Administrative Assistant

Reach For Your Potential•Iowa City, IA

13d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Child Care Center Administrative Assistant supports the Child Care Center Director and Curriculum Coordinator by coordinating staffing and daily operational needs, providing front-desk support, and assisting with program and activity planning. This position helps ensure the Center operates efficiently, families and visitors receive timely assistance, required staff-to-child ratios are maintained, and transportation, events, field trips, preschool programming, and no-school-day activities are organized. The Administrative Assistant will maintain confidentiality, support compliance with Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) requirements, and uphold the mission, vision, and values of the Center.

Requirements

One year of experience in administrative support, staff scheduling, customer service, child care operations, or a related role.
Strong organizational, scheduling, time-management, interpersonal, and communication skills.
Reliable, flexible, detail-oriented, and able to work collaboratively with staff, children, families, schools, and community partners.
Mandatory reporter training for child abuse in Iowa and other required child care training.
Clearance of required background checks, fingerprint checks, and a physical examination.
Ability to maintain confidentiality, use sound judgment, manage frequent interruptions, and adjust priorities throughout the day.
Must be at least 21 years of age.
Must have a high school diploma or have passed a general education development test.
Must have experience working with children and/or providing administrative or customer service support.
Must be able to maintain a high degree of efficiency when changing from one task to another, establishing priorities, and meeting deadlines.

Nice To Haves

Experience working in a licensed child care center or school-age program and coordinating transportation, events, or activities is preferred.
An associate degree in business administration, early childhood education, child development, or a related field is preferred.
Must meet and maintain all applicable Iowa HHS requirements and required training for child care center employees.

Responsibilities

Prepare and maintain staff schedules, coordinate schedule changes and call-ins, and communicate assignments while helping ensure required staff-to-child ratios are maintained.
Develop and adjust daily staff break schedules based on child attendance, classroom coverage, staffing levels, and operational needs.
Monitor daily staffing and classroom needs and assist the Director and Curriculum Coordinator with coverage, room transitions, supplies, and other operational concerns.
Serve as the primary point of contact at the front desk for families, visitors, vendors, and callers by greeting them, answering questions, directing them appropriately, and following Center visitor procedures.
Assist with timely communication to families and staff through phone, email, approved Center communication systems, calendars, notices, and other correspondence.
Plan and coordinate Center events, field trips, and special activities, including reservations, transportation, permission forms, schedules, rosters, and staff and child assignments.
Plan and organize no-school-day activities, school-break programming, and other special programming in collaboration with the Director and Curriculum Coordinator.
Assist with planning and coordinating the half-day preschool program, including schedules and transportation to and from local schools for children attending morning or afternoon preschool.
Coordinate transportation logistics, maintain route and pickup/drop-off schedules, communicate changes, and ensure required permissions and records are complete.
Monitor weather forecasts and local conditions and communicate possible impacts on transportation, outdoor activities, field trips, delayed openings, or closures to Center leadership.
Maintain accurate administrative records, calendars, forms, attendance and transportation information, event documentation, and other Center files.
Support the Child Care Center Director and Curriculum Coordinator with licensing preparation, special projects, purchasing, service coordination, and all other duties deemed appropriate, necessary, or assigned.