Preschool Director

Ready to lead, inspire teachers, support families, and help children thrive? Join the Mystic Valley YMCA!

Job Description

The Mystic Valley YMCA in Malden, MA is looking for an Early Learning Center Director to lead our growing preschool program serving up to 70 children. You'll lead a talented team, champion program quality and safety, build strong relationships with families, and help grow an Early Learning Center where every child feels safe, supported, and that they belong.

Qualifications

• Must be at least 21 years old.
• Must be MA EEC Director 1 qualified.
• At least 3 years of relevant early childhood education, childcare, youth development, or related professional experience.
• Working knowledge of Massachusetts EEC childcare licensing standards.
• Ability to successfully complete all background record checks required by EEC and the YMCA.
• CPR, First Aid, AED certified.

Essential Functions

• Lead the day-to-day operation of the Early Learning Center, ensuring a safe, nurturing, inclusive, engaging, and developmentally appropriate environment for every child.
• Develop, implement, evaluate, and continuously improve an early childhood curriculum that supports children's social-emotional, cognitive, physical, language, and creative development.
• Ensure teachers conduct ongoing developmental observations and assessments and use the information to individualize learning experiences and support each child's development.
• Maintain an environment that recognizes individual needs, abilities, cultures, family backgrounds, and diverse learning styles.
• Recruit, interview, hire, onboard, train, schedule, supervise, coach, recognize, and evaluate teachers and program staff.
• Build a positive, accountable, mission-driven team culture centered on collaboration, communication, professional growth, and exceptional care for children.
• Ensure appropriate staffing patterns are maintained and that staff qualifications, assignments, ratios, and supervision practices comply with current EEC requirements.
• Conduct regular staff meetings and provide ongoing coaching and professional development.
• Ensure the Early Learning Center operates in compliance with all applicable requirements of the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care.
• Maintain required EEC records, policies, plans, inspections, documentation, and program information and ensure readiness for licensing visits and renewals.
• Respond appropriately and promptly to accidents, incidents, suspected child abuse or neglect, medical issues, emergencies, and other safety concerns in accordance with YMCA policy and applicable EEC requirements.
• Serve as a primary point of contact with EEC and coordinate licensing visits, corrective actions, documentation, and follow-up as necessary.
• Develop positive, authentic, and professional relationships with children and families.
• Maintain consistent and effective communication with parents and guardians regarding their child's experience, development, classroom activities, and program information.
• Respond promptly and professionally to family questions, feedback, concerns, and complaints.
• Create opportunities for families to become engaged in the Early Learning Center and the broader YMCA community through family events, volunteer opportunities, and special programs.
• Build relationships with schools, early childhood organizations, community partners, and other organizations that strengthen services available to children and families.
• Foster an environment where children and families of all backgrounds feel welcomed, respected, represented, and that they belong.
• Monitor enrollment, participation, retention, program quality, and family satisfaction and use data and feedback to identify opportunities for improvement and growth.
• Develop and manage class schedules, staff schedules, program spaces, equipment, and supplies.
• Develop and monitor the Early Learning Center budget, including revenue, payroll, program expenses, supplies, and other operating costs.
• Partner with YMCA leadership on enrollment goals, marketing strategies, community outreach, and sustainable program growth.
• Participate in YMCA special events, fundraising initiatives, family events, staff meetings, community outreach, and other mission-driven activities.

Cause-Driven Leadership Competencies

YMCA COMPETENCIES (Team Leader)


Mission Advancement: Models and teaches the Ys values. Ensures a high level of service with
a commitment to changing lives. Provides volunteers with orientation, training, development, and recognition. Cultivates relationships to support fundraising.


Collaboration: Champions inclusion activities, strategies, and initiatives. Builds relationships
to create small communities. Empathetically listens and communicates for understanding when negotiating and dealing with conflict. Effectively tailors communications to the appropriate audience. Provides staff with feedback, coaching, guidance and support.


Operational Effectiveness: Provides others with frameworks for making decisions. Conducts prototypes to support the launching of programs and activities. Develops plans and manages best practices through engagement of team. Effectively creates and manages budgets. Holds staff accountable for high-quality results using a formal process to measure progress.


Personal Growth: Shares new insights. Facilitates change, models adaptability and an awareness of the impact of change. Utilizes non-threatening methods to address sensitive issues and inappropriate behavior or performance. Has the functional and technical knowledge and skills required to perform well; uses best practices and demonstrates up-to-date knowledge and skills in technology.

Ymca Careers
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