Find & Apply For Preschool / Childcare Director Jobs in Buena Park, California

Academy Director - Kiddie Academy, Orange County, California Kiddie Academy is one of the nation's leading providers of educational child care, and we continue to grow throughout Orange County. We are seeking a passionate, experienced, and results-driven Academy Director to lead one of our schools. We are looking for either an experienced Child Care Center Director or a highly experienced Assistant Director who is ready to advance into a Director role and take full responsibility for leading a successful Academy. If you are seeking a long-term career with opportunities for professional growth, leadership development, and the ability to make a meaningful impact on children, families, and educators, we would love to hear from you. Starting compensation is based on education, experience, qualifications, and references. Additional compensation opportunities are available based on successful performance, enrollment growth, and the continued success of the Academy. Position Summary The Academy Director provides leadership and accountability for the overall operation and success of the school, including educational quality, enrollment, staffing, family satisfaction, licensing compliance, employee development, and day-to-day operations. The Director is expected to be a visible, hands-on leader who takes ownership of the Academy's performance while creating an exceptional environment for children, families, and staff and supporting Kiddie Academy's mission of "Awakening Possibilities through Life Essentials®." Leadership & Staff Development  Recruit, hire, develop, and retain exceptional educators and support staff.  Maintain appropriate staffing levels through proactive recruiting, hiring, and succession planning.  Prepare and manage weekly staffing schedules while maintaining appropriate classroom ratios.  Ensure employee licensing, training, and personnel requirements remain current and compliant.  Train, mentor, coach, and evaluate employees using established performance-management tools.  Hold team members accountable while creating a positive, professional, and collaborative workplace culture.  Promote employee engagement, professional development, and retention.  Recognize outstanding performance and recommend merit increases when appropriate. Operations & Financial Management  Take ownership of the Academy's overall operational performance.  Monitor enrollment, staffing, expenses, family satisfaction, and other key performance indicators.  Identify problems early and develop solutions before they negatively affect children, families, employees, or Academy operations.  Assist upper management with budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning.  Manage expenses within approved budgets and company guidelines.  Oversee vendor relationships and ensure accurate documentation of financial transactions.  Maintain a clean, safe, professional, and welcoming Academy environment.  Identify maintenance and safety concerns promptly and follow through until they are fully resolved. Licensing, Safety & Compliance  Maintain a strong professional relationship with California Community Care Licensing and other regulatory agencies.  Ensure continuous compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local regulations and Kiddie Academy policies and procedures.  Maintain required licensing documentation and records.  Ensure classrooms and common areas consistently meet health, safety, supervision, and licensing requirements.  Complete all required professional development and licensing training.  Lead accreditation efforts and maintain the Academy's quality standards.  Promptly identify, document, escalate, and follow through on licensing, safety, or operational concerns until they are resolved. Family Engagement & Enrollment  Deliver outstanding customer service to current and prospective families.  Respond promptly and professionally to enrollment inquiries.  Conduct engaging Academy tours and clearly communicate Kiddie Academy's programs, curriculum, and philosophy.  Consistently follow up with prospective families and enrollment leads.  Build strong relationships with existing families and proactively address concerns.  Promote family satisfaction and identify opportunities to strengthen retention.  Support enrollment growth and achievement of Academy enrollment goals.  Create newsletters and other professional Academy communications.  Represent the Academy positively within the local community. Educational Excellence  Support teachers in effectively implementing Kiddie Academy's proprietary Life Essentials® Curriculum.  Conduct regular classroom observations and provide meaningful coaching and feedback.  Ensure developmentally appropriate practices are consistently implemented.  Promote high standards for classroom quality, supervision, engagement, and professionalism.  Lead staff meetings, professional-development sessions, family events, open houses, and community activities.  Champion new initiatives and continuous improvement throughout the Academy. Qualifications Candidates must meet California Community Care Licensing Title 22 Director qualification requirements, including applicable education and experience requirements.  Education and Early Childhood Education/Child Development coursework sufficient to meet California licensing requirements for the position.  Required Early Childhood Administration coursework.  Qualifying experience required by California Community Care Licensing for a Child Care Center Director.  Previous experience as a Child Care Center Director or substantial Assistant Director experience with demonstrated readiness to advance into a Director role.  Strong knowledge of child development and developmentally appropriate practices.  Experience training, mentoring, coaching, and managing employees.  Strong leadership, organizational, decision-making, and problem-solving abilities.  Excellent written and verbal communication skills.  Strong interpersonal and customer-service skills.  The ability to work independently, take ownership, and follow through on responsibilities.  The ability to lead a collaborative team while maintaining clear standards and accountability.  A strong commitment to children, families, educators, and educational excellence. Why Join Kiddie Academy?  Competitive compensation based on experience and qualifications.  Additional performance-based compensation opportunities.  Growth and advancement opportunities.  Supportive and experienced leadership team.  Professional development opportunities.  Meaningful work that makes a difference in children's lives.  Stable, long-term career opportunity with a nationally recognized child care organization. Benefits  401(k)  Health insurance  Paid time off  Employee discount If you are an experienced Director—or a highly experienced Assistant Director ready to take the next step in your career—and you are passionate about early childhood education, leadership, enrollment growth, and building an exceptional environment for children, families, and educators, we would love to hear from you. Join our growing Orange County Kiddie Academy team and help lead an Academy to continued

Pay:

$26.00 - $33.00 per hour Expected hours: 40.0 per week

Benefits:

401(k) Employee discount Health insurance Paid time off

Work Location:

In person