Administrative Guide

Montessori Children's Schoolhouse; Pittsburgh (Allegheny County); On-site; USD 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Founded in 1991, Montessori Children's Schoolhouse in the South Hills community of Pittsburgh is seeking an Administrative Guide to serve as the organizational backbone, classroom support anchor, and welcoming face of our school. This full-time role blends office administration, full-cycle admissions, and hands-on classroom assistance.

The ideal candidate is empathetic, highly organized, and agile—comfortable handling compliance at a desk or in a classroom while supporting staff and students.

Qualifications

• Experience working inside a school environment.
• Warm, welcoming presence with parents and staff.
• Ability to juggle deadlines, compliance tracking, and daily classroom needs.
• Passion for Montessori philosophy and its impact on young children.
• Comfort with basic office software and school databases.
• Montessori training/certification is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary point of contact for the school by phone and email.
• Oversee operational checklists to ensure tasks are completed.
• Process purchase orders and update the school website.
• Maintain PA clearances for staff and manage HR compliance.
• Review staff timesheets for payroll accuracy.
• Process time-off requests and arrange classroom substitutes.
• Schedule and conduct tours and enrollments.
• Input student data into Brightwheel and internal trackers.
• Provide classroom coverage and staff mentorship as needed.

Skills

School experience

Interpersonal skills

Organizational skills

Montessori knowledge

Communication

Tech savvy

Tools

Brightwheel

Job description

Founded in 1991, The Montessori Children's Schoolhouse is a beloved educational institution in the South Hills community, offering a rich Montessori curriculum to children aged 2-6. Our school has a long-standing history of providing a nurturing, child-centered environment that fosters a love for learning, independence, and respect for others.

Just as our classroom Guides prepare the physical environment for children to thrive, our Administrative Guide prepares and maintains the structural, compliance, and community environment of our school. We want to ensure that our business operations mirror the beauty and peace of our Montessori classrooms.

Position Overview:

The Administrative Guide serves as the organizational backbone, classroom support anchor, and welcoming face of our school. This unique role blends traditional office administration, full-cycle admissions management, and hands‑on classroom assistance. The ideal candidate is deeply empathetic, highly organized, and agile—equally comfortable managing compliance at a desk or stepping into a classroom to support staff and students. The position is full time.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Administrative Operations:

• Daily Communication: Serve as the primary point of contact for the school by answering phones, managing the general email inbox, and communicating directly with parents.
• Facility Accountability: Oversee and review operational checklists to ensure daily, weekly, and monthly classroom and facility maintenance tasks are fully completed.
• Purchasing & Technology: Process purchase orders for school supplies and maintain the accuracy of the school website.

Staff Support & HR Administration:

• PA Compliance & Clearances: Ensure strict adherence to state law by maintaining up-to-date PA Child Abuse, PA State Police Criminal History, and FBI Fingerprinting clearances for all staff before they work.
• Time Tracking: Review and approve staff timesheets for payroll accuracy.
• Time-Off & Substitute Logistics: Process staff time-off requests, secure proper classroom substitute coverage, document all absences, and continually update the school’s active substitute list.

Admissions & Family Enrollment:

• Inquiry Vetting: Schedule and conduct initial calls with prospective parents to explain the Montessori philosophy and vet families for school fit.
• Tours & Applications: Schedule and personally lead informative school tours, process incoming enrollment applications, and accurately input student data into Brightwheel and internal tracking spreadsheets.

Hands-On Classroom Support:

• Classroom Coverage: Step directly into classrooms to provide fluid staff coverage for teacher appointments, late arrivals, early departures, and unexpected sick days.
• Staff Mentorship: Partner with teaching staff to help them navigate daily classroom challenges and assist with sensitive parent communication.

Required Skills & Experience:

• School Experience: Proven experience working inside a school environment is required.
• Interpersonal Excellence: A genuine "people person" with a warm, welcoming presence. Ability to cultivate strong relationships with parents, staff, and the community.
• Exceptional Organization: Ability to independently juggle diverse administrative deadlines, compliance tracking, and unpredictable daily classroom needs.
• Montessori Background: A passion for early childhood education and a commitment to the Montessori philosophy and its impact on young children’s development.(training/certification is a major plus).
• Deep Commitment: A desire to be a part of creating a nurturing and inclusive school environment for children, families, and staff.
• Tech Savvy: Comfort with basic office technology and software (email, spreadsheets, word processing, school databases).
• Competitive salary based on experience and qualifications.
• A supportive, collaborative work environment.
• The opportunity to make a meaningful impact on the lives of young children and the broader educational community.