Founding Preschool Center Director – Lead from Day One

The Learning Experience #498; Bartlett (IL); On-site; USD 65,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid Time Off

Childcare Discount

Professional Development

More benefits

Job summary

The Learning Experience #498 is opening a brand-new childcare center in Bartlett, IL, and we’re seeking an experienced Preschool Center Director to build and lead our school from the ground up.

You will recruit and develop a high-performing team, shape center culture, lead day-to-day operations, and drive enrollment and growth while ensuring health, safety, licensing, and curriculum standards are met.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of leadership or management experience in a licensed childcare or early childhood setting.
• Experience leading a center director, education director, or similar leadership role.
• Experience recruiting, coaching, and developing teachers.
• Experience with center operations, staffing, scheduling, payroll, budgeting, or financial management.
• Experience supporting enrollment growth and family engagement.

Responsibilities

• Recruit, hire, coach, and develop a high-performing team.
• Build a positive culture focused on engagement and retention.
• Oversee daily operations, staffing, scheduling, and classroom ratios.
• Maintain health, safety, and licensing standards.
• Ensure compliance with Illinois requirements and TLE standards.
• Champion TLE's L.E.A.P. Curriculum and high-quality classroom experiences.
• Drive enrollment through tours, follow-up, and community outreach.
• Build relationships with families and support retention and satisfaction.
• Monitor enrollment, staffing, payroll, budgeting, and other center metrics.
• Identify opportunities to improve enrollment, retention, efficiency and business results.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Business management

Enrollment growth

Education

Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education, Child Development, Education, Business, or related field

Tools

Payroll software

Budgeting tools

Job description

The Learning Experience #498 is opening a brand-new childcare center in Bartlett, IL, and we’re seeking an experienced Preschool Center Director to build and lead our school from the ground up.

You will recruit and develop a high-performing team, shape center culture, lead day-to-day operations, and drive enrollment and growth while ensuring health, safety, licensing, and curriculum standards are met.