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Center Director – Premier Early Childhood Education Center
- Northern New Jersey | Full-Time | $70,000–$80,000+
A nationally recognized, high-performing early childhood education center in Northern New Jersey is seeking an experienced and dynamic Center Director to lead daily operations, support faculty excellence, and continue delivering an exceptional experience for children and families.
This opportunity is ideal for a proven childcare leader who thrives in a fast-paced, relationship-driven environment and is passionate about operational excellence, team development, and family engagement.
Our school is part of a premier early childhood education franchise system and is recognized among the top-performing schools nationwide for enrollment, parent satisfaction, accreditation, and operational performance.
What We Offer:
- Competitive salary: $70,000–$80,000+ based on experience and qualifications
- Health, Dental, and Vision benefits
- Simple IRA with company match
- PTO + Sick Time
- Paid Holidays (including closure between Christmas and New Year’s)
- Childcare Tuition Benefit (space permitting)
- Ongoing professional development and franchise training
- Supportive ownership and collaborative leadership environment
About the School
- Established and thriving school serving children ages 6 weeks through 6 years
- Year-round program with robust enrollment
- NAEYC Accredited
- NJ Grow Accredited
- Nationally Recognized within the franchise's top performers
- Strong community reputation and family retention
- Beautiful suburban campus with supportive ownership and leadership structure
Position Summary
The Center Director serves as the operational and cultural leader of the school and is responsible for:
- Managing day-to-day school operations
- Leading, coaching, and retaining faculty and administrative staff
- Ensuring compliance with New Jersey childcare licensing regulations as well as NAEYC accreditation standards
- Driving enrollment retention and family satisfaction
- Conducting tours and supporting enrollment growth
- Maintaining high standards across classrooms, staffing, and customer experience
- Partnering closely with ownership and Assistant Directors to support continued excellence
- Demonstrating a dedication to providing the “best of the best” to our staff, families, and children.
This role requires a leader who is proactive, highly organized, professional, and capable of balancing operational execution with strong people leadership.
What We’re Looking For Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree required – in education or business.
- Minimum 1 year of experience as a Center Director
- Strong knowledge of staffing, ratios, NJ licensing, compliance, and center operations
- Experience hiring, coaching, and retaining faculty
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills
- Professional presence and presentation
The Ideal Candidate
You are:
- A proactive leader who anticipates challenges before they arise
- A strong communicator and relationship-builder; customer-service oriented
- Comfortable leading teams with accountability and empathy
- Operationally minded with excellent attention to detail
- Able to receive feedback constructively and continuously improve
- Passionate about maintaining the highest of standards and positive culture
Why Join Us?
This is an opportunity to lead a respected, high-performing school with:
- Strong enrollment and reputation
- Supportive ownership
- Established leadership infrastructure
- Engaged families and dedicated faculty
- Clear operational systems and professional development support
Note: This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. Employee may perform other related duties as assigned to meet the ongoing needs of the organization.