Executive Director

About the role

The Goddard School of Oklahoma City – Gaillardia opened in January 2026 and has quickly built a strong reputation among families in one of the city's most sought-after communities. Enrollment is growing, the leadership team is capable and engaged, and ownership is committed to building a school that sets the standard for early childhood education in Oklahoma City. We are seeking an Executive Director to serve as the school's senior operating leader.

Responsibilities

• Direct recruiting, retention, and engagement strategy for faculty and staff.

• Coach and develop the Director and administrative team into confident, accountable leaders.

• Establish clear performance expectations, recognize excellence, and address underperformance early and constructively.

• Build a culture in which strong educators choose to stay and grow.

• Lead staffing strategy, scheduling, and labor management.

• Ensure continuous compliance with Oklahoma Human Services licensing standards, Goddard Systems quality assurance standards, and all health and safety requirements.

• Identify recurring operational problems and replace them with durable processes.

• Own the enrollment strategy, including inquiry and lead management, tour experience and conversion, waitlist management, classroom utilization, and family retention.

• Understand why families choose the school, and why prospective families do not.

• Lead local marketing and community engagement: employer partnerships, pediatric and medical referral relationships, realtor and neighborhood outreach, community events, online reputation, and grassroots visibility across northwest Oklahoma City.

• Serve as a visible, trusted presence for families.

• Manage to the key drivers of the business: enrollment, tuition revenue, labor cost relative to enrollment, classroom utilization, and operating expenses.

• Contribute to budgeting and forecasting and act on variances.

• Define and maintain the school's key performance indicators.

• Deliver concise, regular business reviews to ownership with recommendations rather than open questions.

• Identify improvement opportunities and new initiatives, and enable ownership to focus on strategic growth rather than daily operations.

Qualifications

• Education (Required): Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in early childhood education, child development, elementary education, educational leadership, business administration, or a related field. Master's degree in educational leadership, early childhood education, business administration, or a related field is strongly preferred and reflected in compensation.

• Experience (Required): Candidates should come from one of two backgrounds: Early childhood executive: Seven or more years in licensed childcare or early education, including at least three years in a senior leadership role such as Executive Director, Regional or Area Director, Multi-Site Director, Director of Operations, or leader of a large, high-performing center; or School administrator: Seven or more years in education, including at least three years as a principal, assistant principal, or head of school with direct responsibility for staff supervision, budgets, family relations, and compliance, and meaningful exposure to early childhood or pre-K programs.

• Licensing & Certifications (Required): Ability to meet all Oklahoma Human Services (OKDHS) Child Care Services requirements for a center director, including OKDHS background checks and fingerprinting. Oklahoma Director's Credential (ODC) through the Oklahoma Professional Development Registry/CECPD, or the ability to obtain it within an agreed timeframe after hire. Current Pediatric CPR and First Aid certification, or the ability to obtain within 30 days of hire. Completion of OKDHS-required orientation and annual professional development hours.

Skills

• Success leading a sizable team of educators and administrators, including the development of Directors, assistant principals, or other managers rather than direct supervision of teachers alone.

• Hands-on experience with enrollment or student recruitment, staffing and labor management, budgeting, licensing or accreditation compliance, family satisfaction, and employee retention.

• A working command of the financial and operational drivers of a tuition-based school or childcare business.

• A documented record of enrollment growth or a successful school or center turnaround.

• Familiarity with Oklahoma's Reaching for the Stars quality rating program or NAEYC accreditation.

• Established relationships within the Oklahoma City education, medical, or business community.

Benefits

• Base salary of $70,000–$85,000, commensurate with education, credentials, and experience.

• Annual performance bonus potential tied to a balanced set of school metrics, including enrollment and capacity utilization, faculty retention, family satisfaction, labor efficiency, and licensing and quality standards.

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance.

• 401(k) retirement plan.

• Paid time off.

• Employer-supported professional development, including credential and training costs required for the role.

Pay

Base salary of $70,000–$85,000, commensurate with education, credentials, and experience.

Schedule

Hours may vary depending on the needs of the school, but generally require a significant amount of travel and interaction with families and staff.