Lead Teacher - Junior Infant Program | Bridgeland

Fueling Brains & FB Academies; Calgary; On-site; CAD 42,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Fueling Brains & FB Academies is seeking an Infant Lead Teacher to anchor an Infant Program and provide a high-quality learning environment for 6-week to 18-month-olds in Calgary, Alberta. You will design developmentally appropriate experiences, support attachment and brain development, and partner with Assistant Teachers to ensure consistent cohorts.

The role emphasizes responsive caregiving, family engagement, and leadership within a collaborative team.

Qualifications

• Diploma or Degree in Early Childhood Education (ECE) from a recognized institution.
• Valid provincial Early Childhood Educator (ECE) Certification, as required by the province of employment.
• Minimum 2 years' experience with infants aged 6 weeks to 18 months in a licensed childcare or early learning setting in Canada.
• Experience implementing responsive caregiving and play-based learning approaches.

Responsibilities

• Design engaging, developmentally appropriate learning experiences aligned with Fueling Brains' curriculum and executive function goals.
• Create a nurturing classroom environment that promotes secure attachment, curiosity, exploration, and early independence.
• Support holistic development across cognitive, social-emotional, language, and physical domains.
• Plan and lead individualized daily routines including feeding, sleeping, diapering, sensory play, and active exploration.
• Design responsive, play-based programming aligned with the Flight framework.
• Maintain a safe, nurturing environment while following licensing regulations and safe sleep practices.
• Observe, document, and assess children's developmental milestones and emerging executive function skills.
• Adapt programming to meet the needs of individual learners.
• Maintain accurate progress records and contribute to parent-teacher interviews.
• Build trusting partnerships with families through daily communication and interviews.
• Share insights and strategies to extend learning into the home.
• Mentor and guide Group Educators and support team collaboration.

Skills

Infant development

Responsive caregiving

Communication

Leadership

Creativity & adaptability

Education

Diploma or Degree in Early Childhood Education

ECE Certification

Job description

OVERVIEW:

The Infant Lead Teacher anchors an Infant Program homeroom and provides a consistent, high-quality learning environment for children aged 6 weeks to 18 months. Rooted in the Fueling Brains philosophy, Infant Lead Teachers foster secure attachments, early brain development, and foundational executive function skills through responsive caregiving, individualized routines, and sensory-rich learning experiences. They partner closely with Assistant Teachers who accompany consistent cohorts across environments.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

Program Development & Implementation

• Design engaging, developmentally appropriate learning experiences aligned with Fueling Brains' curriculum and executive function goals.
• Create a nurturing classroom environment that promotes secure attachment, curiosity, exploration, and early independence.
• Support holistic development across cognitive, social-emotional, language, and physical domains.

Child Supervision & Safety

• Plan and lead individualized daily routines, including feeding, sleeping, diapering, sensory play, and active exploration.
• Design responsive, play-based programming aligned with the Flight framework.
• Maintain a safe, nurturing, and inclusive environment while following licensing regulations and safe sleep practices.

Child Assessment & Development

• Observe, document, and assess children's developmental milestones and emerging executive function skills.
• Adapt programming to meet the needs of individual learners.
• Maintain accurate progress records and contribute to parent-teacher interviews.

Family Engagement & Communication

• Build trusting partnerships with families through daily communication, orientation sessions, and formal interviews.
• Share insights and strategies that extend learning into the home.
• Partner with families through scheduled parent-teacher interviews, orientation sessions, and daily updates.
• Provide insights on children’s development, strengths, and strategies for learning at home.

Team Leadership & Collaboration

• Mentor and guide Group Educators, modeling best practices and assigning purposeful responsibilities.
• Contribute to team planning sessions and a positive, collaborative workplace culture.

Professional Development & Organizational Contribution

• Stay current with research and best practices in early learning and executive function.
• Participate in training and professional development as part of Fueling Brains’ continuous improvement culture.
• Support school initiatives, events, and community engagement.

REQUIRED SKILLS & QUALIFICATIONS:

Education

• Diploma or Degree in Early Childhood Education (ECE) from a recognized institution.
• Valid provincial Early Childhood Educator (ECE) Certification, as required by the province of employment.

Experience

• Minimum 2 years' experience working with infants aged 6 weeks to 18 months in a licensed childcare or early learning environment in Canada is required.
• Experience implementing responsive caregiving and play-based learning approaches.
• Experience designing and implementing developmentally appropriate curriculum for infants.
• Demonstrated ability to adapt programming for diverse developmental needs.
• Experience leading teams, mentoring educators, or supervising assistants is an asset.

Key Skills

• Strong knowledge of infant development and responsive caregiving practices.
• Ability to create nurturing, responsive environments that support early brain development.
• Effective communicator with children, families, and colleagues.
• Leadership and collaboration skills to guide and inspire a team.
• Creative, flexible, and inclusive in program planning and problem-solving.

Work Environment Requirements

• Flexibility to work across all scheduled shifts, including early mornings and/or late afternoons, depending on the facility’s operational requirements.
• Physical Requirements: Ability to engage in active play with children, including lifting small children, sitting on the floor, and participating in outdoor activities.
• Comfort in a dynamic, multi-age early learning setting.

Additional Requirements

• Criminal Record Check: Successful completion of a criminal record check, including a vulnerable sector search.
• First Aid Certification: Valid Emergency Child Care First Aid and CPR or willingness to obtain within the first three months of employment.
• Physical Requirements: Ability to engage in active play and lift up to 40 lbs.

We thank all applicants for their interest. Please note that only those applicants for further consideration will be contacted.

Fueling Brains Academy is an equal opportunity workplace, and we are committed to building and fostering an environment where our employees feel included, valued, and heard. We believe that a strong focus and commitment to diversity and inclusion enables us to truly make early childhood education an enabler for wide-reaching change. We strongly encourage applications from Indigenous peoples, racialized people, people with disabilities, people from gender and sexually diverse communities, and/or people with intersectional identities.