Assistant Center Director

Socket.dev; West Peabody (MA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid time off

Winter break

Paid holidays

Childcare discount

Parental leave

Professional development

Tuition reimbursement

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life insurance

Long-term disability

Staff appreciation

Job summary

Magical Beginnings Learning Centers is hiring an Assistant Director for our West Peabody, MA location. Lead classroom-based leadership while preparing for broader school leadership as growth continues.

You will oversee operations, enrollment, staff development, and family engagement, ensuring compliance and a positive learning environment for children and staff.

Qualifications

• Associate's Degree in Early Childhood Education or related degree with relevant experience.
• EEC Director I Certification required; Director II preferred; current First Aid/CPR and active continuing education.
• Solid understanding of licensure regulations and licensing visits, with ability to adapt to regulatory changes.
• 2–4 years of experience as an Assistant Director, Lead Teacher, or Keyholder/Mentor Teacher in an early childhood setting.

Responsibilities

• Oversee center operations in line with state regulations and Magical Beginnings' mission and handbooks.
• Ensure child-to-teacher ratios, safety regulations, and licensure requirements are met.
• Prepare the center for licensing visits and communicate with licensors; adapt to regulatory changes.
• Keep staff and child files in compliance; ensure monthly fire drills.
• Schedule staff within budgeted payroll while maintaining licensure and quality standards.
• Guide and support the teaching team toward excellence.
• Build strong relationships with staff through active listening and goal alignment.
• Conduct monthly staff meetings and parent meetings.
• Ensure implementation of a developmental, multicultural curriculum and monitor progression.
• Provide excellent customer service to families and staff.

Education

Associate's Degree in Early Childhood Education

EEC Director I Certification

First Aid/CPR Certification

Job description

Assistant Director
Early Childhood Education | Center Leadership | Full-Time | West Peabody, MA

Lead With Purpose. Grow a Thriving Early Education Community.

Magical Beginnings is hiring an Assistant Director to join the leadership team at our West Peabody center. If you're an experienced childcare or early education professional ready to step into center leadership, we'd love to meet you.

As part of the center leadership team, you'll help ensure the center runs safely, efficiently, and successfully, while building a culture where staff, children, and families all thrive. You'll oversee key areas like enrollment, teacher retention, daily operations, and center events, and help create an environment where every teacher feels appreciated, supported, and motivated.

During the school’s current growth phase, this role will be primarily classroom-based, with approximately 95% of your time spent supporting teaching teams and children directly in the classroom. This structure provides an opportunity to remain connected to the educational experience while gaining hands‑on exposure to the leadership, operations, and team support responsibilities of an Assistant Director.

As enrollment grows and the school reaches greater capacity, the focus of the role will naturally shift. Classroom responsibilities will decrease as administrative, operational, staff‑support, family‑engagement, and leadership responsibilities increase. This creates a meaningful opportunity to grow alongside the school and transition progressively into a broader school leadership role.

We are looking for someone who is excited by the opportunity to be part of that growth—to lead by example in the classroom today while building the skills, relationships, and experience to take on greater leadership responsibilities tomorrow.

What You’ll Need to Succeed:

• Associate's Degree in Early Childhood Education, or another degree with relevant experience or training
• EEC Director I Certification required, with Director II preferred; current First Aid/CPR, updated State Registry, and active continuing education
• Solid understanding of licensure regulations, including licensing visits, communication with licensors, and adapting to regulatory changes
• Minimum of 2–4 years of experience as an Assistant Director, Lead Teacher, or Keyholder/Mentor Teacher in an early childhood education setting

What You’ll Do:

Compliance & Operations

• Oversee all center operations in line with state regulations and Magical Beginnings' mission, goals, and handbooks
• Ensure child‑to‑teacher ratios, safety regulations, and licensure requirements are consistently met
• Prepare the center for licensing visits, communicate with licensors, and adapt to regulatory changes
• Keep all staff and child files in compliance, and ensure monthly fire drills are completed
• Schedule staff within budgeted payroll guidelines while maintaining licensure and quality standards

Team Leadership

• Guide and support the teaching team toward excellence
• Build strong relationships with staff through active listening, understanding individual goals, and fostering a cohesive, cooperative team
• Conduct monthly staff meetings, one‑on‑one check‑ins, and parent meetings as needed

Curriculum & Classroom Quality

• Ensure implementation of a developmental, multicultural curriculum that supports skill and social development across all age groups
• Review classroom schedules to ensure appropriate skill progression, and monitor curriculum implementation
• Support staff in assessing and recording children's growth using Teacher Strategies Gold

Customer Service

• Provide excellent customer service, exceeding expectations for families and staff alike

What We Can Offer:

We believe in work‑life balance, and we have fun together too. We offer competitive wages based on education and experience, full‑time benefits, and flexible schedules.

• Balance: Paid time off, a paid week‑long winter break, and 13 paid holidays for full‑time staff
• Family Support: Significant childcare discount and parental leave
• Growth: Paid professional development, tuition reimbursement, and career growth opportunities
• Benefits: Medical, dental, vision, life, and long‑term disability, plus additional ancillary benefits
• Connection: Staff appreciation events and community outreach projects

About Magical Beginnings

Magical Beginnings Learning Centers is a growing network of early childhood schools across Massachusetts, dedicated to creating nurturing, engaging, and joyful learning environments. We value collaboration, kindness, and continuous improvement, and we support our team members with a positive culture, competitive benefits, and opportunities to grow.

Magical Beginnings is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer and strives to be a workforce that reflects the communities we serve. All employment is based on qualifications, merit, and business need. Magical Beginnings does not discriminate based on race, ethnicity, religion, age, marital status, pregnancy, nationality, physical or mental disability, medical condition, gender identity, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other status protected by law.