Position Overview Kid's Haven Child Care & Preschool is seeking an energetic, dependable, and relationship-focused Director to lead our new Monticello location. This is a unique opportunity to help open and establish a brand-new Kid's Haven center while building a strong team, positive culture, and high-quality early childhood program from the ground up. The Monticello Director will be responsible for the overall leadership and daily operation of the center, including staffing, enrollment, family relationships, licensing compliance, classroom quality, scheduling, training, and center organization. At Kid's Haven, our priorities begin with the health and safety of children, high-quality care through intentional interactions, and leading children, families, and staff with kindness and empathy. We believe strong relationships are the foundation for everything else we do. The ideal candidate is a hands-on leader who is comfortable being present throughout the center, coaching employees, solving problems, communicating with families, and stepping in wherever needed. Because this is a new location, the Director will play an important role in establishing expectations and creating a center culture that reflects Kid's Haven from day one. Key Responsibilities Lead the opening and ongoing operation of the Kid's Haven Monticello location. Help build a strong center culture that reflects Kid's Haven's expectations for safety, quality, relationships, kindness, empathy, flexibility, and accountability. Oversee daily center operations and ensure classrooms are appropriately staffed and operating safely. Recruit, interview, onboard, train, coach, and retain qualified employees. Develop staff schedules and adjust staffing throughout the day based on enrollment, attendance, ratios, and center needs. Provide consistent leadership and direction to teachers, assistant teachers, aides, and other center staff. Maintain an active presence in classrooms and throughout the center rather than managing solely from the office. Ensure employees understand and consistently follow Kid's Haven policies, procedures, and expectations. Conduct staff check-ins, coaching conversations, performance evaluations, and corrective action when necessary. Support teachers in creating nurturing, organized, engaging, and developmentally appropriate classroom environments. Oversee implementation of Creative Curriculum, Teaching Strategies, and Kid's Haven programming expectations. Promote intentional teacher-child interactions and relationship-based care. Ensure classrooms provide opportunities that support children's social-emotional, physical, language, and cognitive development. Maintain compliance with Minnesota DCYF child care licensing requirements, Rule 3, background study requirements, staff qualifications, training requirements, ratios, supervision requirements, health and safety standards, and other applicable regulations. Prepare for licensing visits and promptly address any compliance concerns. Maintain accurate employee, child, licensing, training, and center documentation. Build positive, professional relationships with children and families. Communicate openly and respectfully with families regarding enrollment, transitions, classroom experiences, concerns, and center expectations. Address family concerns promptly while maintaining confidentiality and professionalism. Oversee new family enrollment and help grow the Monticello center toward enrollment and capacity goals. Conduct tours and provide prospective families with a welcoming and informative introduction to Kid's Haven. Monitor classroom enrollment, staffing needs, and upcoming transitions to support continued center growth. Partner with Kid's Haven leadership on marketing, community outreach, enrollment initiatives, and special events. Build relationships within the Monticello community and positively represent Kid's Haven. Monitor center expenses, staffing costs, purchasing, and operational needs while maintaining high standards of care. Ensure the building is clean, organized, safe, welcoming, and prepared for children and families each day. Communicate promptly with Kid's Haven leadership when additional support is needed. Complete additional leadership and operational responsibilities as needed to support the success of the center. Leadership Expectations The Monticello Director will be expected to lead by example. This means being willing to step into classrooms, support staff, interact with children, communicate with families, solve problems, and provide clear direction. Kid's Haven is a fast-paced and flexible child care environment. Every day may look different, and the Director must be able to adjust plans while continuing to prioritize safety, quality, and relationships. We are looking for a Director who can balance kindness and empathy with clear expectations and accountability. Strong leadership at Kid's Haven means helping employees understand not only what is expected, but why our policies and procedures matter. Qualifications Must meet all applicable Minnesota DCYF qualifications for a Child Care Center Director. Previous leadership, supervisory, or management experience in child care or early childhood education strongly preferred. Previous experience working directly with children in a licensed child care or early childhood setting preferred. Strong understanding of child development and developmentally appropriate practices. Knowledge of Minnesota child care licensing requirements and Rule 3 preferred. Experience supervising, coaching, training, and evaluating employees. Ability to develop schedules and manage staffing based on enrollment and licensing ratios. Strong organizational and time-management skills. Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Ability to professionally communicate with families, employees, licensing representatives, community partners, and Kid's Haven leadership. Comfortable addressing difficult situations and holding employees accountable when expectations are not being met. Ability to maintain confidentiality and professional boundaries. Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to make sound decisions in a busy environment. Dependable, flexible, approachable, and willing to assist wherever needed. Must complete all required background studies, training, certifications, and continuing education required by Minnesota licensing and Kid's Haven. What Success Looks Like A successful Monticello Director will build a center where: Children are safe, cared for, and genuinely known by their teachers. Families feel welcomed, informed, and confident in the care their children receive. Employees understand their expectations and feel supported, trained, and accountable. Classrooms are organized, intentional, engaging, and compliant. Policies and procedures are consistently followed—not only when leadership or licensing is present. Staffing and enrollment continue to grow alongside one another. Problems are addressed proactively instead of being allowed to grow. Leadership is visible and accessible throughout the center. Kindness, empathy, relationships, honesty, and appropriate boundaries guide interactions. The Monticello location develops a strong reputation within the community for high-quality child care and preschool education. About Kid's Haven Kid's Haven Child Care & Preschool provides care for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and school-age children. Our programs focus on creating safe, nurturing environments where children can learn through relationships, play, exploration, and intentional experiences. We believe children need to feel seen, heard, safe, and valued before meaningful learning can occur. We bring that same philosophy to our relationships with families and employees. The opening of Kid's Haven Monticello is an exciting opportunity to establish a new center while carrying forward the values, expectations, and quality that define Kid's Haven. If you are a motivated early childhood leader who enjoys building teams, developing relationships, solving problems, and creating environments where children and employees can succeed, we would love to hear from you.

Pay:

$48,000.00 - $63,000.00 per year

Benefits:

401(k) 401(k) matching Dental insurance Employee discount Health insurance Paid time off Professional development assistance Retirement plan Tuition reimbursement

Work Location:

In person