Assistant Director

Sunrise Preschools; Jacksonville (NC); On-site; USD 32,000 - 39,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision, life ins.

Short- and long-term disability

401(k)

9 company-paid holidays

8 days of PTO

Tuition discount for CDS center

Up to $5,250 tuition reimbursement

PerkSpot discounts

Job summary

Child Development Schools is seeking an Assistant Director to partner with the Center Director in running a thriving, safe, and compliant early childhood center. You will oversee daily operations, support teaching staff, and help ensure high-quality program delivery.

The role emphasizes leadership, staff development, and collaboration, with a pathway into the ASPIRE -- Director in Training program to build business operations, customer service, and people management skills.

Qualifications

• At least 18 years old.
• High school diploma or GED or equivalent.
• Associate's degree preferred; degree coursework is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Manage staff schedules and center operations to maintain daily stability.
• Conduct classroom walkthroughs, coach staff, and ensure program quality.
• Maintain accurate child and staff files; complete compliance reporting and paperwork.
• Handle routine parent communication and conduct tours for prospective families.
• Assist with onboarding of new hires and provide supervision when Director is absent.
• Open or close the center as assigned.

Skills

Leadership

Coaching

Communication

Organization

Relationship building

Education

Associate's degree

High school diploma or GED

Job description

Job Description

As an Assistant Director at Child Development Schools, you will help lead a center where children thrive, families feel at home, and educators are set up to do their best work every day. You will partner closely with the Center Director to manage daily operations, support your teaching team, and keep the center running smoothly, safely, and in full compliance.

This is a role for someone ready to step into real leadership -- someone who is organized, people-focused, and motivated to grow. If your goal is to run a center of your own, this is the right starting point.

Essential functions

• Operational stability: Manage staff schedules, ensure proper classroom ratios, coordinate coverage, and keep the center running smoothly on a day-to-day basis
• Classroom monitoring and quality oversight: Conduct regular classroom walkthroughs, provide real-time coaching and corrections to staff, and ensure program quality standards are upheld
• Administrative and compliance execution: Maintain accurate, up-to-date child and staff files; complete required compliance and corporate reporting; manage USDA and agency paperwork as applicable
• Documentation: Prepare daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly compliance and corporate reporting documents
• Parent communication and experience: Handle routine parent communication, conduct school tours for prospective families, and elevate complex concerns to the Director
• Staff onboarding, coaching, and accountability: Support onboarding of new hires, assist with day-to-day staff coaching, enforce policies consistently, and provide supervisory coverage in the Director's absence
• Opening and/or closing the center as assigned

What you can decide independently

• Daily staffing and coverage adjustments
• Classroom-level corrections and coaching
• Routine parent communication
• Policy enforcement within established guidelines
• Compliance with current standards
• Supply orders within an approved budget
• Immediate problem-solving during operations
• Major parent or staff complaints and inquiries are escalated to the Director

Pay and benefits

Pay: $35,360 based on experience and education.

Full-time employees receive:

• Medical, dental, vision, life insurance, and short- and long-term disability
• 401(k)
• 9 company-paid holidays and 8 days of PTO
• 50% tuition discount for your own children enrolled at a CDS center
• Up to $5,250 in annual tuition reimbursement for continued education
• Access to PerkSpot for discounts on major brands and services

ASPIRE -- Director in Training: Assistant Directors have access to our ASPIRE program, a 3-month leadership development initiative focused on business operations, customer service, and people management. It is designed to build the skills and confidence needed to run a center independently.

Requirements

• At least 18 years old
• High school diploma or GED
• Associate's degree
• Ability to pass a background check
• Minimum 2 years of experience in a licensed childcare center
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to coach, motivate, and hold a team accountable
• Genuine care for children and a commitment to their safety and well-being
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to build relationships with families and staff
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage compliance documentation accurately
• Physical ability to meet the demands of working with young children

A degree or coursework in Early Childhood Education is a plus. We are looking for people who are ready to lead and committed to growing.