Child Care Director

Heartworks Early Education; Essex Junction (VT); On-site; USD 75,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

Join Heartworks Early Education as an Executive Director, where you will lead operations of a premier early education provider in Essex Junction. With a focus on creating enriching, play-based learning environments, you'll help foster child development while ensuring staff success and operational excellence. This role offers competitive compensation, extensive benefits, and opportunities for professional growth in a supportive and collaborative workplace.

Benefits

Up to 75% discount on child’s tuition

Comprehensive health benefits package

401(k) plan with company match

Generous time off including paid seasonal break

Qualifications

• 3-10 years of experience in early childhood education or classroom management required.
• Must pass required state and company background checks.
• Demonstrated commitment to early childhood education standards.

Responsibilities

• Manage the school's operations, educational programs, and overall culture.
• Create a thriving and healthy learning environment for children and staff.
• Ensure financial performance and compliance with regulations.

Skills

Strong communication skills

Leadership

Kindness

Community engagement

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Education or related field

Vermont Early Educator License

Job description

6 days ago Be among the first 25 applicants

At Heartworks Early Education , we deeply value educators and are dedicated to creating meaningful change. We recognize your hard work and strive to offer benefits that reflect how much you are appreciated. We offer a generous holiday package that includes a paid week off between Christmas and New Year’s and extended time off around the 4th of July in your first year. Combined with professional development opportunities and a true work-life balance, we aim to help you build a fulfilling career that aligns with your personal and professional goals.

As the Executive Director of our Pinecrest Drive location, you will be at the helm of the school’s financial, operational, educational, and cultural success. Your primary goal will be to create a thriving, healthy learning environment for our children and staff. Through strong communication skills—both written and verbal—you will inspire teamwork, leadership, and transparency across the school and within our broader network.

This position qualifies for an annual bonus plan based on qualitative and quantitative metrics.

We Offer

• Up to 75% discount on your child's tuition, including tax-friendly tuition reduction options.
• Generous time off, in addition to a paid seasonal break from Christmas Eve through New Years Day, extended time around the 4th of July, and federal holiday closures.
• Comprehensive health benefits package, including health, dental, & vision all effective from hire date.
• Additional benefit selections, including pet insurance.
• Free immediate subscription to First Stop Health for 24/7 access to virtual doctors.
• 401(k) plan with company match (eligibility starts after 60 days of employment).
• Pay increase opportunities related to job performance, update in certification credentials, and degree completion.
• Opportunities for career advancement and ongoing coaching, including a dedicated Child Conference.
• Employee referral program available.
  
  

At Heartworks, our mission is driven by four key pillars:

• People First – Prioritizing the growth and experience of our team.
• Pedagogy for Tomorrow – Fostering innovative, child-focused teaching approaches.
• Planet at the Core – Promoting sustainability and nature-based learning.
• Positive Growth – Supporting children, families, and educators in every step forward.
  
  

Your daily responsibilities will include managing the school's operations, educational programs, and overall culture, ensuring daily success. Responsibilities also include overseeing educational and operational tasks, along with managing the center's financial performance.

Qualifications

• Must pass required state and company background checks.
• Comply with all VT Public Health and Child Care Regulations.
• Bachelor's Degree in Education, Human Development, or a related field, or 30 college credits with an Early Childhood or School Age focus.
• Program Director Step 2 certificate or willingness to take classes towards that level; Vermont Early Educator License is preferred.
• 3-10 years of experience in early childhood education or classroom management.
• Strong understanding of play-based learning and social-emotional development.
• Ensure classroom environments meet NAEYC’s Anti-Bias Early Education standards.
• Demonstrated commitment to kindness, respect, and community engagement.
• Ability to stand, move, run, and play for most of the day.
• Ability to lift up to 30 pounds multiple times a day.
  
  

$75,000 - $85,000 a year

This position qualifies for an annual bonus plan based on qualitative and quantitative metrics.

The compensation range represents Heartworks’ intention for this position. Actual offers may vary based on experience, education, and other business factors.

We’re Growing! Heartworks Early Education is a subsidiary of Babilou Family, a global network of 1,100 early education and child care centers. Heartworks provides award-winning early education and child care across 39 New England schools. Through the experience and talents of nearly 900 early education professionals and in partnership with nearly 4,000 families, we are on a meaningful journey to create optimal learning spaces where children ages 0-5 can learn, grow, and thrive.

Our teams, whether at our home office or inside our schools, are change makers – they inspire, create, model, and most importantly make this a great place to work. At Heartworks we are consistently recruiting, retaining, and promoting a diverse mix of colleagues who are representative of the diversity within the communities in which we operate. Our focus on equity and inclusion allows us to develop a broader scope of ideas and approaches, offering a collaborative and dynamic educational experience for the youngest members of society.

Seniority level

• Seniority level

  Director

Employment type

• Employment type

  Full-time

Job function

• Job function

  Education and Training

• Industries

  Education Administration Programs

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