Early Childhood Director - Play-based & Inclusive Birth-K Center

Acquire4Hire; Asheville (NC); On-site; USD 50,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading early learning community in Asheville seeks a Program Director to foster a compassionate and inclusive educational environment for children. The ideal candidate will possess strong leadership skills, manage day-to-day operations, and engage with families, ensuring regulatory compliance and enhancing community relationships.

Benefits

Generous Paid Time Off - 2 weeks vacation & 10 holidays

Paid Development Training and Education

Work Phone & Plan Paid

Annual Performance Bonus - Each School Year

Relocation Bonus for the right candidate

Qualifications

• Minimum of 3 years of experience in early childhood education and/or administration.
• Strong understanding of child development principles.

Responsibilities

• Lead with empathy and compassion, fostering a trauma-informed environment.
• Manage daily operations, HR, and compliance with state regulations.
• Collaborate on curriculum development with educators.

Skills

Leadership

Effective Communication

Relationship Building

Time Management

Task Completion

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s in Early Childhood Education, Child Development

Job description

Summary

Evolve Early Learning is a 5-star inclusive early learning community dedicated to providing a holistic and personalized experience for children aged 6 months to 6 years. Our mission is to honor the unique brilliance of each child, teacher, and family member, fostering a compassionate, peaceful, and sustainable world where all children can thrive. We work with families and specialists to meet children where they are and work with them to develop the skills and accommodations they need to thrive. We are not your average preschool.

This position would be ideal for someone who is passionate about working with teachers and families to move beyond the status quo of childcare to create a model that actualizes best practices and modern understandings of the needs of children and families in the first 6 years. Our school has been operating since 2019 and we are ready to expand to offer more services. We need an excellent program director to continue the legacy in our small family-like school with 5 current classrooms. Your position will be supported by the founder, Corrie Hill Price, as well as other leadership and the former Administrative Assistant. Once you are fully comfortable in your role we will hire an administrative assistant, and Corrie will formally take on the CEO and CFO position as well and research and development of future programs. We intend for this position to be mindfully onboarded and supported.

We plan to fill this position in July to prepare for the upcoming school year but we are open to other arrangements if they meet both of our needs.

Duties

The Position: This rewarding multifaceted position is best suited for a self-starter who excels at time management, task completion, work flows, professionalism, and effective relationship building. Our community preschool is growing to serve more children in the next 1-2 years. Our current Director will begin working on the expansion, adjacent programs, and community building so we need the perfect person to join our team to be the day to day director of our amazing school community. With under 50 students, our center is very intimate and home-like. We truly are like a family. We are looking for someone who aligns with our philosophy, vision, and mission. We wish to hire the new Director by August 2025 and fully train them for the position to take over by January 2026. We have some flexibility for part-time work before the start dates for the right candidate. We are looking for a team player who could see themselves being a part of our mission for many years.

Please see our website to learn more. I cannot link it here due to the algorithms on job sites but you can find us easily on google.

Key Responsibilities:

• Leadership: Lead with empathy and compassion, fostering a trauma-informed environment that supports the emotional and psychological well-being of children and staff.
• Management: Daily, Weekly, and Monthly management including calendars, communication, operations, HR/hiring, office management, ordering, enrollment, health and safety, training, and more. (*Payroll and budgeting is NOT part of this position. Owners will manage this.)
• Curriculum Development: Collaborate with educators to design and implement developmentally appropriate, play-based, and child-led learning experiences that utilize strength-based and evidence-based methodologies.
• Behavioral Guidance: Uphold a philosophy that recognizes there are no bad children, only unmet needs, and implement positive guidance strategies that support children's emotional development. Supporting teachers to succeed.
• Staff Supervision: Recruit, train, and mentor teaching and support staff, promoting professional development and a positive, inclusive workplace culture. We are an NC Apprentice site so you may mentor teachers specifically while they are in school. Termination and hiring will be collaborative with owners.
• Family Engagement: Foster strong relationships with families, encouraging their involvement in the Evolve community and their child's education. Monthly Newsletters, weekly updates, email and daily communication. Being able to have ?hard/sensitive conversations? in connected ways is critical.
• Compliance & Licensing: Ensure the program meets all state regulations and maintains its 5-star rating. This includes fire, building, environmental health, and DCDEE inspectors. Maintain files and keep up with drills.
• Financial Oversight: Manage resources effectively. Evaluate best use of staff in ratio to keep the program safe and sustainable. Ensure enrollment is optimized for max capacity and ease. Work with the CEO/CFO for program financial planning.
• Community Outreach: Promote Evolve Early Learning within the Asheville community, building partnerships and enhancing the school's reputation and offering to families. This could include visitors and field trips or partners in advocacy and services.
  
  

Requirements

Qualifications:

• Bachelor?s or Master?s degree in Early Childhood Education, Child Development, or a related field. (Must have NC Admin 1 & 2 or be willing to get in the Fall.)
• Minimum of 3 years of experience in early childhood education and/or administration. Ideally someone who has been a teacher and has leadership experience.
• Demonstrated understanding of human-centered design, trauma-informed care and heart-centered leadership.
• Experience with strength-based and evidence-based methodologies in early childhood settings.
• Commitment to the philosophy that there are no bad kids, only unmet needs.
• Strong understanding of child development principles and play-based learning approaches.
• Interest and advocacy for children with special rights and needs. Understanding of early intervention and support from our Empowerment Coach.
• Family first attitude with real appreciation of the primary caregiver as the expert and first teacher.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Practice Revolutionary Love & Culturally Responsive Teaching Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Familiarity with state licensing requirements and early childhood education standards. Ability to create systems to ensure compliance
• Adult and pediatric CPR and First Aid certification (or willingness to obtain).
• A dedication to creating a generation of happy, healthy-life ready kids but reimagining early learning centers to be inclusive of all families.
• Communication must be clear and person-centered to ensure all stakeholders are heard and have a voice.
  
  

Nice To Haves

Ethos of Evolve:

As an Evolve Early Learning Ambassador, I...

• possess an inner commitment to making a positive impact on the lives of children and advocate for social, environmental, educational, and economic justice for all beings.
• model and practice self-compassion and community-care, positive participation, clear communication, problem-solving & leadership skills, and kindness to the best of my ability.
• appreciate and honor the interdependence of our planet, it's creatures, and it's people
• express my feelings, talents, and perspectives and connect to my inner motivations
• participate in training to ensure safety, support, and cultural responsiveness at the highest level. (Including background check, pre-camp training days, and in-real-time training and support.)
• can comfortably move with young children- lift up to 40lbs, bend and sit on the floor, run 100 yards, walk up to a mile, and actively and mindfully supervise and support children.
• chose to be present each day to co-create safe, supportive, nurturing, and responsive environments, experiences, and relationships.
• understand that flexibility and taking risks is necessary to innovate & contribute to the unfoldment of safe and stimulating learning
• understand that cooperation and communication is necessary to thrive & contribute to listening and leading
  
  

Can uphold our values: Safety and Love, Courage & Justice, and Joy & Gratitude

This job is best if you to live within 20 minutes of the school in West Asheville, NC. This is due to inclement weather days needing to be able to get to school. We do not provide any moving stipend. Asheville has an affordable housing problem so hoping to find someone who already lives in town but we might be open to savvy transplants.

It is also best it the person can be on call for school emergencies or school events 7:00-7:00. Regular hours are 7:45-4:45 with paid breaks. This is why a salary and generous vacation are key.

Benefits

Benefits:

• Generous Paid Time Off - 2 weeks vacation & 10 holidays
• Paid Sick Leave - Can be used for family
• Paid Training and Education - Coaching and Support
• Direct Primary Care with Whole Family Medicine
• Work Phone & Plan Paid
• 2 Week travel sabbatical offered on year 3 -Paid
• Annual Performance Bonus - Each School Year in September
• Will consider relocation bonus for the right person.
  
  

Partnership & Ownership:

• We are building a Community Collective that will revolutionize the offering for families in Asheville and beyond. As a founding member of our leadership team you will have the opportunity to show dedication to the mission and be on the ground level of growth and be offered more stake and pay to compensate longevity and innovation.