Early Learning Site Administrator

We are hiring in Waukegan, IL and Beach Park, IL.

Start Early Lake County provides high-quality care, best-in-class education, and a stimulating learning environment to children from birth to five years old. As a program that serves low-income families, Start Early’s research-based program helps children develop the literacy, language, early math, and social-emotional skills they need to succeed in kindergarten and beyond.

We are recruiting individuals who want to join us in this mission and share a commitment to our core values of appreciation & respect, empowerment, diversity, excellence, learning, and communication.

As the Site Administrator, you will provide leadership, training, monitoring and support to Start Early’s directly-operated early learning centers in Lake County. This will entail overseeing and managing operations and programmatic plans and collaborating with agency leadership to ensure agency and funder guidelines for the program are met. In collaboration with other Start Early departments, the Site Manager will design, manage, integrate and implement management systems and procedures to ensure the delivery of comprehensive early childhood education and care, family support, health, nutrition, mental health and social services to participating families and children. ?

When you join our team as a Site Administrator, you will:

• Establish collaborative working relationships with other agency staff and outside stakeholders and partners.
• Cultivate a positive school culture and a professional and respectful work environment.
• Ensure that Start Early’s mission and core values are integrated into decision-making and daily work and that reflective practices are implemented.
• Provide overall oversight of school to ensure adherence with the Federal Head Start Program Performance Standards, ISBE Preschool for All/Prevention Initiative requirements, DCFS licensing guidelines, Start Early policies and procedures, and mandates from all funders and regulatory agencies.
• Maintain fiscal oversight and administrative compliance.
• Leads school leadership team in ensuring positive outcomes from monitoring visits, reviews, and assessments performed by funders, accreditation, and others.
• Maintains required state and local licenses; implements and submits sanitation and safety procedures to appropriate parties; and participates in evaluation of services.
• Develops and implements an ongoing monitoring plan of program in all content areas to ensure service delivery meets the standards established by Start Early, funders, and accrediting bodies.
• Directly supervises and provides individual reflective supervision to the Education Coordinators, Family Support Specialists, and other members of the schools’ leadership team.
• Ensures the development of individualized professional development plans for all school staff.
• Participates in the interviewing and selection of school staff and consultants, adhering to policies and guidelines of Start Early and funders.
• Conducts regular staff meetings and ensures timely, ongoing communication with team about Start Early and external partner updates.
• Engages school team in shared decision-making and intentionally plans opportunities for input.
• Oversees parent meetings, trainings, and activities in collaboration with family support specialists.
• Ensures that reports are completed and submitted on time to Start Early, funders, and regulatory agencies and that goals, objectives, and activities are tracked.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education or Social Services (or related field).
• Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education preferred.
• Management experience with three to five years of experience in Early Childhood Education.
• Gateways Director Level Three preferred.
• Advanced proficiency in theories and principles of child growth, development and early childhood education.
• Advanced knowledge of and ability to implement early childhood curriculum and developmentally appropriate practice for the specific age group (0-3 or 3-5) and be able to remain abreast of developments in the child development field.
• Advanced knowledge of and ability to assess, analyze, and interpret Head Start Program Performance Standards, State and local licensing requirements and Start Early’s philosophy.
• Ability to address mental health challenges and work with children with disabilities.
• Highly able to optimally train and mentor instructing staff in small or large groups.
• Communicate optimally and function well with parents, staff and various professional community groups.
• Uses Touchpoints principles and assumptions to develop and sustain positive relationships with key stakeholders.
• Deep commitment in advancing diversity, racial equity, and inclusion into organizational routines and practice.
• Effectively establish and maintain effective relationships with customers and gain their trust and respect.
• Comfort and experience in handling risk and uncertainty to move work forward.

Salary: $110,000 - $125,000

We believe that all employees should be paid fairly and equitably. As of the time of this posting, this is the expected base annual salary range. The base annual salary will be based on a wide range of factors, including skills, qualifications, experience, as well as business needs and limitations.

Our generous benefit plan includes: Comprehensive Health Plans, Commitment to Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion, Holistic Wellness Program, Professional Development Program, 401k Contribution, Paid Volunteer Days, 6-months paid parental leave and much more.

Start Early is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to our core values by creating an inclusive environment for all staff.