About the Role
Are you a passionate leader ready to make a lasting impact on the youngest members of our community? We're looking for a dynamic and innovative Regional Director of Early Education to join our team!
Under the direction of the Senior Association Director of Child Development and Early Education, you'll lead with vision, ensuring high-quality educational programs, fostering a nurturing learning environment, and driving the professional growth of our educators. You will work collaboratively with families and staff to create a culture of excellence, inclusion, and continuous improvement, while also developing curriculum that aligns with state standards and best practices. If you're an experienced, strategic thinker committed to shaping the future of early learners, we invite you to be a part of our mission to inspire, educate, and empower the next generation.
Key Responsibilities
Essential Responsibilities:
- The Regional Director of Early Education ensures the connection of program activities to Y core focus areas of Healthy Living, Youth Development, and Social Responsibility.
- Maintains and oversees all administrative areas of compliance and quality, including Department of Early Education and Care licensing, the Professional Qualifications Registry, the MA Quality Rating and Improvement System, and NAEYC.
- Work collaboratively with branch executive and/or Regional Program Administrator and Association Director.
- Ensures the safety and quality of day-to-day operations, including substitutes where needed, staff supervision, family intervention, school connections, and business support.
- Ensures implementation of a developmentally appropriate and multicultural curriculum fostering a progression of skills and social development in all children.
- Demonstrates leadership toward success in program compliance, quality, fiscal health, and sustainability.
- Engages program in YMCA of Greater Boston Initiatives for Child Development. including curriculum, assessments, and Kindergarten readiness.
- Develops a comprehensive daily program schedule with monthly themes that engage children and are inclusive of all.
- Ensures implementation of policies, procedures, parent meetings, staff development, and a learning-based, child-centered curriculum; staff development, supervision, and accountability.
- Ensures the safety and protection of every child through structured activity. protocol, and diligent hiring practices.
- Develops and maintains a parent advisory committee (to help facilitate goals, programming priorities, and parent engagement).
- Evaluates the performance of Early Education staff and review these evaluations annually with the Child Development Team Leader.
- Prepares and submits in a timely fashion all reports required by the Child Development Team and the Greater Boston Y.
- Makes contributions to the annual budget process in consultation with the Child Development Team; administer the budget, take appropriate action to ensure fiscal soundness.
- Maintains a professional image and manner consistent with the YMCA mission and goals.
- Attends designated staff functions, including annual All-Staff Conference and Quarterly Leadership Meetings.
Additional Responsibilities:
- Remains current in required and voluntary training in order to promote growth of mind, spirit and character values for all, and deliver that training to staff.
- Representation of the YMCA in a professional manner within the community and its programs.
- Assurance that programs implement activities and initiatives that are priorities of educational partners, along with those of the YMCA, its strategic plan, and its mission.
- Manage the utilization of third party slots for the surrounding region
- Helping families understand the process of applying for financial assistance, collecting documentation, and staying up to date with required paperwork
- Communicate and collaborate with the billing coordinators and business managers about enrolling families and keeping paperwork up to date to ensure compliance with third party
- Outreach to new school partners to build relationships and develop partnerships
- Develop customer service tools and systems, including tour structures, talking points for programs, etc.
- Additional responsibilities as deemed necessary by supervisor and program needs.
Skills, Knowledge and Expertise
Education and Experience:
- Bachelor's Degree required in Elementary Education or related field
- 4 or more year's professional educational experience supervising staff and developing curriculum
- EEC Qualifications-Lead Infant/Toddler Teacher, Lead Preschool Teacher and Director II Qualified
- Demonstrated understanding of the developmental progression of skills of children and program development
- Commitment to the philosophy and goals of the Y, particularly those identified as outcomes for children participating in YMCA of Greater Boston's programming
- Excellent public relations and conflict resolution skills in order to facilitate positive relationships with parents, staff, children, and outside agencies, including schools, where applicable
- Effective written and oral communication skills
- Concern for detail and accuracy and have the ability to delegate responsibly
Physical Demands:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
- While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, use handles, handle or feel objects, talk and listen. The employee is frequently required to sit and reach with hands and arms.
- The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust.
- Must be able to drive between branches and around the community to attend meetings and events.
Work Environment:
- The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
- Evening work is expected and may be required
Required Training/Certifications:
- Child Abuse Prevention (within 30 days of employment)
- Respect in the Workplace and Sexual Harassment (within 30 days of employment)
- Team Leader Certification
- Others to be determined
YMCA Competencies (Multi-Team Leader):
Mission Advancement: Models and teaches the Y’s values. Ensures a high level of service with a commitment to changing lives. Provides volunteers with orientation, training, development, and recognition. Cultivates relationships to support fund-raising.
Collaboration: Champions inclusion activities, strategies, and initiatives. Builds relationships to create small communities. Empathetically listens and communicates for understanding when negotiating and dealing with conflict. Effectively tailors communications to the appropriate audience. Provides staff with feedback, coaching, guidance and support.
Operational Effectiveness: Provides others with frameworks for making decisions. Conducts prototypes to support the launching of programs and activities. Develops plans and manages best practices through engagement of team. Effectively creates and manages budgets. Holds staff accountable for high-quality results using a formal process to measure progress.
Personal Growth: Shares new insights. Facilitates change; models adaptability and an awareness of the impact of change. Utilizes non-threatening methods to address sensitive issues and inappropriate behavior or performance. Has the functional and technical knowledge and skills required to perform well; uses best practices and demonstrates up-to-date knowledge and skills in technology.
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Benefits
Why work at the Y?
The YMCA of Greater Boston is an incredible place to have a fulfilling career or enjoy part-time employment — all while we are supporting and strengthening our communities, because our community is our cause. When you join us in your career here, you can look forward to:
- Developing your leadership skills in a caring, challenging & diverse working environment.
- Exploring a wide range of opportunities as you learn new skills and functions.
- Shaping the future of young children while making a difference each day for our communities and each other.
- Engaging in YMCA career training programs and working alongside those who have the same passion.
- A healthy work/life balance
- Comprehensive benefits including:
- FREE YMCA Membership for you.
- Discount on Specialty Programs like Personal Training and Swimming Lessons.
- Discounted or FREE family membership.
- Robust Retirement Plan up to 10%. (see eligibility requirement)
- Health, Dental, and Vision Benefit Package.
- Vacation and Sick Time (PT receive sick time)