Center Director

Chs Kids; Middletown Township (PA); On-site; USD 106,000 - 139,000; Full time

Job summary

Catherine Hershey Schools for Early Learning seeks a Center Director for our Middletown, PA center. You will lead a team of up to 80 staff, ensure top-quality early education for up to 150 children, and partner with the Central Office to drive CHS mission and standards.

Requirements include a Bachelor’s in ECE or related field, 8 years of ECE leadership, and strong people skills. The role reports to the Senior Director of Programs at CHS Central Office.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education, Family Relations/Child development, or related field; Master's preferred.
• 8 years of experience as an ECE teacher and leader.
• Experience overseeing multiple operations/departments and leading teams.
• Experience creating, analyzing, and presenting outcome-related reporting to leadership.
• Strong interpersonal skills to influence, lead, and educate large teams.
• Understanding of and ability to work with low-income families.
• Ability to identify problems and implement solutions.
• Commitment to CHS and MHS mission and values.

Responsibilities

• Supervise and guide the center departments to deliver high-quality, child-centered education.
• Establish an inclusive center culture through values-based leadership for all employees.
• Observe, identify gaps, and resolve day-to-day operational inefficiencies.
• Mediate issues with families and employees.
• Provide resources for children and staff.
• Recruit, hire, train, and retain staff.
• Lead child recruitment, acceptance, and retention with Family Success and Central Office teams.
• Implement health and safety policies in compliance with DHS/OCDEL and NAEYC standards.
• Ensure adherence to CHS policies and governance standards.
• Create reporting and progress tracking systems.
• Maintain clear communications with children, parents, and caregivers.

Skills

ECE leadership

Team leadership

Budget management

Communication skills

Family engagement

Policy compliance

MS Office Suite

Background checks

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Education or related field

Master's degree preferred

Tools

MS Office Suite

Job description

The CHS Center Director is passionate about making a positive impact on the lives of children ages six weeks to 5 years old from under resourced and overburdened backgrounds by providing high-quality early childhood education and care. This individual oversees operations of a state-of-the-art Early Childhood Education Center at Middletown, PA.

Responsibilities of the Center Director include providing leadership and guidance to a team of up to 80 individuals in line with CHS policies, guidelines, and curriculum. They are accountable for ensuring the delivery of a top-tier early childhood and family support program that delivers results for up to 150 CHS children and families. The Center Director manages the day-to-day operations, implementation, and administration of the center, leading scholastic, family success, health services, and operations teams to deliver the CHS mission, vision and values.

As the leader of CHS Middletown, the Center Director reports to the CHS Central Office's Senior Director of Programs. They are expected to exemplify leadership for administrators, teachers, children, and families, setting a national standard for quality early childhood education and guiding staff towards achieving this standard. The salary range for this position is $106,340 to $139,000 per year, based on expertise.

Responsibilities:

• Supervising and guiding the center departments to deliver high quality, child-centered education tochildren. Department staff include Teachers, Family Success, Health & Safety, Facilities, and additional operations support roles
• Establishing an inclusive, welcoming environment and Center culture through value-inspired leadership for all employees
• Observing and resolving gaps, inefficiencies, and conflicts in the day-to-day operations
• Mediating issues with families and employees
• Providing proper resources for children and employees
• Collaboratively spearheading staff recruitment, hiring, training, benefit, and retention efforts.
• Leading child recruitment, acceptance, and retention efforts alongside the Family Success and Central Office teams
• Implementing policies and procedures to safeguard health and safety of families and employees in compliance with the state requirements (DHS/OCDEL) and NAEYC standards
• Establishing and reinforcing rules of behavior and compliance with procedures
• Ensuring adherence to all CHS policies, procedures, and governance standards
• Creating an effective system of reporting and progress tracking
• Maintaining clear and transparent communications with children, parents, and caregivers and formulating public communications to this audience on major events and issues
• Obtaining necessary approvals, licenses, and accreditations for the Center's operations alongside the Operations Director
• Managing the Center's local community outreach and relationships alongside the Communications Director and Enrollment Director
• Developing and fostering relationships with on-site partners
• Working closely with the Assistant Director to ensure consistent high-quality programming and on track operations
• Supporting the development of Center budget and ensuring that funding, contract, and reporting requirements are met fully
• Building and encouraging a positive and collaborative working environment, showing appreciation and unity of all employee contributions
• Collaborating with CHS Central Office to implement strategic plans and achieve comprehensive outcomes and established implementation goals

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree or equivalent in Early Childhood Education, Family Relations/Child development, or related field. Master's degree preferred
• 8 years of experience as an ECE teacher and leader
• Significant experience overseeing several operations/departments and workstreams, including leading teams with a successful record of spearheading initiatives
• Experience in creating, analyzing, and presenting outcome-related reporting to leadership
• Exceptional interpersonal skills including the ability to influence, lead, and educate large teams
• Demonstrated understanding of and ability to effectively work with low-income families
• Ability to proactively identify problems and implement solutions
• Willingness to be held accountable and receive feedback
• Responsible, enthusiastic, and cares about working in a mission-focuses organization
• Comfortability with technology including MS Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) and/or willingness to learn
• Commitment to the mission and values of CHS and MHS and demonstrated high degree of integrity as all CHS and MHS staff are considered to be role models for children
• US work authorization and successful completion of pre-employment background checks and clearances

Who we are and what we’re looking for

At CHS, we are leaders passionate about early childhood education and community betterment. Our work is driven by the desire to endow children with the resources for educational and physical well-being, while supporting and empowering their families. We listen to the needs of our diverse community and adapt to give everyone a voice. We hold each-other accountable for bringing our best and most authentic selves to school every day, creating an environment of mutual respect.

We strive to build a team of individuals that is passionate about our mission, brings in new creative ideas, and loves their work. If this sounds like you, we look forward to seeing your application.

About Catherine Hershey Schools for Early Learning

At Catherine Hershey Schools for Early Learning, we nurture children, support them in discovering their world, and help them grow to reach their fullest potential. We are passionate educators, caregivers, and role models dedicated to successful early childhood development. We believe that a rich and solid foundation, along with a nurturing and supportive environment, is critical to helping children grow. We focus on the whole child, helping them flourish in mind and body. And we set them on a path to become their strongest, brightest, and best selves in school and beyond.

Catherine Hershey’s dream was to provide children with a well-rounded education. That dream lives on in her name and is our mission at Catherine Hershey Schools for Early Learning.

Catherine Hershey Schools for Early Learning does not discriminate against applicants or employees, in hiring, promotion or any terms or conditions of employment, on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, sex, age, religion or religious creed, veteran status, disability or use of a guide or support animal because of the blindness, deafness or physical handicap of the user or because the user is a handler or trainer of support or guide animals, or any other status protected under applicable federal or Pennsylvania law.

Catherine Hershey Schools for Early Learning are subsidiaries of Milton Hershey School and will be staffed and operated independently of the Milton Hershey School core model.

Catherine Hershey Schools for Early Learning will not tolerate any form of harassment or discrimination on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, sex, age, religion or religious creed, veteran status, disability, or any other status protected under applicable federal or Pennsylvania law (collectively “Protected Characteristics”), against any applicant for admission, enrolled children, or any other individual(s) who participate(s) in the programs, services, and activities at our Centers.