Assistant Director

First Learning•Buffalo, NY

About The Position

First Learning is a provider of early education and childcare, operating centers in the Rochester community. The Assistant Director supports the Site Director in managing a specified childcare center and helps maintain high-quality early care and education. The role leads, supervises, and mentors classroom and support staff, fosters relationships with children and families, and supports enrollment and community promotion. The Assistant Director oversees enrollment activities, including personalized center tours, daily inquiry follow-up and recordkeeping, enrollment paperwork, and new-family orientations. The role provides day-to-day staff direction and mentoring, supports staff development and performance plans, monitors lesson plans and child assessments, and helps ensure compliance with OCFS licensing requirements and national accreditation criteria. The role also supports professional development, family communication and conferences, administrative and licensing work, and implementation of field-trip procedures. The Assistant Director keeps current on First Learning policies and applicable OCFS, accreditation, CACFP, Health Department, and other pertinent requirements.

Requirements

Minimum of a bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education or a related field, or substantial years of experience in center-based childcare.
At least 1 year of experience in supervision and program execution.
Thorough knowledge of early childhood programming and ability to apply it in day-to-day work.
Working knowledge of community needs and resources.
Working knowledge of national accreditation criteria.
Excellent oral and written communication skills.
Ability to model behaviors that support the organization's overall philosophy and design.
Substantial ability to solve problems and respond effectively to emergency situations.

Responsibilities

Conduct scheduled, personalized center tours and follow up on inquiries daily, sending inquiry letters and packets and entering inquiry activity in Kangarootime.
Complete enrollment paperwork with parents and conduct new-family orientations.
Provide day-to-day direction, mentoring, and real-time feedback to classroom and support staff.
Ensure lead teachers assess children twice annually.
Provide training and coaching on developmentally appropriate practices and national accreditation guidelines; ensure documented goals, training plans, and performance action plans are provided as needed.
Ensure lesson plans are carried out and provide weekly feedback or evaluation.
Create and implement staff development plans as needed and report on them monthly.
Ensure staff uphold OCFS licensing regulations and educate and mentor staff on those regulations.
Ensure children's developmental binders are maintained according to national accreditation criteria.
Observe two classrooms per week during meals to check family-style serving practices and meal-sheet accuracy.
Participate in licensing and accreditation training and attend one local or regional conference each year.
Stay current on First Learning policies, OCFS regulations, national accreditation guidelines, and other pertinent requirements, including CACFP and Health Department requirements.
Address parent concerns immediately and communicate regularly with families to support satisfaction.
Coordinate biannual parent conferences to share child-development information.
Communicate national accreditation philosophies to staff and parents as a factor in curriculum and programs.
Share information with families about special events, advocacy efforts, and community involvement.
Become familiar with national accreditation and ensure its criteria inform center operations and decisions.
Assist the Director with national paperwork and related actions.
Ensure field-trip procedures are carried out according to policy.
Support the Site Director in managing a childcare center at a high-quality level and help maintain the customer base and promote the center in the community.