Founding Center Director, St. Carlo Acutis Early Learning Network

Bridgeport Diocese; Shelton (CT); On-site; USD 85,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

The Bridgeport Diocese's St. Carlo Acutis Catholic Early Learning Network seeks a Founding Center Director to lead the flagship St. Lawrence Campus, integrating Catholic identity with a high-quality educational program.

You will recruit and develop founding faculty, establish culture and standards, ensure licensing compliance, and partner with parish leadership to advance the mission. A strong background in early childhood education and faith-based leadership is essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, Educational Leadership, Child Development, or related field.
• Meets or is eligible to meet all Connecticut Office of Early Childhood requirements for a licensed child care center director.
• Minimum five years of progressively responsible leadership experience in early childhood education, including staff supervision.
• Practicing Catholic in good standing who embraces the mission of Catholic education.

Responsibilities

• Lead founding campus with Catholic identity, mission, and educational standards.
• Recruit, hire, onboard, mentor, evaluate, and retain founding faculty.
• Ensure CT licensing compliance and health, safety, and child protection standards.
• Oversee enrollment, admissions, scheduling, attendance, and recordkeeping.
• Manage operating budget with prudent stewardship of resources.

Skills

Leadership experience

Team building

Enrollment growth

Operational oversight

Education

Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education or related field

Connecticut licensing requirements for licensed child care center director

Master’s degree in related field (preferred)

Job description

Position Overview

The Founding Center Director serves as the educational, operational, and spiritual leader of the flagship St. Lawrence Campus of the St. Carlo Acutis Catholic Early Learning Network. Reporting directly to the Executive Director, the Director is responsible for ensuring that every aspect of the Center reflects the mission, Catholic identity, educational philosophy, strategic priorities, and operational standards established by the Executive Director and Board of Directors while faithfully advancing the mission of the Diocese of Bridgeport.

As the founding leader of the Network’s flagship campus, the Director will establish the culture, systems, traditions, and professional standards that will shape future St. Carlo Acutis Early Learning Centers throughout the Diocese. The Director will recruit and develop an exceptional founding faculty, inspire a joyful Catholic culture rooted in faith and excellence, and ensure that every child is known, loved, challenged, and formed as a child of God.

The Founding Center Director partners closely with the Executive Director to implement the strategic vision established by the Executive Director and Board of Directors while exercising sound educational leadership, operational stewardship, and unwavering commitment to Catholic identity. This leader is expected to build a model campus that demonstrates excellence in child development, family partnership, faculty formation, operational quality, and evangelization.

Primary Responsibilities

Catholic Identity and Mission

• Ensure Catholic identity is authentically integrated throughout every aspect of the Center.
• Lead daily prayer and faith formation for faculty, children, and families.
• Oversee faithful implementation of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd.
• Model joyful Christian discipleship through humility, servant leadership, integrity, and authentic witness.
• Partner with parents as the primary educators of their children.
• Build a culture marked by reverence, beauty, gratitude, kindness, excellence, and joy.
• Collaborate with parish leadership to strengthen the relationship between the Center, parish, and Diocese.
• Support family faith formation and encourage lifelong discipleship.

Educational Leadership

• Recruit, hire, onboard, mentor, evaluate, and retain outstanding founding faculty and staff.
• Build a collaborative culture characterized by trust, accountability, professionalism, and continuous improvement.
• Provide meaningful instructional coaching and leadership development.
• Supervise curriculum implementation and instructional quality.
• Monitor child development and school readiness.
• Support growth in early literacy, language, mathematics, executive functioning, and social-emotional development.
• Maintain beautiful, engaging, developmentally appropriate classroom environments.
• Identify and develop future teacher leaders.
• Ensure compliance with diocesan Safe Environment expectations and educational standards.

Operations

• Lead implementation of all operational systems necessary for a successful founding campus.
• Ensure compliance with Connecticut licensing requirements
• Maintain the highest standards of health, safety, supervision, and child protection.
• Oversee enrollment, admissions, scheduling, attendance, and recordkeeping.
• Manage the approved operating budget responsibly while exercising prudent stewardship of financial, personnel, and facility resources.
• Monitor staffing levels and approve purchases within delegated authority.
• Maintain emergency preparedness and campus safety.
• Implement strategic priorities and operational initiatives established by the Executive Director and approved by the Board of Directors.
• Provide timely operational, enrollment, financial, and program information to the Executive Director to support organizational leadership and Board governance.
• Build operational systems that promote consistency, excellence, and long-term sustainability.

Family Engagement

• Welcome prospective families with warmth and hospitality.
• Conduct tours and enrollment conversations.
• Maintain clear, timely communication with parents.
• Address concerns with professionalism, empathy, and integrity.
• Build a strong parent community rooted in Catholic values.
• Support family faith formation.
• Partner with parish leadership and community organizations.
• Serve as an ambassador for the St. Carlo Acutis Catholic Early Learning Network.

Desired Qualities

• Deep commitment to the mission of the Catholic Church.
• Practicing Catholic in good standing with joyful and visible faith.
• Love for young children and their families.
• Visionary leadership with an entrepreneurial spirit and strong attention to detail.
• Strong instructional leader who develops people and culture.
• Exceptional organizational, communication, and relationship-building skills.
• Calm, thoughtful decision-maker with sound judgment and integrity.
• High standards balanced with humility, compassion, and servant leadership.
• Collaborative leader who thrives in a founding environment and is committed to continuous improvement.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, Educational Leadership, Child Development, or related field.
• Meets or is eligible to meet all Connecticut Office of Early Childhood requirements for a licensed child care center director.
• Minimum five years of progressively responsible leadership experience in early childhood education, including staff supervision.
• Practicing Catholic in good standing who embraces the mission of Catholic education.

Preferred

• Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education, Educational Leadership, or a related field.
• Experience in Catholic education.
• Experience with Catechesis of the Good Shepherd.
• Experience opening, launching, expanding, or significantly improving an early childhood program.
• Demonstrated success building teams, strengthening enrollment, and leading organizational improvement.

Salary up to $100K