Director, Early Learning Centre

Child Development Institute•Toronto, ON

6d•CA$87,000 - CA$91,000•Onsite

About The Position

Children are at the front and centre of what we do; they are the foundation of our purpose and the basis for our evidence-driven strategy. Our mission is to transform the lives of children, youth and their families by developing and delivering innovative, research-based mental health and early learning programs. At the Child Development Institute (CDI), we are passionate about helping our communities’ most vulnerable members and their caregivers. It motivates each of us to face what can be difficult situations while continuously finding the purest joy in play, in silence, in advice, and in the unbelievable strength and resilience of our young clients. Joining us now is a rewarding opportunity to be part of an organization that is built on a legacy of more than 100 years of helping children and families. Recognized as a leader and model for measurement-based impact, we are client-centred, family-centred, and data-informed. We are a place where professionals grounded in mental health, care, and well-being of infants, children and youth, come together in collaboration, learning and inclusion. As a multiservice organization delivering social, emotional, and behavioural counselling services, early childhood education, learning disabilities and mental health services, and family violence services, we address the whole person from when they begin their life. Every child and family that reaches out to us is unique, and we value and embrace their individuality. We deliver the tailored support and tools they need to build life-long skills, positive mental health, and resilience. With their trust in us, we guide children and families along a supportive journey. It is an often difficult path and simultaneously the most rewarding experience for providers, children and families. We are seeking a Director to lead our Fraser Mustard Early Learning Centre (ELC) team in providing exceptional care and education for young children. You will be responsible for the day-to-day operation and administration of the ELC, nurturing a joyful, safe learning environment for children, inspiring and guiding the work of staff, and ensuring compliance with all regulations and legislated standards. Located within a school, the Centre works closely with the broader school community, and you will build and maintain strong relationships with the Principal and school staff to support a collaborative and positive environment for children and families. With a licence capacity of 192 children, our center has eleven classrooms - two for infants, two for toddlers, three for preschoolers and 4 for Kindergarten B&A.

Requirements

Diploma or degree in Early Childhood Education.
Member in good standing with the College of Early Childhood Education.
Experience in an early learning/childcare setting, including experience supporting or directly leading staff, programs, and communications.
Proven ability to provide and sustain a diverse learning environment that supports the highest program quality, equity, and inclusion for children, staff, and families.
Understanding and ability to maintain the confidentiality and security of client-related and agency information.
In-depth understanding of early child development and pedagogy.
Knowledge of CCEYA (2014), AQI, ELECT, HDLH Ontario's Pedagogy for the Early Years, and experience with the Licensing Process and AQI program assessment.
Current Standard First Aid and CPR (Level C) certification.
Collaborative leadership style.
Understanding of how to run a business, including financial management skills.
Ability to motivate and evaluate staff.
Ability to communicate with stakeholders, vendors, and community members.
Ability to manage conflict, negotiate, and influence without authority.
Ability to gain trust and display empathy and patience.
Proactive and responsive.
Proficient with MS Office Suite.
Experience with or ability to learn the Lillio (formerly HiMama) Child Care App and Dayforce.
Ability to build trusted relationships with a wide range of individuals.
Comfortable collaborating with school administrators, Principals, teachers, and other school staff to support shared goals and maintain positive partnerships.
Flexible communication skills.
Exceptional listening skills and mental attentiveness.
Ability to focus on the needs of individuals or groups to probe, analyze, synthesize, and create authentic connections and engagement.
Prioritize treating everyone equally.
Respect and appreciation for individuals and families with diverse backgrounds and experiences.
Successful completion of a Vulnerable Sector Check and references.

Nice To Haves

Early Childhood Management-Leadership certificate.

Responsibilities

Ensure compliance with all regulations and legislated standards, including Ministry of Education Licensing standards, Toronto Children's Services Assessment for Quality Improvement, Toronto Public Health guidelines, and College of Early Childhood Educators Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice.
Build strong, collaborative relationships with the school Principal and school staff to support the day-to-day success of the Centre and create a positive experience for children, families, and educators.
Create and nurture a safe, healthy, supportive environment for children, staff, and families.
Ensure program quality through pedagogical leadership and collaboration with other CDI Childcare Centre Directors and the cross-functional mental health teams.
Respond effectively to elevated parent concerns and complaints.
Develop effective strategies to engage families and community partners.
Take a diverse and flexible approach to working with families, creating communications, hosting our annual open house, providing feedback, and connecting to other resources as needed.
Provide robust, reflective, and responsive leadership.
Support continuous professional development opportunities for educators.
Inspire and provide support to ensure high performance from staff.
Recruit, hire, train, supervise, and evaluate assigned staff within the mandate of a Collective Agreement.
Coordinate staff scheduling and coverage as appropriate for service delivery.
Ensure the safety and financial viability of the Early Learning Centre.
Contribute to policies and procedure development, updates, and staff adherence.
Communicate with the Early Learning Centre's external partners and participate in professional network meetings, conferences, etc.
Monitor enrollment to ensure the site is at capacity and communicate with Toronto Children's Services regarding subsidies, waiting lists, and statistics.
Complete serious occurrence reports as required.
Order supplies with management approval for equipment in all centre areas.
Ensure the safe operation and timely repairs of equipment, furnishings, etc.
Work with external catering and cleaning companies.