People Team on development planning and disciplinary actions.

Physical Demands & Work Environment

This role operates in a licensed early childhood setting and requires regular movement throughout classrooms, the ability to respond quickly and appropriately to emergencies, and routine use of digital systems.

The physical demands described are representative of those that must be met by an individual to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these functions, in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and applicable federal, state, and local laws.

Our Commitment

This job description outlines the general nature of the role and does not constitute an exhaustive list of responsibilities. It does not alter the at-will nature of employment. As N Family School grows, responsibilities may evolve, and team members may be asked to support beyond their usual scope in the spirit of teamwork and shared success. All team members share responsibility for safeguarding and child protection.

What's Next?

If you think you got what it takes, click apply and fill in our super quick (1 min) application form!

If you want to read more about N, our benefits and work culture, visit our Careers website or our Glassdoor Page.