Program Director, Early Childhood Center

About the role

The Program Director provides full operational oversight of the Compass Children’s Center, ensuring health, safety, quality, and compliance of early childhood education and family support services.

Key responsibilities

• Lead all center operations, curriculum implementation, family engagement, fiscal management, and regulatory compliance.
• Develop and maintain high‑quality early childhood education programs aligned with California Curriculum Frameworks and recognized quality frameworks (DRDP, QRIS, CLASS, ASQ, ASQ‑SE).
• Prepare reports for government and community funders and ensure NAEYC accreditation requirements are met.
• Supervise Assistant Program Director, site supervisors, speech‑language pathologist, family service coordinator, and early intervention specialist, including hiring, training, and professional development.
• Represent the center in internal leadership meetings, cross‑program collaborations, and community outreach.
• Manage the annual operating budget, oversee expenditures, and ensure responsible stewardship of public and private funds.

Required profile

• BA or MA in Early Childhood Education, Special Education, or related field.
• Program Director Permit and 6 units of infant‑toddler ECE (or eligibility).
• Minimum five years of experience supervising staff.
• Strong knowledge of Title 5 and Title 22 regulations; familiarity with NAEYC standards is a plus.
• Fluency in Spanish strongly desired.
• CPR, First Aid, and infectious disease prevention certification; health screening, TB and fingerprint clearance required.

Required skills

• Implementation of DRDP, QRIS, CLASS, ASQ, and ASQ‑SE assessment systems.
• Curriculum development based on California Curriculum Frameworks.
• Budget development and fiscal management.
• Regulatory compliance with local, state, and federal standards.
• Family engagement and parent advisory committee facilitation.

What we offer

• Salary $110,000–$120,000 annually (full‑time exempt).
• 4 weeks paid vacation in year 1, 5 weeks in year 2, plus paid holidays, sick time, and family leave.
• Fully covered health, dental, and vision insurance for employee and dependent children.
• Long‑term disability, life insurance, and retirement contributions (5% of salary after one year).