Childcare Center Director

The Learning Experience #499; Papillion (NE); On-site; USD 60,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus based on performance

Competitive salary

Free food & snacks

Free uniforms

Job summary

The Learning Experience #499 in Papillion, NE is hiring an experienced Child Care Center Director to build and lead a brand-new center from the ground up. You will shape center culture, welcome families, and balance educational quality with business operations.

You will recruit and develop a high-performing team, oversee daily operations, ensure licensing compliance, and drive enrollment while managing payroll, budgeting, and financial performance.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of leadership or management experience in a licensed childcare setting preferred.
• Experience with center operations, staffing, payroll, budgeting, or financial management.
• Experience recruiting, coaching, and developing teachers.
• Strong leadership, communication, organization, and business management skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a high-performing team of teachers and center leaders.
• Oversee daily center operations, staffing, classroom ratios, health, and safety.
• Ensure compliance with Nebraska childcare licensing requirements and center standards.
• Champion LEAP Curriculum and high-quality classroom experiences.
• Drive enrollment through tours, family follow-up, and community outreach.
• Monitor enrollment, staffing, labor costs, budgeting, and financial performance.
• Identify opportunities to improve operations, enrollment, and retention.

Skills

Leadership

People management

Budgeting

Recruiting & coaching

Communication

Education

Associate's or Bachelor's in Early Childhood Education / related field

Job description

Benefits:

• Bonus based on performance
• Competitive salary
• Free food & snacks
• Free uniforms

Salary: $60,000 - $70,000

Benefits: Childcare discounts, paid time off, meals provided

About the Opportunity

The Learning Experience is opening a brand-new childcare center in Papillion, NE, and we're looking for an experienced Child Care Center Director to build and lead our school from the ground up.

This is an exciting opportunity to build your team, shape center culture, welcome our first families, and grow a successful center from day one. We're looking for a hands-on early childhood leader who can balance educational quality, people leadership, family experience, and strong business operations.

What You'll Do

Lead Your Team & Center

• Recruit, hire, coach, and develop a high-performing team of teachers and center leaders
• Build a positive culture focused on employee engagement and retention
• Oversee daily center operations, staffing, classroom ratios, health, and safety
• Ensure compliance with Nebraska child care licensing requirements and TLE standards
• Champion TLE's proprietary L.E.A.P.® Curriculum and high-quality classroom experiences

Grow the Business

• Drive enrollment through center tours, family follow-up, community outreach, and relationship building
• Monitor enrollment, staffing, labor, and other key center performance metrics
• Manage payroll, labor costs, scheduling, and staffing levels in alignment with enrollment
• Support center budgeting, accounts receivable, expense management, and financial performance
• Identify opportunities to improve operational efficiency, enrollment, retention, and overall business results
• Partner with ownership and TLE support teams to achieve center goals

What We're Looking For

• 2+ years of leadership or management experience in a licensed childcare, preschool, daycare, or early childhood education setting preferred
• Previous Center Director, Assistant Director, Education Director, or similar leadership experience
• Must meet Nebraska child care licensing requirements applicable to the Director position
• Experience with center operations, staffing, payroll, budgeting, or financial management
• Experience recruiting, coaching, and developing teachers
• Experience supporting enrollment growth and family engagementStrong leadership, communication, organization, and business management skills
• Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education, Child Development, Education, Business, or related field preferred

Why Join The Learning Experience?

• Lead a brand-new center from the beginning
• Competitive salary and comprehensive benefits
• Build your own team and shape center culture
• Established curriculum, systems, training, and operational support
• Professional development and leadership growth opportunities
• Make a lasting impact on children, families, and educators in the Papillion community