Child Care Director

Little Sprouts, LLC; Watertown (MA); On-site; USD 80,000 - 93,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Tuition discount

Health benefits

First Stop Health

401(k) match

Life insurance

Disability coverage

Performance-based pay

Career development

Winter Break

EAP

Referral bonuses

Tuition reimbursement

Job summary

Babilou Family US seeks a proactive School Director to lead our Little Sprouts program in Watertown, MA, ensuring a safe, high‑quality learning environment while mentoring staff, engaging families, and driving enrollment and financial performance.

You will report to the Regional Manager and align with Sustainable Education® and HONOR values, requiring strategic leadership and strong cross‑team communication.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education, Business Administration, or related field.
• Director state credentials.
• 3–5 years of experience in childcare or school management.
• Strong knowledge of state childcare and school regulations and licensing standards.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and organizational abilities.
• Ability to manage budgets and drive enrollment growth.

Responsibilities

• Maintain safe, compliant learning environments and oversee daily operations.
• Lead staff recruitment, training, and mentoring; foster a positive workplace culture.
• Ensure full regulatory compliance and readiness for inspections; Mandated Reporter duties.
• Oversee budgeting and enrollment growth strategies; monitor financial performance.
• Lead organizational culture at the school and act as top-level external representative.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Budgeting

Enrollment growth

Staff development

Regulatory compliance

Education

Bachelor's degree (ECE/Business)

Director state credentials

Job description

Are You Ready to Make an Immediate Impact?

Babilou Family US is part of the global Babilou Family network and brings a local, community-focused approach to early childhood education through our Little Sprouts, Building Blocks, and Heartworks schools. We are looking for a proactive and collaborative team member who will support our mission and contribute meaningfully to this role.

The School Director plays a vital leadership role in ensuring a safe, high‑quality, and nurturing environment for children and families. This position is ideal for someone ready to lead with a people‑first mindset, elevate school operations, mentor staff, engage families, and drive strong enrollment and financial performance. You will be the key decision‑maker responsible for the daily success of the school, reporting directly to the Regional Manager.

Our work is guided by our educational approach, Sustainable Education®, which bridges research and daily practice to help children thrive and lay the foundation for lifelong learning. We’re in what we like to call the science of children. Everything we do is rooted in research about how young minds grow— how they learn, connect, and build the skills that last a lifetime. We also lead our HONOR values: Humility, Open-Mindedness, Nurture, Ownership, and Recognition. This guiding framework fosters an environment where educators, children, families, and partners feel valued, empowered, and inspired to grow.

What We Will Achieve Together:

• Maintain a safe, compliant, and high‑quality learning environment.
• Achieve 95%+ operational audit scores with zero major safety incidents.
• Ensure 100% licensing compliance with zero violations.
• Strengthen staff culture, reduce turnover, and build a high‑performing team.
• Elevate parent satisfaction to 90%+ through exceptional communication and engagement.
• Grow enrollment 5–10% annually while maintaining healthy profit margins.
• Host meaningful family events to build community and connection.

What you’ll do:

Operational Management

• Ensure smooth daily operations that meet company standards.
• Maintain safe, clean, and nurturing classroom environments.

KPIs

• 95%+ operational audit score
• 90%+ classroom quality rating

Regulatory Compliance

• Ensure full compliance with all state childcare and school regulations.
• Serve as a Mandated Reporter in accordance with state law, maintaining full responsibility to recognize, document, and immediately report any suspected child abuse, neglect, or endangerment. Prepare for and manage all state inspections.

KPIs

• 100% compliance during inspections
• Zero licensing violations annually

Staff Leadership & Development

• Recruit, train, and mentor, and support staff.
• Build a positive, collaborative workplace culture.

KPIs

• Staff turnover below 25% annually
• 100% completion of required staff training
• 80%+ employee engagement score

Family Engagement

• Build strong, trusting relationships with parents through consistent communication.
• Address parent questions and concerns promptly and professionally.
• Host family‑focused events to strengthen community connection.

KPIs

• 90%+ parent satisfaction
• Respond to 100% of inquiries within 24 hours
• Host at least 4 family events annually

Business & Enrollment Growth

• Manage the school’s budget and overall financial performance.
• Implement local marketing strategies to increase enrollment.

KPIs

• 5–10% annual enrollment growth
• Maintain profit margins (15-20%)

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Exercises independent judgment and decision‑making authority on matters related to school operations, staffing, parent communication, culture, compliance, budgeting, and safety—consistent with the FLSA Executive Exemption criteria.
• Manages and directs the work of teachers and staff, including hiring recommendations, onboarding, scheduling, coaching, performance management, and disciplinary actions, demonstrating clear supervisory responsibility.
• Holds primary responsibility for the overall success of the school, including operational performance, compliance readiness, financial stewardship, staff engagement, and family satisfaction.
• Leads non‑manual, high‑level administrative and managerial work that requires specialized knowledge of ECE licensing, curriculum implementation, staffing models, safety practices, and regulatory requirements.
• Exercises autonomy in setting priorities, solving problems, and determining how to meet operational, financial, and enrollment goals, without day‑to‑day supervision.
• Serves as the school’s top‑level leader, representing the organization in external communications, licensing interactions, inspections, community partnerships, and parent relations.
• Develops and implements operational processes and school‑wide improvements, using discretion to interpret company policies, local needs, and regulatory environments.
• Makes decisions that directly impact business performance, including enrollment strategy, cost management, staffing ratios, and classroom allocation.
• Provides direct supervision to staff who collectively contribute to the business operations of the school, solidifying the role as one that “customarily and regularly directs the work of two or more employees,” per FLSA standards.
• Holds authority to influence employment decisions, including hiring, corrective action, performance evaluations, and training requirements.
• Leads organizational culture at the school level, shaping employee engagement, morale, retention, and team effectiveness.
• Functions as a strategic partner to Regional Managers and senior leadership, offering insights and recommendations that directly influence organizational practices and school‑level outcomes.

Required & Preferred Qualifications:

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education, Business Administration, or related field.
• Director state credentials
• 3–5 years of experience in childcare or school management.
• Strong knowledge of state childcare and school regulations and licensing standards.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and organizational abilities.
• Ability to manage budgets and drive enrollment growth.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree in Early Childhood Education or Business (optional but beneficial).
• Prior experience leading school‑level operational improvement or quality initiatives.

Work Environment & Physical Requirements:

Work Environment

• Active classroom environment with regular interaction with children, families, and team members
• Movement between indoor and outdoor learning spaces throughout the day
• Collaborative setting with consistent communication and teamwork

Physical Requirements

The School Director role requires active involvement in both administrative and classroom environments. To successfully perform the essential functions of this position, the following physical abilities are required:

• Ability to move throughout the school for prolonged periods, including standing and walking for up to 75 percent of the workday.
• Ability to transition between sitting, standing, bending, kneeling, and squatting throughout the day to engage with children and support staff.
• Ability to safely lift, carry, and move items up to 30 pounds, including classroom materials, supplies, and occasional assistance with children’s belongings.
• Ability to sit on the floor, engage at a child’s eye level, and participate in age-appropriate activities including light running, outdoor play supervision, and interactive learning experiences.
• Comfort working in a dynamic, sometimes noisy environment with frequent interruptions and regular movement between indoor and outdoor spaces.
• Ability to supervise children on playgrounds, in classrooms, hallways, entryways, and common areas.
• Ability to respond quickly and safely in emergency situations, including evacuations, drills, and urgent classroom needs.
• Ability to follow and model all safety procedures.

All employees must complete a background check as required by the Department of Early Education and Care.

What we offer:

We invest in our employees’ health, financial wellbeing, professionalgrowthand family success through:

• Up to 50%childcare tuition discount.
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and visioninsurance,effective on your first day of employment.
• Free First Stop Health membership, providing 24/7 access to virtual primary care, urgent care, andshort-termmental health support.
• 401(k) retirement plan withannualdiscretionary employermatchcontribution.
• Optionallife insurance and short/long-term disability coverage, helping provide financial protection and peace of mind.
• Performance-based pay, including increases tied tocertification and/ordegree completion.
• Career growth and professional development opportunities, including training, mentorship, and our dedicated CHILDConference.
• Generous paid time off and holiday benefits, including an annual Winter Break closure between Christmas and New Year's so employees can enjoyadditionaltime with family and friends.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP),offering confidential resources and support for mental health, financial wellness, work-life balance, and other personal needs.
• Employee referral bonusprogram, becausegreat people know great people!Earn bonuses for helping us build an exceptional team.
• Additionallifestyle and fringe benefits, including tuitionand professionaldevelopment reimbursement, pet insurance, and other programs designed to support you and your family.

Closing:

Babilou Family US is part of a global network of 1,100 early education and child care centers. We provide quality early education and child care across 42 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 thisa great placeto work.AtBabilou Family USwe are consistently recruiting,retaining, and promoting a diverse mix of colleagues who are representative of the diversity within the communities inwhich weoperate.Our focus on equity and inclusionallowsus to develop a broader scope of ideas and approaches, offering a collaborative and dynamic educational experience for the youngest members of society.

$79,695 - $93,200 a year

Pay range: $79,695.00-$93,200.00 per year for EEC Director II Qualified Candidates.

Legal Notice We are an equal opportunity employer and value a workplace where everyone feels welcome. Employment here is offered on an at‑will basis, meaning either the employee or the company may end the relationship at any time, with or without cause or notice, consistent with applicable state and federal laws.