Executive Head of School

Vivvi Early Learning • Huntsville, AL

22h • Onsite

About The Position

This is a highly visible, executive leadership role. The Executive Head of School serves as the on-site face of Vivvi to Toyota and is responsible for leading with presence, accountability, and decisiveness in a dynamic, 24/7 operating environment. We are seeking a leader who takes full ownership of outcomes, operates with a strong executive presence, and is comfortable engaging directly with senior client stakeholders, families, and partners. As the Executive Head of School, you'll be the founding leader of a brand new, high quality child care center dedicated to serving the Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Alabama team members. You will lead hiring, training, and ongoing coaching of a large team, ensuring strong staff management and team leadership across a 24-hour childcare operation. You will conduct coaching meetings with all direct reports; establish clear expectations and feedback across the team. You will continuously refine and improve daily operational systems — including classroom transitions, family communication routines, staff coverage, and materials management — serving children 6 weeks until school age. You will ensure full compliance with Alabama licensing regulations, as well as Vivvi’s standards of excellence. You will lead licensing inspections and audits, ensuring all documentation meets state regulatory and child safety requirements. You will ensure the ongoing delivery of a developmentally appropriate curriculum. You will support in all aspects of relationship-building and enrollment with prospective families. You will foster and promote Vivvi’s inclusive environment throughout all aspects of the school. You will serve as the primary on-site executive leader and representative of Vivvi, modeling professionalism, accountability, and composure at all times. You will lead with a high degree of visibility and presence on campus, building trust with families, staff, and client partners through consistent engagement. You will own end-to-end execution of center operations, ensuring issues are proactively identified, addressed decisively, and communicated clearly. You will act as the primary point of contact for client stakeholders, confidently representing the center and navigating high-stakes or sensitive situations with sound judgment. You will lead and present in client review meetings, clearly communicating operational updates, outcomes, and strategic priorities. You will drive a culture of urgency, accountability, and operational excellence, ensuring no gaps in ownership or follow-through. You will ensure clear, proactive communication across teams and stakeholders—anticipating challenges rather than reacting to them.

Requirements

• 10-15 years of experience leading a childcare center, preschool, or early childhood education program as a Director or Center Leader
• Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education (MA preferred)
• Hold or be willing to obtain an Alabama Pathways Director Credential (required)
• Exceptional people leader who holds teams accountable to high standards while driving results through clear expectations and feedback
• Experience operating in high-visibility, client-facing environments, with confidence engaging senior stakeholders
• Strong executive presence, including clear communication, sound judgment, and professionalism under pressure
• Proven track record of owning outcomes and driving execution, not just managing processes
• Decisive and action-oriented, with the ability to lead in real time and take accountability for results
• Deep expertise in emergent- or inquiry-based curricula and a progressive approach to early childhood education
• Knowledgeable about licensing requirements for early childhood programs
• Excellent communicator, both in written form and in-person — and confident representing your team to client partners
• Value and create strong relationships with families, children, and faculty
• Systems thinker and excel at building systems from scratch
• Strong problem solving skills and are flexible and adaptable
• Already or are willing to be CPR and First Aid certified
• Must be based in or willing to relocate to Huntsville, A.L.
• Must possess independent US work authorization.

Nice To Haves

• MA preferred for degree

Responsibilities

• Lead hiring, training, and ongoing coaching of a large team, ensuring strong staff management and team leadership across a 24-hour childcare operation
• Conduct coaching meetings with all direct reports; establish clear expectations and feedback across the team
• Continuously refine and improve daily operational systems — including classroom transitions, family communication routines, staff coverage, and materials management — serving children 6 weeks until school age
• Ensure full compliance with Alabama licensing regulations, as well as Vivvi’s standards of excellence.
• Lead licensing inspections and audits, ensuring all documentation meets state regulatory and child safety requirements
• Ensure the ongoing delivery of a developmentally appropriate curriculum
• Support in all aspects of relationship-building and enrollment with prospective families
• Foster and promote Vivvi’s inclusive environment throughout all aspects of the school
• Serve as the primary on-site executive leader and representative of Vivvi, modeling professionalism, accountability, and composure at all times
• Lead with a high degree of visibility and presence on campus, building trust with families, staff, and client partners through consistent engagement
• Own end-to-end execution of center operations, ensuring issues are proactively identified, addressed decisively, and communicated clearly
• Act as the primary point of contact for client stakeholders, confidently representing the center and navigating high-stakes or sensitive situations with sound judgment
• Lead and present in client review meetings, clearly communicating operational updates, outcomes, and strategic priorities
• Drive a culture of urgency, accountability, and operational excellence, ensuring no gaps in ownership or follow-through
• Ensure clear, proactive communication across teams and stakeholders—anticipating challenges rather than reacting to them

Benefits

• Competitive salary with leadership-level compensation based on level of education and experience
• Tuition reimbursement
• Health insurance
• Vision insurance
• Dental insurance
• Retirement savings
• Commuter benefits

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive