Associate Director

About the Role

Partner with the School Director to oversee daily operations, educational quality, compliance, talent development, enrollment, family engagement, and financial performance. The ideal candidate is organized, proactive, and skilled in planning, coaching, communication, project management, and turning ideas into measurable results.

Responsibilities

• Recruit, hire, onboard, coach, evaluate, develop, recognize, and retain exceptional educators while fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, integrity, and professional growth.
• Oversee daily operations, staffing, payroll, budgeting, records, and compliance with Delaware licensing, DOE, Delaware First, accreditation, and Celebree standards while maintaining safe, organized, and brand-consistent learning environments.
• Plan, prioritize, manage, and execute multiple projects, school initiatives, events, and operational priorities using project management tools to achieve timelines, deliverables, and continuous improvement.
• Conduct classroom observations, provide actionable coaching, develop individualized growth plans, support onboarding and professional development, and identify future leaders through succession planning.
• Build strong relationships with families and community partners, represent the school professionally, coordinate enrollment and family engagement events, and support enrollment growth through exceptional customer service.
• Support achievement of enrollment, retention, staffing, payroll, labor, budget, and financial goals while monitoring KPIs and identifying opportunities for improvement.

Success Indicators

Lead with integrity, professionalism, accountability, and urgency; inspire high-performing teams; execute initiatives with excellence; maintain strong organizational systems; and create an engaging culture where employees, families, and children thrive.

Requirements

• DEEDS Administrator Certification (or equivalent).
• 3–5 years in early childhood education.
• 2+ years of leadership experience in a 100+ enrollment center.
• Demonstrated success leading teams, developing employees, managing projects, improving operations, and using project management systems such as Gantt Charts, Smart Action Plans (SAP), or similar tools.

Skills

• Proficiency with Outlook, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, SharePoint, CapCut or similar platforms.
• Excellent communication, organizational, analytical, and project management skills.
• Ability to manage competing priorities, interpret performance metrics, and translate information into effective action plans.

Leadership Expectations

This is a hands-on leadership role requiring a high-energy, self-starting professional who leads from the front. The Associate Director sets the standard for urgency, professionalism, accountability, and execution through visible leadership, classroom support, staff coaching, family engagement, enrollment efforts, and operational excellence. Success requires initiative, sound judgment, follow-through, and the ability to inspire others through action.

The role includes frequent standing, walking, bending, lifting up to 50 pounds, a valid driver's license for community outreach, and flexibility to alternate opening (6:30 a.m.) and closing (6:30 p.m.) shifts while driving measurable results in school performance.