Child Care Program - ASSISTANT

DIRECTOR

Position:

Center Assistant Director Employment Type:

Full-Time Proposed Compensation:

$21.00-$25.00 per hour, commensurate with qualifications and experience

Reports To:

Center Director/Owner

POSITION SUMMARY FWBS

is assisting a client in seeking a highly organized, dependable, and process-oriented Center Assistant Director to help lead the daily administrative and operational functions of the childcare center. This position is ideal for an experienced early childhood professional who is comfortable creating structure, managing multiple priorities, holding others accountable, recruiting and onboarding employees, maintaining accurate records, and ensuring that important tasks are followed through to completion. The Assistant Director will serve as a key operational leader within the center and will be expected to take ownership of assigned responsibilities rather than relying on the Owner/Center Director to manage routine day-to-day matters. This is a hands-on leadership position requiring strong administrative skills, sound judgment, initiative, professionalism, and the ability to lead employees while maintaining positive relationships with children and families.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Center Operations & Administration Assist in managing the center's day-to-day operations. Establish and maintain organized administrative systems and routines. Maintain accurate staff, classroom, enrollment, attendance, and operational records. Maintain current staff and student rosters by classroom. Develop and maintain employee schedules and classroom staffing assignments. Monitor daily staffing levels and coordinate coverage while maintaining required ratios. Maintain an organized calendar of deadlines, training requirements, renewals, inspections, meetings, and other operational obligations. Follow assigned matters through completion without requiring repeated direction or reminders. Identify operational problems and proactively recommend solutions. Staffing, Recruitment & Onboarding Maintain an active recruiting pipeline for teaching and support positions. Post open positions and review applicants. Conduct or coordinate candidate screening and interviews. Check candidate qualifications and required documentation. Coordinate pre-employment requirements and onboarding. Maintain complete and organized personnel files. Monitor employee training and credential requirements. Assist with new-hire orientation. Develop relationships with potential recruiting sources. Help ensure the center maintains sufficient staffing before vacancies become operational emergencies. Staff Leadership & Accountability Serve as a primary point of contact for routine employee questions and operational concerns. Provide employees with clear expectations and direction. Reinforce policies, procedures, schedules, and performance expectations consistently. Address routine attendance, scheduling, classroom, and performance concerns promptly. Document employee coaching, performance concerns, and corrective actions as required. Escalate significant personnel matters to the Center Director when appropriate. Help develop a culture in which employees follow established procedures and appropriate chains of communication rather than relying on the Owner for routine decisions. Licensing & Compliance Assist in maintaining compliance with applicable Ohio childcare licensing requirements and center policies. Maintain required staff and child documentation in an organized and readily accessible manner. Monitor required employee credentials, background checks, medical documentation, training, and other compliance items. Conduct routine reviews of files and center documentation for completeness. Assist with preparation for licensing visits, inspections, audits, and monitoring reviews. Immediately escalate significant health, safety, licensing, staffing, or compliance concerns. Enrollment & Family Administration Maintain accurate enrollment and classroom rosters. Assist with enrollment documentation and family onboarding. Ensure required child records are complete and maintained appropriately. Monitor classroom enrollment and capacity. Respond professionally and timely to routine parent questions and concerns. Escalate significant family concerns to the Center Director as appropriate. Attendance, Billing & Operational Information Help ensure child attendance records are accurate and completed timely. Maintain accurate information regarding enrolled children, schedules, classrooms, and funding/payment sources. Coordinate with the Owner, administrative staff, bookkeeper, consultant, or other designated parties to resolve missing or inconsistent enrollment, attendance, or billing information. Help establish processes to ensure services being provided are properly documented for billing and reimbursement purposes.

THE PERSON WE ARE LOOKING FOR

The successful candidate should be someone who: Is exceptionally organized and detail-oriented. Enjoys creating order, systems, checklists, and repeatable processes. Does not need constant supervision to complete assigned responsibilities. Takes ownership of problems and follows them through resolution. Is comfortable respectfully holding employees accountable. Communicates clearly and professionally. Can prioritize effectively when several things are happening at once. Is comfortable recruiting, interviewing, onboarding, and developing employees. Understands the importance of documentation. Can maintain confidentiality and exercise sound judgment. Is comfortable working in an environment undergoing operational improvement and change. Can build positive relationships while still enforcing expectations. Is willing to say, "I'll handle it," and then make sure it gets handled.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Must meet applicable State of Ohio requirements for the position and responsibilities assigned. Ohio CPL Level 3 Required Prior experience in a licensed childcare or early childhood education environment strongly preferred. Prior supervisory, administrative, Assistant Director, Center Director, or comparable leadership experience preferred. Demonstrated experience with employee scheduling, documentation, compliance, recruitment, or administrative operations strongly preferred. Ability to use email, electronic recordkeeping systems, Microsoft Office/Google Workspace, and other business technology. Must successfully complete all background checks and other requirements applicable to employment in a licensed childcare program.

PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS

The Assistant Director will be expected to help create an operation in which: Current staff and student rosters are readily available and accurate. Employee schedules and classroom assignments are clear. Required personnel and child documentation can be located promptly. Staffing vacancies are actively recruited rather than addressed only after a crisis occurs. Routine employee questions are handled through an established chain of command. Compliance deadlines are tracked and addressed before they become emergencies. Operational issues are documented, assigned, followed up on, and closed. Center leadership can quickly determine who is enrolled, where each child is assigned, who is working, and whether appropriate staffing is available. The center can operate effectively without requiring the Owner to personally manage every routine task, question, or decision.

SUCCESS IN THE FIRST 90 DAYS

Within the first 90 days, the Assistant Director should demonstrate measurable progress toward: Establishing accurate staff and classroom rosters. Establishing reliable employee schedules and classroom assignments. Organizing and reviewing personnel and enrollment documentation. Creating a system for tracking compliance and administrative deadlines. Establishing a consistent employee communication and escalation process. Developing an active recruitment and candidate pipeline. Reducing routine operational interruptions directed to the Owner. Establishing recurring daily, weekly, and monthly administrative routines. Identifying unresolved operational issues and maintaining a process for tracking them through completion. Becoming the primary operational resource for routine center administration. The purpose of this role is not simply to assist the Director. The purpose is to create consistent administrative execution, accountability, and operational continuity throughout the center.

Pay:

$21.00 - $25.00 per hour Expected hours: 30.0 - 40.0 per week

Work Location:

In person