Senior Director of Early Childhood Education

JCC Association of North America; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 175,000 - 195,000; Full time

Job summary

The JCC Association of North America is looking for a Senior Director of Early Childhood Education in San Francisco, CA. This dynamic leader will guide a play-based preschool program rooted in Jewish values, leading a team of educators to provide high-quality care and education.

The ideal candidate will possess a passion for early childhood development and strategic leadership skills. Responsibilities include developing a long-term vision for the program and engaging deeply with families and the community to enhance the preschool experience.

Qualifications

• Strong passion for early childhood education.
• Ability to inspire and lead staff, children, and families.
• Expertise in managing multi-site operations.

Responsibilities

• Develop long-term vision for the ECE program.
• Assess and enhance educational programs.
• Ensure compliance with licensing and regulatory standards.

Skills

Expertise in early child development

Leadership experience

Business acumen

Collaborative work environment

Community engagement

Education

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Early Childhood Education

Job description

Location and Job Title:

Senior Director of Early Childhood Education
Jewish Community Center of San Francisco
3200 California Street
San Francisco, CA 94118

Salary:

$175,000 - $195,000 - Annually

The JCCSF's play-based preschools, inspired by the principles of the Reggio Emilia approach and guided by Jewish values and culture, allow children to learn and come to understand their world through play.

We embrace diversity and believe that every child deserves a welcoming, supportive environment to learn and grow. We are committed to fostering an inclusive community where all families, regardless of culture, family structure, language, racial identity, gender, religious beliefs or economic class are welcome.

Our three preschool sites feature spacious classrooms and outdoor play areas, garden spaces and art studios. As a whole, our Early Childhood Education department serves 300+ and features a dedicated, high performing staff of 80+ educators and specialists.

Learn more about our program at https://www.jccsf.org/preschools/.

About the position

The Senior Director of Early Childhood Education is an inspiring and dynamic leader, guiding our early childhood education program to a bright future. This leader fosters a nurturing and innovative environment, ensuring the highest quality of care and education for young learners. The position requires the experience to establish best-in-class practices and the spirit to innovate as the JCCSF commits to offering the best preschool experience in San Francisco. Qualified candidates must possess a passion for early childhood education, a strategic mindset, and the ability to inspire and lead staff, children, families and others toward a shared vision of excellence.

In the first several months of employment, the Senior Director of Early Childhood Education will report to the Chief Executive Officer, working closely in partnership to establish the vision for ECE's future as well as both short- and long-term working priorities and plans. Once this initial working period is underway, consideration will be given to the best long-term supervisory relationship for this position.

Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Develop and implement a long-term vision for the ECE program, aligning with the organization's mission, values and strategic priorities.
• Develop a strategic business plan that defines how the JCCSF will be positioned at the top of a competitive preschool marketplace today and well into the future.
• Continuously assess and enhance educational programs to ensure they meet and exceed standards in early childhood development.
• Define clear metrics to monitor the health of the business, operations and staffing model.
• Stay abreast of trends, research and best practices in early childhood education. Engage with the ECE community and be a resource to others.
• Collaborate on developing and executing marketing and outreach strategy to maintain strong enrollment and increase visibility.
• Cultivate partnerships with other schools to ensure successful matriculation to kindergarten.

Program Development

• Design and oversee a curriculum that fosters creativity, critical thinking and social and emotional growth.
• Promote innovative teaching methods and integrate new technologies to enhance learning experiences.
• Thoughtfully integrate Jewish values, traditions, holidays and rituals into classroom experiences, making Jewish learning accessible to all families.

Team Leadership and Development

• Provide direct supervision, support and mentorship to a team of three Preschool Directors.
• Develop hiring and retention strategy to ensure that JCCSF preschools are the top choice in a competitive hiring environment.
• Ensure excellence through training, mentoring and support of the program's diverse and talented team of educators and staff.
• Foster a collaborative, supportive, professional work environment in which ongoing commitment to continuing education in the field and high levels of performance are celebrated.
• Provide opportunities for growth. Offer clear, supportive pathways for professional development and career progression.

Community and Family Engagement

• Build strong relationships with families, creating a partnership in their child's education and development.
• Actively engage with the community to build awareness and support for the preschool's mission and programs.
• Actively engage with JCCSF Board, committees and parent councils.
• Work with Development team to identify funding opportunities, grants and donor engagement strategies to support investment in the growth of the program.

Operational Excellence

• Plan for and ensure an effective preschool admissions and kindergarten matriculation process at each school.
• Oversee daily operations, ensuring a safe, inclusive and engaging environment for children and staff.
• Effectively and actively engage with Security and Operations teams regarding crisis management, emergency preparedness and emergency response protocols.
• Collaborate effectively with internal and external stakeholders.
• Respond with urgency to emerging and evolving needs of the community.
• Manage budgets, resources and facilities effectively to support program goals.
• Continuously seek improvement in operations and business performance.
• Ensure compliance with all licensing, regulatory and accreditation standards.
• Develop and maintain effective reporting for all relevant metrics and processes.
• Operate in service to the mission, values and strategic priorities of the JCCSF and in the best interests of its employees, members and community.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Expertise in early child development with a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Early Childhood Education, Educational Leadership or a related field (advanced degree preferred).
• Leadership experience with the ability to manage the complexity of a multi-site operation serving 300+ children and skill to navigate within a larger organization.
• Demonstrated business acumen with experience building and managing complex budgets that support the programmatic, operational and financial goals of the program.
• Proven competency in skillfully supervising, mentoring and supporting senior staff.
• Skilled at fostering a collaborative and supportive work environment that inspires excellence and offers pathways for professional growth.
• Operational expertise to ensure a safe, inclusive and engaging environment for children and staff.
• Track record for building strong relationships with families, understanding and resolving parent concerns and partnering with parents in their child's education and development.
• Adept at engaging with the community, articulating what makes our ECE program extraordinary and building support for the preschool's mission and programs.
• Familiarity with San Francisco and the field of early childhood education in the city.

Preferred Knowledge and Experience

• Versed in Jewish values, traditions, holidays and rituals to make Jewish learning accessible to all families.
• Experience navigating and supporting families through San Francisco's complex kindergarten admissions process.
• Experience with Reggio Emilia and other progressive ECE pedagogies.

Personal Attributes

• Warm, personable and empathetic with a genuine passion for working with young children and families.
• Keen emotional intelligence with the ability to deftly navigate relationships (internal and external) and reporting structures.
• A confident, calm and collaborative supervisor who champions and empowers staff, instills a shared sense of purpose, makes thoughtful decisions and inspires a positive work culture.
• A mission-driven and values-centered leader who embraces individual differences, diversity, inclusion and belonging.
• An effective communicator (oral and written) and active listener.
• Nimble, open-minded and proactive with the confidence to innovate, iterate and pivot when appropriate.

Working Conditions

Work is conducted primarily on-site at the JCCSF and within the preschool spaces. The position involves regular, ongoing contact with public, families, young children and staff. Off-site work may include representing the JCCSF at external events within the broader community.

Status

Benefited, exempt supervisory position

Hours

Full-time position

Schedule

Monday - Friday; occasional evening and weekend hours based on programmatic/organization events

Agency Information

Urban and inclusive, the Jewish Community Center of San Francisco (JCCSF) celebrates our vibrant city and its people. We explore Jewish culture and traditions as a pathway for joyful, meaningful living. We're a community for everyone, using the power of gathering together to share, inspire, support and restore. The JCCSF is located in San Francisco, CA at 3200 California Street (at Presidio).