Principal Responsibilities:

The Early Childhood Director is a full-time position that demonstrates leadership abilities by creating and maintaining a positive learning environment for staff, children, and families of the Cohn Early Childhood Learning Center. The Early Childhood Director will ensure that the school operates in accordance with ECED and LJCC policies, procedures and state licensing standards to provide a safe, nurturing, educational environment for children, staff and parents. S/he will be an active and engaged partner in planning and assuring that the strategic and enrollment goals of the school are achieved. The successful candidate will exceed expectations for delivering exceptional customer service to families enrolled at the school and create a sense of community among parents, teachers and staff.

Essential functions

• Assists the Senior Director of Early Childhood and Youth Programs in development and implementation of a vision for excellence in early childhood education
• Facilitation of classroom oversight and management
• Oversight of program growth
• Enhancing and maintaining strong relationships with teachers and families
• Recruitment, supervision, and evaluation of teachers
• Manage student enrollment and recruitment
• Facilitation of proactive communication with parents
• Develop community partnerships with schools and agencies
• Assists the Senior Director of Early Childhood and Youth Program in development and oversight of budget

Additional duties

• Managing the day-to-day operations of the center
• Planning student recruitment events, working collaboratively with colleagues, other agencies and outside partners to market programs and increase community, family engagement, and enrollment.
• Conducting yearly evaluations of all personnel, including formal classroom observations, and oversight of all teachers.
• The Early Childhood Director must be CPR and First Aid certified or have the ability to obtain and maintain CPR and First Aid certification within three months of employment.
• Developing and maintaining strong relationships with preschool families, including strong communication system.
• Assists the Senior Director of Early Childhood and Youth Program in providing oversight of professional development for teachers.
• Provide for the health and safety of all children in the school.
• Comfortable speaking in a group setting, such as tour.
• Provide nurturing, responsive, quality care, addressing each children's needs.
• Create a positive, warm, individualized, nurturing, environment for children; encourage inquiry and open-ended thought.
• Consistently treat children with dignity, respect, and compassion.
• Create a safe, healthful and secure environment for all children and faculty members.
• Maintain confidentiality.
• Promote the equitable, fair and consistent treatment of all staff members, parents, and children.
• Promote, administer and improve the organization's goals, philosophies, policies, and mission statements. Participate in all training programs, conferences, seminars, courses and other aspects of professional growth and continuing education provided by the ECED/LJCC and other outside resources to meet licensing requirements.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education or related field
• Minimum 5 years' experience working with young children and 2 or more years in a leadership role.
• Understanding of child development and best practices in Early Childhood Education
• Strong organizational skills, personal communication skills, and computer skills.
• Demonstrate creativity in developing new programming.
• Ability to juggle and prioritize multiple projects and initiatives
• Strong leadership presence
• Familiarity with or willingness to become familiar with Jewish cultures and customs

Salary:

$45,000 - $55,000

Agency Information:

Backed by more than a century of dynamic history, the Levite Jewish Community Center is a vibrant nonprofit organization that serves as a bridge between Birmingham's Jewish and non-Jewish communities. Through the lens of Jewish identity and values, we provide a welcoming, family-oriented gathering place for a diverse membership to engage in meaningful experiences of the mind, body, and soul. Part of a strong national JCC network, our 70-acre wooded campus includes a fully equipped fitness center, indoor and outdoor pools, a highly regarded early childhood learning program, a robust athletics program, and year-round children's camps. We also host dozens of group fitness classes plus a variety of Jewish and secular programs throughout the year. We are proud to partner with other area nonprofit organizations on various membership and program initiatives, including United Way of Central Alabama, Glenwood Autism, i3 Academy, Anytown Alabama, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.