KidsPlace Coordinator

Jewish Community Center Works; Stamford (CT); On-site; USD 45,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

The JCC of Stamford is seeking an energetic KidsPlace Coordinator to lead day-to-day delivery of our year-round childcare programming for K-5. This role focuses on safety, engagement, and scalable operations within a mission-driven JCC environment.

You will supervise staff, plan activities, and coordinate calendars across after-school care and summer units, ensuring a safe, joyful experience for families and children throughout the year.

Qualifications

• 1-3 years experience with school-age children in after-school programs, camp, or youth organizations.
• 1+ year experience managing, supervising, or developing children's programming.
• Bachelor's degree preferred.
• Highly organized and process-oriented with ability to be focused and flexible.
• Excellent communication skills—listening, written, and verbal.
• CPR, First Aid, and AED certification for adults/children/infants (or willingness to obtain).
• Schedule flexibility to cover after-school hours, occasional evenings and weekends, and school-closure days.
• Able to participate in physical activities with children, including swimming and outdoor recreation.

Responsibilities

• Lead KidsPlace After School operations, ensuring safety, supervision, and engagement of K-5 students.
• Supervise and schedule part-time and seasonal staff delivering the program.
• Develop daily schedules and activity plans balancing homework support, enrichment, recreation, and free play.
• Manage attendance, sign-in/sign-out, and pickup procedures per child-safety protocols.
• Plan extended-care programming: Kids Night Out, vacation days, no-school days, and holidays.
• Coordinate staffing, supplies, and logistics for each session; build year-round calendar.
• Lead theme days, events, and family touchpoints to grow enrollment and retention.
• Coordinate KidsPlace and year-round childcare calendars across operational elements.
• Provide staff training, recruitment, and professional development in collaboration with leadership.

Skills

Childcare coordination

Staff supervision

Program planning

Communication

Flexibility

Education

Bachelor's degree in Recreation, Education, Child Development, or related field

Job description

KidsPlace Coordinator
JCC of Stamford
1035 Newfield Ave
Stamford, CT 06905

The Stamford JCC is seeking an energetic and dependable KidsPlace Coordinator to lead the day-to-day delivery of our year-round childcare programming for children in grades K-5. This is a direct-service leadership role for an early-career professional who wants to build a career in youth development and childcare within a mission-driven JCC environment.

The Coordinator owns the operation and experience of KidsPlace After School and our extended-care calendar -- Kids Night Out, vacation day and no-school day camps, and weekend and holiday programming -- ensuring families always have a safe, joyful, and reliable place for their children when school is out. This year-round childcare work is the core of the role (roughly 80% of the year). During the summer, the Coordinator steps into a defined leadership seat as a Unit Head and member of the Camp Leadership Team for Day Camps@The J (roughly 20% of the year). The position reports to the Director of Youth & Camping.

Key Responsibilities

KidsPlace After School (Primary Responsibility)

• Serve as the on-site lead for KidsPlace After School, supporting the daily safety, supervision, and engagement of children in grades K-5.
• Supervise, coach, and schedule the part-time and seasonal staff who deliver the program, modeling a hands-on approach by participating in activities alongside children.
• Create age-appropriate group assignments, daily schedules, and activity plans that balance homework support, enrichment, recreation, and free play.
• Manage daily attendance, sign-in/sign-out, and authorized-pickup procedures with strict adherence to child-safety protocols.
• Plan and run extended-care programming on the days families need it most: Kids Night Out, vacation day and no-school day camps, teacher in-service days, and holiday and weekend childcare.
• Build a recurring calendar of K-5 childcare offerings aligned to local school district closures, and coordinate staffing, supplies, and logistics for each session.
• Develop and lead theme days, special events, and family touchpoints that strengthen retention and grow enrollment across the year-round childcare portfolio.
• Maintain continuity of care so that KidsPlace, vacation programming, and camp feel like one connected experience for families.
• Serve as a Unit Head and member of the Camp Leadership Team, supervising the counselors and daily schedule for an assigned camp unit and ensuring every camper has a safe and memorable summer.
• Partner with the Director of Youth and Camp and Leadership Team on staff training, camper placement, and program quality, and leverage school-year relationships to transition KidsPlace families smoothly into summer camp.
• Coordinate both operational and programmatic elements across KidsPlace and the year-round childcare calendar.
• Facilitate timely, professional communication among parents/guardians, participants, and staff, and resolve day-to-day issues as they arise.
• Maintain accurate program records, track participation and enrollment, and support program evaluation and continuous improvement.
• Work collaboratively with the Youth Programming Team across KidsPlace, Day Camps@The J, enrichment classes, major events, and holiday programs.
• Support staff recruitment, onboarding, and training, and participate in ongoing professional development.
• Accept additional assignments as given by the Director of Youth & Camping, the Associate Executive Director, or the CEO of the JCC.

Year-Round Childcare Programming

Camp Unit Head -- Day Camps@The J (Summer, ~20% of role)

Operational Coordination

Minimum Qualifications:

Experience & Education

• 1-3 years of experience working with school-age children in formal or informal settings (after-school programs, camp, youth organizations).
• 1+ year of experience managing, supervising, or developing children's programming.
• Bachelor's degree in Recreation, Education, Child Development, or a related field preferred.
• Highly organized and process-oriented, with the ability to be both focused and flexible in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Excellent communication skills -- listening, written, and verbal.
• Warm, cheerful, patient, and nurturing, with genuine enthusiasm for working with children.
• Able to work effectively with diverse children, families, educators, and co-workers.
• Flexible, mature, and responsible, and a self-motivated team player ready to contribute to a vibrant and busy environment.
• Current CPR, First Aid, and AED certification for adults/children/infants (or willingness to obtain before the start date).
• Schedule flexibility to cover after-school hours, occasional evenings and weekends (Kids Night Out, special events), school-closure days, and full-day summer camp.
• Ability to actively participate in physical activities with children, including swimming and outdoor recreation.
• Capability to work in various indoor and outdoor environments across the JCC's 15-acre campus.

Physical & Certification Requirements

$45,000 - $55,000