Childcare Center Director Bilingual Spanish/English
About the role
Tierra Encantada, headquartered in Minneapolis, MN, is the leader in Spanish immersion early education®. They provide high-quality language immersion education and care to children 6 weeks through 6 years of age. Our values fuel everything we do: nurturing children's growth, creating intentional learning environments, celebrating diversity, and driving a brighter future for every child, family, and team member.
Position Overview
The Center Director at Tierra Encantada is the cornerstone of our early childhood education center, embodying our commitment to excellence in business operations, educational quality, and customer service. This leadership role requires a dynamic individual who can inspire and lead the center team, foster a strong community, and drive the center towards achieving high enrollment and exceptional educational outcomes. The Center Director should exemplify our core values of Valuing Diversity, being Team Focused, Taking Ownership, and having a Passion for Excellence in every aspect of their role.
Key Responsibilities
Lead the overall performance of the center, including center growth and expense management
Track and respond to key metrics including enrollment, labor and withdrawals
Achieve center FTE targets and improve tour-to-enrollment conversion performance
Execute local marketing, community partnership, referral, and reputation-building opportunities to support enrollment growth, including community outreach and Google review engagement
Build, develop, and retain a high-performing, fully staffed team aligned with Tierra Encantada's values
Maintain staffing levels that support ratio requirements and labor targets at all times
Drive strong retention outcomes for both new hires and tenured team members
Ensure all team members complete onboarding and required training within expected timelines, including licensing-related annual requirements
Conduct regular coaching conversations, onboarding check-ins, and annual performance evaluations
Address performance concerns consistently, including drafting and maintaining corrective action documentation when needed
Manage staffing roles, schedules, time-off requests, workforce planning, and accurate timekeeping
Maintain full compliance with all licensing, health, safety, food program, and company policies
Achieve strong results on inspections, audits, and accreditation reviews
Oversee completion of required safety drills, reporting, and documentation
Maintain complete, accurate, and current child and staff records
Ensure incident reports are completed accurately, resolved promptly, and communicated professionally
Ensure curriculum is implemented with fidelity across all classrooms
Conduct regular classroom observations and provide timely, actionable coaching to improve teaching quality
Ensure lesson plans, classroom environments, and instructional practices meet company standards
Partner with staff and families to support behavior plans and child development needs
Deliver a responsive, relationship-driven family experience that builds trust, satisfaction, and long-term retention
Create a welcoming, inclusive, and high-quality center experience for all families
Ensure each child and family experiences a strong onboarding and transitions experiences
Maintain a clean, safe, and organized center environment at all times
Oversee maintenance needs and ensure timely resolution of facility issues
Position Requirements
Minimum of 2 years of leadership experience, ideally in an educational setting, demonstrating the ability to develop, engage, and inspire teams
Bachelor's degree in Management, Business, Marketing, Early Childhood Education, Child Development, Education, or a related field, or equivalent combination of relevant experience and education
Fluency in both English and Spanish, proficiency in oral and written communication
Familiarity with business functions such as human resources, marketing, and budget management; experience in revenue generation preferred
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Professional maturity, strong work ethic, attention to detail, and proactive attitude
Proven track record of building a supportive team culture focused on professional development and continuous improvement
Organized, adept at multitasking, and skilled in strategic problem-solving
Strong customer service orientation, capable of collaborating effectively across diverse cultures and backgrounds
CPR, First Aid, and Food Protection Manager certification required (or willingness to complete within 90 days of hire)
Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word) and G-Suite (Gmail, Google Docs, Sheets, Drive, Calendar); ability to learn new technologies as needed
Physical Requirements
Requires the ability to frequently walk, stand, climb stairs, crawl, sit, squat, stoop, bend, reach, kneel, rise from the floor, and twist
Requires the ability to carry and lift 25 pounds or less, use repetitive or fine hand movements, and occasionally push, pull, run short distances, and carry and lift 25-50 pounds
Requires excellent long distance and near vision to monitor children's activities both indoors and outdoors in various light conditions, as well as hearing capabilities to respond to children's needs and maintain safety in a moderately noisy environment
Pay and Schedule
This is a full-time, exempt position that works Monday-Friday, with some weekends required occasionally. Base salary range is $59,000 to $65,000 depending on qualifications, education, and experience. This position is eligible for additional compensation in the form of a monthly performance bonus.
Benefits
Medical insurance
Dental insurance
Vision insurance
12 paid holidays
Generous PTO package
401(k) with employer match
Performance bonus
Discounted childcare and waitlist priority for enrollment
Company paid professional development
Additional Information
About The Position: Once a job offer has been accepted, the candidate must pass a background check and fingerprinting. Tierra Encantada is an E-verify employer. Tierra Encantada is an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ancestry, age, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy, military status, veteran status, genetic information, citizenship, disability status, marital status, family status or any other basis prohibited by law. Tierra Encantada is committed to making https://www.tierraencantada.com/ accessible to any and all users. If you would like to contact us regarding the accessibility of our website or need assistance completing the application process, please contact Tierra Encantada Talent Acquisition at careers@tierraencantada.com. This contact information is for accommodation requests only and cannot be used to inquire about the status of applications.