Shift Lead (Childcare)

Kids Kottage Foundation; Edmonton; On-site; CAD 71,635,000 - 83,097,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Extended health benefits

Job summary

Kids Kottage Foundation is seeking a Shift Lead to provide on-floor leadership and support high-quality childcare for children under 10. You will plan activities, coach frontline staff, and participate in an on-call rotation to guide after-hours guidance and staffing.

The role requires a diploma or certificate in Early Learning and Child Care or related field, 1–2 years in licensed childcare, and strong knowledge of child development and trauma-informed practices.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of child development principles and early learning frameworks.
• Excellent communication with children, families and team members.
• Strong leadership, delegation and conflict-resolution abilities.
• Calm, organized and solution-focused under pressure.
• Understanding trauma-informed care and inclusive practices.

Responsibilities

• Develops weekly activity plans aligned with child development principles.
• Acts as on-floor leader during shifts, addressing issues and staffing needs.
• Participates in daily routines and supervises activities, modeling developmentally appropriate practices.
• Delegates tasks to maintain safe ratios and workflow.
• Communicates shift updates and incidents to supervisors and team.

Skills

Child Development Knowledge

Communication Skills

Leadership

Problem Solving & Adaptability

Trauma-Informed Care

Education

Certificate or Diploma in Early Learning & Child Care / Child & Youth Care

Job description

Are you passionate about seeing a community where every child has a place to be cared for in times of need? Bring that passion to Kids Kottage Foundation!

About us:

Established in 1995, Kids Kottage is a charitable organization that provides24/7 care and shelter for children aged 0-10 who cannot safely remain at home during times of crisis.

The Opportunity:

• Wednesdays to Saturdays(40 hoursper week)– rotatingschedule ofevenings (12:30pm-10:30pm)one weekand days (7:15am-5:15pm)the other week.
• All childcare positions arerequiredto work one weekend shift per week.

The Shift Leadis responsible forproviding on-floor leadership,focusing onhigh-quality childcare practices, and supporting smooth day-to-day program operations. This role includes weekly planning for developmentallyappropriate activities, acting as thefirstpointof authority fordecision-makingduring assigned shifts, coaching and mentoring front-line staff, andparticipatingin the on-call rotation. The Shift Lead models professionalism,demonstratesstrong knowledge of child development, and ensures that the environment is safe, inclusive, and engaging for children.

EssentialDuties and Responsibilities:

• Develops and posts weekly activity plans aligned with child development principles and early learning frameworks.
• Acts as the on-floor leader during the shift, responding to immediate issues, and staffing needs; and escalating matters to leadership when appropriate.
• Attendsthedaily routines of children (feeding, toileting, bathing) and supervises children during playtime,mealsand naptime, modellingdevelopmentallyappropriatepracticesincludingtrauma-informedandchild-centered approaches.
• Delegates tasks effectively tomaintainsafe ratios, supervision, and workflow.
• Communicates shift updates, incidents, and relevant information to supervisorsand team members.
• Supports staff with behavior guidance, risk assessments, and crisis management.
• Promotes a collaborative, respectful work environment.
• Attendsshift-leadteammeetings,contribute toprogramplanning,and ensure consistencyacross team members.
• Implementsqualitychildcareactivitiesin alignment with the Kids Kottage Practice Framework.
• Respondsto crisis calls and supportsadmissions and discharges as needed.

Qualifications:

• Certificate or diploma in Early Learning & Child Care, Child and Youth Care, or a related field (or equivalent experience).
• Minimum 1–2years’experience in a licensedchildcareor child/youth program.
• Provides andmaintainsclear Police Information Checks with Vulnerable Sectorand Child Intervention Record Checksaccording to policy andprocedures.** Please note that as per our accreditation standards, an employment offer cannot be made until we receiveboth checks(dated within the last six monthsof anticipated start date).
• Ability toparticipatein the on-call rotation toprovideafter-hoursguidance, problem-solving, and staffing support(1 week every 5-6 weeks).

Core Competencies:

• Child Development Knowledge: Comprehensive knowledge of child development, early learning principles, and effective behaviour guidance strategies.
• Communication Skills: Exceptional communication abilities for building positive relationships with children, families, and team members.
• Leadership: Strong leadership skills, including effective delegation, sounddecision-making, and skilled conflict resolution.Proven coaching and mentoring skills, with the ability to provide supportive, constructive feedback.
• Problem Solving &Adaptability: Calm, organized, and solution-focused approach, especially in highpressure or rapidly changing situations.Advancedproblem-solvingskills, with strong judgment and situational awareness.
• Child Centered &Trauma Informed: Understanding of traumainformed care and culturally responsive practices, ensuring inclusive and supportive environments.
• Temporary home thatprovides 24-hour care for children 10 and under.

Benefits & Remuneration:

• The hourly range for this position is $25.00 to $29.00 per hour, based on education and experience.
• Comprehensive, competitive, extended health benefits packageforfull-timepositions of 30 hours a week or more.

At Kids Kottage Foundation, we believe that justice, equity,diversityand inclusion are essential to our mission of protecting children, supporting caregivers, and strengthening families. We are committed to creating a safe, welcoming, and respectful environment where all children, caregivers, staff, and community members feel valued,heardand empowered.We encourage all candidates who self-identify as members of the following designated groups: women, visible minorities, Indigenouspeoplesand persons with disabilities to apply. If yourequireany accommodations throughout the recruitment process, please contact [e-mail]