Early Childhood Center Director

The Learning Experience; Bakersfield (CA); On-site; USD 66,000 - 78,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Free uniforms

Health insurance

Opportunity for advancement

Paid time off

Tuition assistance

Vision insurance

401(k)

401(k) matching

Bonus based on performance

Competitive salary

Dental insurance

Employee discounts

Job summary

The Learning Experience in Bakersfield, CA is seeking a Center Director to lead our team and drive center performance. You will oversee front-of-house and back-of-house operations, ensure enrollment and profitability goals, and uphold brand standards while maintaining a high-quality teaching environment.

You will be responsible for staffing, staff development, and adherence to state licensing rules, with a focus on delivering excellent family and student experiences.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma, GED or equivalent.
• 21 years of age or older.
• Two or more years center management/ people leadership experience; at least one year required.
• Bachelor’s degree in ECE or related field highly preferred.
• Strong knowledge of state licensing rules and regulations.
• Must meet any applicable background screening or state licensing requirements for the role.

Responsibilities

• Meet or exceed KPIs at the School level (Utilization, Student Retention, Staff Turnover, Payroll Percentage, Lead to Tour).
• Prioritize recruiting and respond to applicants within 1 business day.
• Ensure the center is fully staffed with well-trained teachers and oversee onboarding.
• Maintain high quality teaching team and uphold brand standards.
• Lead monthly staff development meetings and organize training opportunities.
• Ensure Employee Annual Performance Reviews are conducted and filed properly.
• Forecast enrollment and manage marketing plans to drive growth.
• Analyze monthly budget and center profitability and manage billing.

Skills

People leadership

Enrollment marketing

KPIs ownership

Education

High School Diploma, GED or equivalent

Bachelor’s degree in ECE or related field

Job description

Benefits:

• Free uniforms


• Health insurance


• Opportunity for advancement


• Paid time off


• Training & development


• Vision insurance


• 401(k)


• 401(k) matching


• Bonus based on performance


• Competitive salary


• Dental insurance


• Employee discounts


• Tuition assistance

Bakersfield, CA | Full-Time | On-Site

Salary: $66,000-$78,000 annually + Performance Bonus

Center Directors at The Learning Experience play a key role in advancing our mission to positively impact the lives of children, their families, and the communities we serve. They lead the team in fostering a nurturing, fun, and educational environment. Responsible for the center’s business outcomes, the Center Director ensures both front-of-house and back-of-house operations are executed to the highest standards. They are committed to meeting enrollment and profitability goals while maintaining a high-quality team and upholding the brand’s standards.

Position Requirements

• High School Diploma, GED or equivalent


• 21 years of age or older


• Two or more years center management/ people leadership experience highly preferred. At least one year of center management/ people leadership experience required.


• Bachelor’s degree in ECE or related field highly preferred.


• Strong knowledge of state licensing rules and regulations.


• Must meet any applicable background screening or state licensing requirements for the role.

Key Responsibilities

• Accountable for meeting or exceeding KPIs at the School level
  
  
  
  • Utilization
  
  
  • Student Retention
  
  
  • Staff Turnover
  
  
  • Payroll Percentage
  
  
  • Lead to Tour Conversion
  
  
  
  


• People
  
  
  
  • Consistently prioritizes recruiting. Responds to applicants within 1 business day.
  
  
  • Demonstrates good working knowledge of Career Plug and the hiring/onboarding process.
  
  
  • Ensures the center is fully staffed with well-trained teachers. Utilizes the teacher onboarding process as outlined in the SOP. Including onboarding tools & milestone celebrations.
  
  
  • Maintains high quality teaching team that demonstrates professionalism and upholds brand standards (dress code, quality interactions, classroom environment, etc.).
  
  
  • Demonstrates professionalism. Leads by example with enthusiasm as evidenced by center atmosphere & employee engagement.
  
  
  • Conducts and documents monthly staff development meetings to communicate important information, organize team building opportunities and/or training opportunities. Utilizes the provided TLE content.
  
  
  • Ensures Employee Annual Performance Reviews are conducted properly and submitted on time, filed in employee file, and uploaded into Paylocity.
  
  
  • Demonstrates strategic thinking. Utilizes available resources and asks for support as needed to problem solve.
  
  
  • Prioritizes employee retention. Makes efforts to "save" employees where appropriate. Employee turnover is <30% for hourly and 25% for salaried employees in a rolling 12-month period.
  
  
  • Holds the team accountable. Routinely provides clear instruction, constructive feedback and promptly addresses poor employee performance.
  
  
  • Promptly addresses and resolves parent and staff concerns at the center level. The center has had zero problematic complaints escalated to corporate in a 3-month timeline.
  
  
  
  


• Enrollment
  
  
  
  • Effectively executes an ongoing formal marketing plan with a focus on enrollment and retention.
  
  
  • Prioritizes Lead Tracking and achieves high lead to start conversion.
  
  
  • Consistently meets or exceeds the Center’s Active Enrollment Budget.
  
  
  • Accurately forecasts new starts and drops by utilizing all systems and tools.
  
  
  • Conducts competitive shops at least 2x/year and leverages that knowledge to remain competitive.
  
  
  • Posts engaging photos and captions on social media platforms regularly.
  
  
  • Secures positive customer reviews monthly.
  
  
  • Exhibits strong family retention.
  
  
  • Implements all brand initiatives in a quality and meaningful way.
  
  
  
  


• Profitability
  
  
  
  • Prioritizes efforts to ensure the center is meeting profit margin (EBITDA) budget.
  
  
  • Knowledgeable about current month/quarter budget goals.
  
  
  • Analyzes the monthly P&L to confirm and investigate center expenses and profit margin.
  
  
  • Maintains accurate family and agency billing.
  
  
  • Escalates billing errors or financial inquiries.
  
  
  • Collects tuition by specified due dates.
  
  
  • Manages center tuition discounts.
  
  
  
  


• Standards and Quality
  
  
  
  • Upholds health & safety standard operating procedures.
  
  
  • Maintains compliance with local and state licensing regulations.
  
  
  • Ensures supervision practices throughout the center are prioritized.
  
  
  • Maintains center wide compliance with Medical conditions, Allergies, Dietary Restrictions, Medications and accommodation requests.
  
  
  • Proactively maintains physical center environment. Ensures the center is organized, safe, tour ready, clutter free and clean.
  
  
  • Confirms Student & Staff files are organized, secured and in compliance with TLE and state licensing regulations.
  
  
  • Maintains accurate and organized TLE and State required records.
  
  
  • Remains up to date and adheres to all state mandates, labor laws, health regulations, fire code and TLE policies.
  
  
  • Responsibly manages and replenishes center inventory to ensure center is fully stocked within the center's budget.
  
  
  • Prepares and processes payroll on time and accurately.
  
  
  • Leverages required software/web platforms as well as proprietary TLE processes/systems to maximize operational efficiency.
  
  
  • Takes initiative, demonstrates forward thinking practices, operates autonomously, meets deadlines and is responsive.
  
  
  • Makes sound decisions to responsibly manage people, customers and business operations (exercises good judgment).