Daycare Center Director

Medipower Oy; Kaarina; On-site; EUR 38,000 - 50,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Sign-on bonus

Epassi benefit

Leadership training

Occupational health care

Accident insurance

Performance bonus

Competitive benefits

Job summary

Verkanappulat Oy is seeking a qualified daycare center director to lead two early childhood units in Kaarina, Finland. The role involves holistic management, developing pedagogy, and coordinating with a deputy in Turku.

The position is permanent and starts by August 1, 2026, with a base in Kaarina and strong regional support. You will oversee personnel wellbeing, recruitment involvement, fostering a learning culture, and ensuring safe, high-quality operations across multiple sites.

Qualifications

• Required director qualification and leadership experience in early childhood education or supervisory roles.
• Experience in leading people, developing and managing multiple units.
• Finnish and Swedish language proficiency.
• Collaboration and communication skills.
• License to lead a daycare director role (Bachelor or Master in Education or other suitable qualification).

Responsibilities

• Lead two early childhood units with holistic management and approachable leadership for staff, children and guardians.
• Drive operations with clear goals, develop daily practices and pedagogy.
• Coordinate with deputy director in Turku and participate in regional day care management.
• Oversee personnel wellbeing, recruitment involvement and workforce development.
• Ensure smooth daily operations, safety, procurement, and coordination with families and municipalities.

Skills

Leadership

Staff development

Strategic planning

Communication

Finnish language

Swedish language

Education

Bachelor or Master in Education

Daycare director qualification

Job description

We are seeking for our client Verkanappulat Oy a bilingual daycare center director in a permanent position in Kaarina. In this role you will lead two early childhood units and influence their development comprehensively. We seek a strong and development-oriented leader who wants to build high-quality early childhood education, support staff and develop operations for the long term together with the work community. You will be responsible for the daycare in Kaarina and for a smaller Turku unit. The Kaarina unit serves as your official base. In Turku you will be supported by a deputy director who participates in day-to-day coordination. The position is permanent and starts by 1 August 2026 at the latest, with earlier start possible by agreement.

Your tasks include:

• lead the units with a holistic management style, balance administrative duties with approachable leadership for staff, children and guardians
• drive operations with clear goals, develop daily practices and pedagogy
• participate in group activities when needed
• you will be part of a regional day care management team with ongoing support and coaching from colleagues and a supervisor

The role includes:

• personnel leadership and wellbeing support
• recruiting involvement
• creating a learning and supportive work culture
• developing psychologically safe and inclusive work community
• ensuring smooth daily operations
• resource management
• coordinating safety
• procurement
• organizing food services and cleaning
• pedagogical leadership and quality assessment
• ensuring group activities and child support processes
• cooperation with families and municipalities
• monitoring occupancy and reporting to the regional manager

What we offer:

• meaningful leadership role
• regional leadership team support
• new and comfortable facilities
• opportunity to shape your own job description
• thorough onboarding and support from start
• competitive employee benefits
• potential sign-on bonus
• Epassi benefit
• leadership training program
• extensive occupational health care
• leisure accident insurance
• performance bonus based on group results

Salary is determined under the Private Social Welfare Sector collective agreement: 29F + performance-based share (range 3400-4500 €). Personal supplements may be paid based on an education degree (e.g., Master of Education).

What we expect:

• the required director’s qualification and experience in leadership of early childhood education or supervisory roles
• success in leading people, developing and managing multiple units
• Finnish and Swedish proficiency
• collaboration and communication skills
• we hope you have the license to lead a daycare director role (e.g., Bachelor or Master in Education, or other suitable qualification)

A criminal record extract is required for work with children (504/2002).

Qualified daycare director with leadership experience in early childhood education or supervisory roles, Experience in leadership, early childhood education and change management, Strong Finnish and Swedish language skills, Excellent collaboration and interpersonal skills