Staffing & Scheduling Manager

Annettespreschool; Town of Vermont (WI); Hybrid; USD 45,000 - 52,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

PTO: 120 hours per year

Three additional paid closure weeks

Paid holidays

Health Reimbursement Account ($1,200/1

Dental and vision coverage

Employer-paid short-term disability

Tuition reimbursement

Relocation assistance

Staff events & perks

Job summary

First Roots – Wild Roots seeks a Staffing & Scheduling Manager to oversee staffing across three early childhood programs. The role blends workforce planning, problem-solving and hands-on program support to ensure classrooms are fully staffed with the right skills.

You will forecast needs, balance priorities, and collaborate with Program Directors and Operations to build sustainable staffing solutions across FRWR. The position includes on-site work in Vermont with occasional cross-site coverage.

Qualifications

• Experience in staffing, scheduling, workforce planning or operations management
• Experience in licensed early childhood program preferred
• Strong organizational, analytical and problem-solving skills
• Ability to make decisions with competing priorities
• Ability to recognize patterns and create practical solutions
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to use scheduling systems, spreadsheets, databases and other admin tech
• Ability to maintain confidentiality
• Ability to meet BFIS requirements as Substitute
• Willingness to travel between Hinesburg and Essex Junction locations

Responsibilities

• Own staffing and scheduling across FRWR
• Develop and maintain staff schedules across three programs
• Evaluate staffing needs based on attendance, availability, qualifications, ratios, priorities
• Respond to call-outs and changing needs with best coverage
• Decide when to use substitutes or move staff between classrooms
• Create coverage plans for PTO, meetings, onboarding, coaching, planning
• Communicate schedules and changes clearly
• Maintain a 2–4 week staffing outlook
• Identify staffing risks and develop solutions
• Analyze call-outs, substitutes, and recurring challenges
• Recommend improvements to staffing practices and scheduling systems
• Partner with Program Directors on staffing needs and solutions
• Support programs directly as staffing needs require
• Primary responsibility is organization-wide staffing and scheduling; approx 15–20 hours/week

Skills

Staffing & scheduling

Workforce planning

Operations management

Early childhood program administration

Problem solving

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Confidentiality

Travel between locations

Tools

Scheduling systems

Spreadsheets

Databases

Job description

Where great planning helps great teachers do their best work.

Are you someone who loves solving the puzzle when there are a dozen moving pieces?

Do you naturally think ahead, spot potential problems before they become emergencies and stay calm when Plan A suddenly isn’t going to work?

First Roots – Wild Roots is seeking a thoughtful, resourceful and collaborative Staffing & Scheduling Manager to oversee staffing and scheduling across our three early childhood programs.

This is not your typical scheduling position.

It’s a unique early childhood leadership role that combines workforce planning, problem-solving, decision-making and time spent directly in our programs — all with one important goal:

Making sure our classrooms have the people and support they need to thrive.

At First Roots – Wild Roots, we know great programs depend on great educators — and great educators need thoughtful systems behind them.

As our Staffing & Scheduling Manager, you’ll look at the big picture across FRWR, anticipate staffing needs, balance competing priorities and develop solutions that work for the organization as a whole.

What you'll do

• Own staffing and scheduling across FRWR
• Develop and maintain staff schedules across our three programs
• Evaluate staffing needs based on child attendance, employee availability, qualifications, ratios and program priorities
• Respond to call-outs, early departures and changing needs by determining the best coverage solution
• Decide when to use substitutes, flexible staff or move qualified employees between classrooms or programs
• Create coverage plans for PTO, meetings, onboarding, coaching, professional development and planning time
• Communicate schedules and changes clearly and consistently
• Think ahead and solve problems
• Maintain a 2–4 week staffing outlook and anticipate potential coverage challenges
• Identify staffing risks before they become emergencies and develop solutions
• Balance competing needs and make routine staffing decisions independently
• Analyze call-outs, substitute use and recurring staffing challenges to identify patterns
• Recommend improvements to staffing practices, scheduling systems and workforce capacity
• Partner with Program Directors and the Director of Operations & Administration on staffing needs and solutions
• Stay connected to our programs
• This isn't a position where you'll spend every day behind a desk.
• You’ll also serve as a flexible organization-wide resource, providing direct classroom or program support as staffing needs require — currently estimated at approximately 15–20 hours per week.
• That might mean helping cover a classroom, stepping in during a meeting or break, supporting onboarding or simply going where your help is most needed that day.
• Your classroom support will vary from week to week because your primary responsibility is managing FRWR’s organization-wide staffing and scheduling function.

Who We’re Looking For

We’re looking for someone who combines strong organizational skills with good judgment, flexibility and a people-centered approach.

Ideal candidates will have:

• Experience in staffing, scheduling, workforce planning, operations management, early childhood program administration or a related field
• Experience in a licensed early childhood program preferred
• Strong organizational, analytical and problem-solving skills
• Confidence making decisions when there are competing priorities and more than one possible solution
• The ability to recognize patterns and turn them into practical solutions
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Comfort using scheduling systems, spreadsheets, databases and other administrative technology
• The ability to maintain confidentiality
• The ability to meet and maintain BFIS requirements to serve at minimum as a Substitute
• The ability to travel between our Hinesburg and Essex Junction locations

And just as important…

You enjoy solving puzzles involving people, schedules and competing priorities.

You can stay calm when the 6:15 a.m. text changes the plan you made yesterday.

You’re comfortable making a decision when there isn't one obvious answer.

You communicate clearly, kindly and confidently.

And when you see the same problem happening again and again, your instinct is to ask: "How can we make this work better?"

About First Roots – Wild Roots

Our Mission: We are a 5 STAR, nature focused early care and education program that views each child as an individual with a unique developmental profile. Through developmentally responsive outdoor programming, we serve children ages 6 weeks to 8 years. Our mission is to Achieve the highest level of professional development, Build a community where families feel connected and respected, and to cultivate sustainable environmental choices and business practices to support the health and well being of all who work and play here!

Our Purpose: These are our fundamental reasons for doing what we do. If these resonate with you, we'd love to hear from you!

Job Details

• Job Type: Full-time
• Typical Schedule: Generally 6:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m., with flexibility based on organizational and staffing needs
• Work Week: 40 hours
• Location: In person, supporting our three FRWR programs in Hinesburg and Essex Junction, Vermont
• Pay: $45,120 – $52,400/year

• 120 hours of PTO per year, prorated from start date
• Three additional paid closure weeks each year — February, July and December
• Paid holidays (Memorial Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving & the day after)
• $1,200/year Employee Benefit Health Reimbursement Account
• Dental and vision coverage available, including 50% employer contribution toward single dental coverage
• Employer-paid short-term disability insurance
• Up to $500/year tuition reimbursementChildcare tuition benefits
• Relocation assistance for eligible candidates, including up to $1,000 toward moving expenses and potentially up to 90 days of rent-free housing, based on availability
• Plus a few fun extras: monthly staff lunches and bagel days, coffee and snacks, branded L.L.Bean gear, pickleball, access to walking trails, our Zen room and our in-ground pool!

We believe that classrooms and workplaces thrive when all voices are welcomed and respected. We encourage applicants of all identities, backgrounds and experiences to apply.

If you love creating order from complexity, solving problems and helping great educators have what they need to do their best work, we’d love to hear from you.