Child Study & Development Center Director

CP11 University of New Hampshire; Durham (NH); On-site; USD 66,480 - 118,860; Full time

Job summary

The Child Study and Development Center at the University of New Hampshire seeks a Director to provide strategic leadership for a 12-month, laboratory preschool program serving 6 months to 5 years. You will oversee operations, budgeting, licensing compliance, and program quality while aligning teaching, research, and service.

You will advise students, teach undergraduate courses, mentor staff, and cultivate partnerships with families and university colleagues.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in Early Childhood Education, Child Development, Educational Leadership, or a closely related field required.
• Experience in a university or campus-based early childhood care and education center
• Experience serving as an Executive Director for a licensed early childhood care and education center
• Experience mentoring student assistants or interns
• Familiarity with accreditation and licensing standards (e.g., NAEYC)
• Knowledge of child development principles and best practices

Responsibilities

• Provide overall leadership, vision, and strategic direction for the lab school, including daily operations, staffing, budgeting, enrollment, and facilities management.
• Advise students on degree requirements, course planning, and academic progress; teach two undergraduate courses with practicums.
• Supervise and support teaching staff through mentoring, evaluation, and professional development; ensure inclusive curriculum.
• Build partnerships with families, departments, and community organizations; coordinate outreach and community initiatives.
• Develop and manage program budgets and funding sources; oversee recruitment, hiring, scheduling, and retention.

Skills

Leadership

Budgeting

Staff mentoring

Communication

Partnerships

Curriculum development

Program evaluation

Research coordination

Conflict resolution

Diversity & inclusion

Education

Master's degree in Early Childhood Education or related field

Job description

The Child Study and Development Center (CSDC) Director provides strategic leadership and administrative oversight for a university-affiliated Child Care and Education Lab School with a mission encompassing teaching, research, and service. This role ensures the delivery of high-quality early childhood education programming while supporting university coursework, research initiatives, and community engagement. The CSDC is a 12-month program, with 15 staff members, that provides programs for children 6-months to 5-years old.

The CSDC is an NAEYC-accredited center known for its Reggio Emilia-inspired and project-based curriculum and its special efforts to promote a diverse community of learners. HDFS programs focus on practical experience through internships, community engagement, and real-world applications. Our programs prepare students for success in child development, family support, and human services careers. Through intensive coursework and hands-on learning opportunities, you'll develop the essential skills needed to make a meaningful impact on the lives of individuals and families. Students selected options focused on (1) child development, (2) family and lifespan development, or (3) early childhood education teacher licensure. The administrative responsibilities include maintaining the CSDC's position as a leader in childcare, early childhood education, and university laboratory schools; working with potential donors; advocating for children and families; and providing leadership to CSDC staff. The position also serves as a conduit to the HDFS programs through advising and supervising undergraduate and graduate students, teaching undergraduate courses in teaching methods and child development, and serving on academic and service committees.

Duties/Responsibilities

• (40%) Provide overall leadership, vision, and strategic direction for the lab school. Oversee daily operations, including staffing, budgeting, enrollment, and facilities management. Ensure compliance with New Hampshire licensing regulations, accreditation standards (e.g., NAEYC), and university policies. Develop and implement policies, procedures, and program improvements aligned with best practices in early childhood education.
• (20%) Advise students on degree requirements, course planning, and academic progress. Teach two undergraduate courses a year with CSDC practicums. Contribute to the service responsibilities of the department and college.
• (15%) Supervise and support teaching staff through mentoring, evaluation, and professional development. Ensure implementation of developmentally appropriate, inclusive, and culturally responsive curriculum. Facilitate the lab school's role as a practicum and observation site for university students. Collaborate with faculty to integrate coursework and field experiences.
• (10%) Build strong partnerships with families, university departments, and community organizations. Serve as a resource for early childhood education in the region. Coordinate outreach, trainings, and community-based initiatives.
• (15%) Develop and manage program budgets and funding sources. Oversee staff recruitment, hiring, scheduling, and retention. Maintain safe, healthy, and developmentally appropriate environments for children.

Requirements Minimum Acceptable Education & Experience:

• Master's degree in Early Childhood Education, Child Development, Educational Leadership, or a closely related field required.
• Experience in a university or campus-based early childhood care and education center
• Experience serving as an Executive Director for a licensed early childhood care and education center
• Experience mentoring student assistants or interns
• Familiarity with accreditation and licensing standards (e.g., NAEYC)
• Knowledge of child development principles and best practices

Required Licenses & Certifications

Qualify as a Program Director under New Hampshire Child Care Licensing Rules

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Knowledge Early childhood development and evidence-based teaching practices.
• University lab school model (teaching, research, service integration).
• New Hampshire childcare licensing regulations and national accreditation standards.
• Program evaluation, curriculum design, and assessment tools.
• Strong leadership and personnel management skills.
• Budgeting, financial oversight, and organizational management.
• Effective communication, collaboration, and conflict resolution.
• Research coordination and academic partnership facilitation.
• Ability to lead a complex, multi-mission program within a university setting.
• Ability to foster inclusive, equitable environments for children, families, and staff.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and maintain regulatory compliance.
• Ability to engage diverse stakeholders and build partnerships.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience serving as a Director for an NAEYC-accredited
• Knowledge of child development principles and best practices
• Experience serving as a Director for a university laboratory school.

The University of New Hampshire is an R1 Carnegie classification research institution providing comprehensive, high-quality undergraduate and graduate programs of distinction. UNH is located in Durham on a 188-acre campus, 60 miles north of Boston and 8 miles from the Atlantic coast and is convenient to New Hampshire's lakes and mountains. There is a student enrollment of 13,000 students, with a full-time faculty of over 600, offering 90 undergraduate and more than 70 graduate programs. The University actively promotes a dynamic learning environment in which qualified individuals of differing perspectives, life experiences, and cultural backgrounds pursue academic goals with mutual respect and shared inquiry.

The University System of New Hampshire is an Equal Opportunity/Equal Access employer. The University System is committed to creating an environment that values and supports diversity and inclusiveness across our campus communities and encourages applications from qualified individuals who will help us achieve this mission. The University System prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or marital status.

Compensation Pay Range: $66,480.00 - $118,860.00 The pay range for this position is listed above. Actual offer will be based on skills, qualifications, experience, and internal equity, in addition to relevant business considerations.

More information on benefits can be found here: USNH Employee Benefits | Human Resources

Location: Durham

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The University System of New Hampshire is the largest provider of postsecondary education in the Granite State. With approximately 30,000 enrolled students annually and more than 90,000 alumni living in state, the institutions of the University System - the University of New Hampshire - Durham, the University of New Hampshire School of Law, the University of New Hampshire at Manchester, Plymouth State University, and Keene State College - have a direct impact on hundreds of thousands of New Hampshire citizens every year.