Center Manager - Early Childhood Education (ECE)

Easter Seals North Georgia; Atlanta (GA); On-site; USD 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Easter Seals North Georgia is seeking a Center Manager for its Child Development Center in Atlanta, Georgia. This role requires managing daily operations, ensuring compliance with Head Start Performance Standards, and leading a dedicated team.

The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education and at least four years of relevant experience. Responsibilities include community engagement, staff supervision, and maintaining financial records.

Qualifications

• Minimum of four (4) years experience in Early Childhood Education.
• Knowledge and skills needed to perform assigned functions responsibly.

Responsibilities

• Manage daily operations of the Child Development Center.
• Ensure services are delivered effectively and efficiently.
• Participate in community partnership meetings.
• Conduct safety inspections and monitor compliance.

Skills

Excellent communication skills

Knowledge of child growth and development

Ability to supervise staff

Budget management skills

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education

Job description

Purpose of Position

The Center Manager carries out the blended Early Childhood Development Programs utilizing Head Start Performance Standards Bright From The Start, and NAEYC guidelines as best practice.

Summary

Under the direction of the Vice President, Early Education and Care, the Center Manager manages the daily operations of the Easter Seals Child Development Center ensuring that all services are delivered in a comprehensive, coordinated, cost effective manner. This position ensures the center framework operates at optimal capacity to promote an environment conducive for families and staff to be actively engaged, and to ensure that children are ready for school.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Behavior Standard – 50% of Position
• Maintains a positive work atmosphere by acting and communicating in a manner so that you get along with customers, clients, co-workers, and management.
• Attendance Standard: Maintains excellent punctuality and attendance
• Communications/Public Relations: Assists in the development of center marketing plans
• Implement center marketing plan
• Leads and facilitates regular meetings with the center staff to review policies, procedures and their implementation
• Participates in monthly center manager, staff, and parent meetings to ensure the coordination of services and to ensure that there is regular communication (Participates in specialist team meetings as needed)
• Participates in monthly parent committee meetings assisting in the facilitation of these meetings and assisting parents in establishing and achieving program goals as well as committee goals
• Greets, tours, and enrolls visitors at the center
• Participates in and supports community activities
• Initiates and maintains collaborative relationships with local area schools and community partners
• Organizes, coordinates and publicises center special events
• Serves as an advocate for Easter Seals Child Development Centers
• Communicates with parents on a regular basis
• Participates in community partnership meetings
• Contributes to, proofs, and edits and ensures dissemination of monthly program newsletter

MONITORING

• Monitors staff schedules to ensure compliance with mandated ratios
• Monitors program implementation and outcomes via ChildPlus and Teaching Strategies GOLD.
• Conducts regular safety inspections
• Monitors staff time and attendance records, and addresses and documents attendance concerns
• Monitors all center budgets
• Monitors record keeping and reporting for education, children’s health, nutrition, safety, and family services component

RECORD KEEPING

• Maintains child attendance records
• Writes and compiles all reports
• Maintains all program forms
• Maintains records for Head Start, Pre‑k and licensing
• Maintains confidentiality of all sensitive child, family and staff records
• Implements and supervises record keeping and reporting system as it relates to center program policies and procedures, education, children’s health, nutrition, safety, and family services component Plans and monitors center budgets to ensure compliance with fiscal policies and procedures

COMPLIANCE

• Develops correction plans for all non‑compliance issues
• Works in conjunction with training specialist and education specialist to meet mandated training
• Works with education specialist to ensure that the facilities achieve and maintain Georgia licensure and NAEYC accreditation
• Ensures that center meets all Head Start performance standards, Georgia licensing regulations, Pre‑k standards and NAEYC accreditation standards
• Ensures that center maintains all required licenses and accreditations
• Collects data and compiles reports for the Easter Seals Early Education and Care program

LEARNING AND GROWTH

• Participates in all mandatory Easter Seals trainings to include pre‑service, in‑service and other educational programs and trainings
• Completes the minimum number of training hours required by Bright from the Start, Georgia Pre‑K and Head Start

CENTER MANAGEMENT

Financial

• Develops a plan for achieving in‑kind contributions at the center level
• Assist in the development of the center budgets
• Completes and approves all center purchase requisitions for supplies and equipment in a timely manner
• Ensures USDA and CACFP policies and procedures are implemented and reports submitted
• Reviews and approves staff attendance records (punch detail)
• Meets budgeted center enrollment
• Completes all required reports within specified timelines

Human Resource Management

• Conducts monthly Protected Time Forums
• Participates in staff selection interviews and make hiring recommendations
• Completes probationary reviews and annual performance appraisals on all center staff
• Addresses and documents inappropriate center staff conduct and recommend disciplinary action, when necessary
• Provides on‑going performance based feedback to center staff
• Serves as a role model to all center staff

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• The ability to stand for sustained periods of time.
• The ability to sit for sustained periods of time.
• The ability to walk for sustained periods of time including responding quickly to safety concerns
• The ability to use hands and fingers to feel, operate a computer, and perform picking, pinching and whole hand or arm handling tasks.
• The ability to climb stairs.
• The ability to stoop, kneel, crouch, sit on the floor, or crawl as needed when interacting with small children on their level.
• The ability to reach, extending arms in any direction.
• The ability to push or pull objects weighing up to 25 pounds.
• The ability to lift and carry a child up to age 5
• The ability to talk in order to accurately exchange information.
• The ability to hear in order to accurately exchange information.
• The ability to see clearly in order to maintain child safety and supervision, use a computer, and for extensive reading and writing.
• The ability to work in both indoor conditions and outdoor conditions.

OTHER DUTIES

Performs other duties as assigned by management.

QUALIFICATIONS

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Must possess a Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education, or related area and a minimum of four (4) years experience in the area of Early Childhood Education.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Must have knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform the assigned functions responsibly.
• Must possess excellent communications skills.
• Must possess training, experience, and knowledge that include theories and principles of child growth and development, early childhood education, and family support.
• Must possess the ability to work independently.
• Must possess the knowledge and ability to supervise staff and provide program continuity.
• Must possess knowledge of record management techniques.
• Must possess knowledge of basic budget management