Director of Early Childhood Education – Sipe’s Orchard Home

About the role

Sipe’s Orchard Home serves 4-5 year old children through two North Carolina Pre-Kindergarten (NCPK) classrooms at its Tyndall Center. The Director of Early Childhood Education provides strategic and operational leadership for Sipe’s Orchard Home’s licensed NCPK program and other early childhood education initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Provide visionary leadership for all early childhood education programs, ensuring alignment with Sipe’s Orchard Home’s mission, strategic priorities, and North Carolina Pre-K standards.
• Lead the ongoing development, implementation, and evaluation of high-quality early childhood programming that supports children’s cognitive, language, physical, social, and emotional development.
• Develop annual program goals, monitor outcomes, and implement continuous quality improvement initiatives.
• Foster a positive, inclusive, and nurturing learning environment where every child can thrive.
• Represent the organization in early childhood education initiatives and community partnerships.
• Ensure implementation of developmentally appropriate curriculum aligned with NC Pre-K requirements.
• Oversee lesson planning, classroom observations, instructional coaching, and assessment practices.
• Promote evidence-based instructional strategies and innovative teaching practices that enhance children’s learning experiences.
• Monitor student progress and support teachers in differentiating instruction to meet individual developmental needs.
• Ensure classrooms maintain high standards of safety, quality, and educational excellence.
• Recruit, supervise, coach, and evaluate 2 Lead Teachers, 2 assistant teachers, and other program staff as needed.
• Foster a collaborative, supportive, and accountable team culture grounded in continuous improvement.
• Develop individualized professional growth plans for teaching staff and provide ongoing coaching and mentoring.
• Carefully coordinate required professional development, including compliance with DCDEE regulations.
• Encourage reflective practice and continuous learning across the educational team.
• Build strong, collaborative relationships with families, recognizing parents and caregivers as essential partners in children’s education.
• Establish systems for effective communication regarding children’s development, classroom activities, and program expectations.
• Develop partnerships with schools, community organizations, and early childhood agencies that strengthen services and expand opportunities for children and families.
• Promote family engagement through educational events, workshops, and volunteer opportunities.
• Ensure full compliance with all DCDEE, licensing, health and safety, and accreditation requirements.
• Maintain accurate program documentation, student records, and regulatory reporting.
• Develop and implement policies and procedures that support operational excellence and regulatory compliance.
• Monitor classroom environments to ensure safe, healthy, and developmentally appropriate learning spaces.
• Lead licensing visits, audits, and quality assurance reviews.
• Develop and manage the annual program budget in collaboration with organizational leadership.
• Monitor expenditures and allocate resources to maximize program effectiveness.
• Identify opportunities to secure grants, partnerships, and additional funding that support program growth and sustainability.
• Ensure efficient utilization of staff, materials, facilities, and educational resources.

Qualifications

• Level III childcare administrative credential.
• Strong background in curriculum development, teaching, and classroom management.
• Demonstrated success in strategic planning, management, and leadership roles within educational settings.
• Experience in fundraising activities to support program growth and sustainability.
• Excellent public speaking skills to advocate for early childhood education initiatives effectively.
• Supervising experience with a track record of developing high-performing teams of educators.
• Knowledge of budgeting processes and resource management within educational organizations.
• A deep commitment to early childhood education and a belief in every child’s ability to succeed.
• Strong instructional leadership and curriculum expertise.
• Exceptional relationship-building skills with children, families, educators, and community partners.
• The ability to inspire, mentor, and develop high-performing educational teams.
• Excellent organizational, analytical, and problem-solving abilities.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Sound judgment, professionalism, integrity, and emotional intelligence.
• A collaborative leadership style that balances accountability with encouragement.
• Cultural competence and an understanding of trauma-informed educational practices.
• Flexibility, adaptability, and a commitment to continuous improvement.

Benefits

• Employee Assistance Program
• Employer-paid life insurance
• Retail savings plan
• Professional development assistance
• Paid time off and paid holidays
• Opportunities for ongoing leadership development and continuing education

Pay

$45,000 to $50,000 commensurate with experience and qualifications.

Schedule

Full-time leadership position.