Childcare Director

Ymca; Saskatoon; On-site; CAD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

The YMCA of Saskatoon is seeking a strategic Childcare Director to provide direction and oversight for five licensed centres in Saskatoon and Martensville. Reporting to the CEO, you will lead Centre Managers, ensure high-quality, inclusive programs, and drive continuous improvement across operations.

You will partner with Human Resources, Finance, and other departments to maintain licensing compliance, manage budgets, enrolment, and staff development while upholding the YMCA's mission and values

Qualifications

• Post-secondary education in Early Childhood Education, Education, Human Services, Business Administration, Leadership, or a related field.
• ECE Level III certification in Saskatchewan, or eligibility to obtain certification.
• Progressive leadership experience in licensed childcare, early learning, or related human-services environment.
• Experience leading managers or supervisors and supporting multiple teams or locations.
• Strong knowledge of childcare licensing, health and safety practices, and quality programming.
• Experience with budgeting, staffing, enrolment planning, and operational management.
• Strong coaching, communication, problem-solving, and relationship-building skills.
• Demonstrated ability to balance strategic priorities with day-to-day operational demands.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Collaborative leadership style with accountability, inclusion, and continuous improvement.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership for five YMCA licensed childcare centres.
• Coach Centre Managers to achieve excellence in program quality, staffing, family experience, and daily operations.
• Visit locations regularly to maintain relationships and consistency across centres.
• Support implementation of the YMCA Playing to Learn curriculum and child-centred programming.
• Identify opportunities for continuous improvement in program quality and operational effectiveness.
• Foster a collaborative, accountable culture across the childcare team.
• Oversee licensing, inspections, and compliance with Saskatchewan regulations.
• Ensure staffing ratios, qualifications, certifications, and documentation are maintained.
• Oversee health and safety, emergency preparedness, and compliance processes.
• Provide timely operational and financial reporting.

Skills

Leadership

Team development

Regulatory compliance

Program quality

Budgeting

Education

Post-secondary education in ECE/related

ECE Level III Saskatchewan

Leadership/management training

Job description

Aboutthe Role

The YMCAof Saskatoon is seeking a strategic and operational childcare leader to providedirection and oversight for our five licensed childcare centres in Saskatoonand Martensville.

Reportingto the Chief Executive Officer and serving as a key member of the YMCALeadership Team, the Childcare Director is responsible for ensuringhigh-quality, inclusive, safe, and developmentally appropriate childcareexperiences across all locations.

This roleprovides leadership to Centre Managers and works closely with childcareleadership teams as well as Human Resources, Finance, and other YMCAdepartments to support strong operations, engaged employees, regulatorycompliance, financial sustainability, and exceptional experiences for childrenand families.

Thesuccessful candidate will bring strong leadership skills, sound operationaljudgment, and a genuine commitment to quality early learning and childcare.

What You’ll Do

Leadership& Childcare Operations

• Provide leadership anddirection for five YMCA licensed childcare centres.
• Lead, coach, and supportCentre Managers to achieve excellence in program quality, staffing, familyexperience, and day-to-day operations.
• Conduct regular visits to allchildcare locations to maintain strong relationships with teams and ensureconsistency across centres.
• Support the implementation ofthe YMCA Playing to Learn curriculum and child-centred, inclusiveprogramming.
• Identify opportunities forcontinuous improvement in program quality, operational effectiveness, andthe experiences of children and families.
• Foster a collaborative,accountable, and supportive culture across the childcare team.

Licensing,Compliance & Safety

• Ensure all childcare centresoperate in accordance with Saskatchewan childcare legislation andlicensing requirements, public health requirements, YMCA policies, andestablished quality standards.
• Maintain strong workingrelationships with Ministry Licensing Consultants and coordinate licensinginspections, renewals, and required follow-up.
• Ensure appropriate staffingratios, qualifications, certifications, and documentation are maintainedacross all locations.
• Oversee health and safetypractices, emergency preparedness, and compliance-related processes.
• Ensure childcare records anddocumentation are accurate, current, and ready for licensing reviews oraudits.

PeopleLeadership & Development

• Support Centre Managers inrecruiting, onboarding, developing, and retaining qualified childcareemployees.
• Partner with Human Resourceson workforce planning, performance management, employee development, jobdescriptions, and succession planning.
• Encourage professionaldevelopment, mentorship, and leadership growth within the childcare team.
• Build strong leadershipcapacity and accountability across all childcare locations.
• Promote employee engagement,communication, inclusion, and teamwork.

Financial& Operational Management

• Develop and manage childcareoperating budgets in partnership with the Finance Director and CEO.
• Monitor revenues, expenses,staffing costs, enrolment, and other key operational indicators.
• Support financiallyresponsible decision-making while maintaining program quality.
• Oversee enrolment, occupancy,waitlists, and capacity planning across childcare locations.
• Review operational purchasingand resource needs to support effective and cost-conscious operations.
• Provide timely and accurateoperational and financial reporting.

Family& Community Relationships

• Promote strong, respectfulrelationships with children and families.
• Support Centre Managers inresponding to parent questions, concerns, and feedback in a timely andprofessional manner.
• Represent the YMCA incommunity and sector partnerships related to early learning and childcare.
• Build relationships withgovernment, community organizations, and other partners where appropriate.
• Help strengthen the YMCA’sreputation as a trusted provider of high-quality childcare.

Organizational& Strategic Leadership

• Participate as an activemember of the YMCA Leadership Team.
• Contribute to organizationalstrategy, policy development, annual planning, and Association-wideinitiatives.li>
• Provide childcare-relateddata, analysis, recommendations, and updates to the CEO.
• Identify opportunities tostrengthen accessibility, quality, sustainability, and innovation withinYMCA childcare.
• Ensure childcare operationsremain aligned with the YMCA’s mission, values, and strategic priorities.

What You Bring

We arelooking for a leader who combines strong knowledge of early learning andchildcare with the ability to lead people and manage complex multi-siteoperations.

Thesuccessful candidate will ideally have:

• Post-secondary education inEarly Childhood Education, Education, Human Services, BusinessAdministration, Leadership, or a related field.
• Early Childhood Educator LevelIII certification in Saskatchewan, or eligibility to obtain certification,considered a strong asset.
• Progressive leadershipexperience within licensed childcare, early learning, education, or arelated human-services environment.
• Experience leading managers orsupervisors and supporting multiple teams or locations.
• Strong knowledge of childcarelicensing requirements, health and safety practices, and qualityprogramming.li>
• Experience with budgeting,staffing, enrolment planning, and operational management.
• Strong coaching,communication, problem-solving, and relationship-building skills.
• Demonstrated ability tobalance strategic priorities with day-to-day operational demands.
• Strong organizational skillsand the ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-pacedenvironment.
• A collaborative leadershipstyle with a commitment to accountability, inclusion, and continuousimprovement.

YMCACore Competencies

Leadership& Influence

Inspires, coaches,and supports others in achieving strong results.

OperationalExcellence

Maintainsconsistent, efficient, high-quality operations across multiple locations.

StrategicThinking

Anticipatesorganizational needs and develops practical strategies to support long-termsuccess.

Communication& Collaboration

Builds trustedrelationships with employees, families, community partners, and colleagues.

Decision-Making& Accountability

Uses soundjudgment, takes ownership, and addresses challenges constructively.

ContinuousImprovement

Looks foropportunities to strengthen quality, processes, employee performance, andfamily experience.

Commitmentto YMCA Mission & Values

Demonstrates andpromotes the YMCA values of honesty, respect, caring, acceptance,responsibility, and fairness.

WorkEnvironment

• Full-time, permanentleadership position.
• Regular travel is requiredbetween the YMCA’s five licensed childcare centre locations in Saskatoonand Martensville.
• Work is primarily Monday toFriday, with flexibility required based on operational needs.
• Occasional evening or weekendparticipation may be required for meetings, events, emergencies, orAssociation-wide activities.
• Active participation in YMCAleadership meetings, organizational initiatives, and community events isexpected.

Why Work With the YMCA?

At theYMCA of Saskatoon, our work is about strengthening the foundations ofcommunity. Our childcare programs provide children with safe, inclusive,engaging environments where they can learn, grow, and thrive.

AsChildcare Director, you will have the opportunity to influence the quality anddirection of childcare across five YMCA locations while developing leaders,supporting families, and helping shape the future of early learning andchildcare within our Association.