Product Development Director jobs in Ann Arbor, MI

Directors manage the daily operations of our childcare center. They are valuable members of our broader leadership team and report directly to the Owner of the company because we are a smaller childcare center and NOT a corporate environment. Select specific Director duties are:

• Maintain high level of integrity, honesty, commitment to the philosophy of Little Seeds and consistently portray and lead with these qualities.
• Have an open mind that embraces change and ambiguity, as is required in this type of leadership role that can be variable at times
• Prioritize or request assistance prioritizing tasks to ensure that all work is completed timely and adequately.
• Consistently portray a high level of mindfulness and awareness to situations occurring in the center.
• Ensure that the center stays compliant with licensing standards and immediately address any violations of standards or hazards that may arise throughout the center.
• Maintain cleanliness and organization of entire premises, inside and out.
• Oversee daily activities of the center and ensure that all policies, procedures and philosophies are being carried about by teachers.
• Ensure that all classrooms are staffed appropriately at all times (i.e. not over or under-staffed) and go into a classroom as necessary to ensure classrooms are in ratio and under control.
• Help teachers get materials that they need or otherwise assist them with planning so that classroom activities are appropriate and Reggio Emilia philosophy is practiced and learned
• Keep track of employee hours and help minimize unnecessary payroll expenses by ensuring that all employees clocked in are working diligently and always busy.
• Create weekly employee schedule that accommodates the center’s needs. Any overtime must be pre-approved by the owner. (Director)
• Track & organize inventory weekly and prepare lists of items needed. This includes classroom supply lists for upcoming lesson plans/parties, all menu items and any other supplies needed.
• Create the monthly newsletter and draft all communications that go out to parents/families – either electronically, physically or both. (Director)
• Maintain high standards as it relates to safety of the children and immediately address any safety concerns as they arise.
• Responsible for interviewing and facilitating the onboarding of all new hires. The Director is responsible for providing adequate training to all new hires and ensuring that each new hire is set up for success. Responsible for ensuring that all employee files are accurate and up to date, per licensing standards.
• Managing all employee matters, including time off requests, absences, tardiness, failure to perform job functions, etc. The Director is responsible for providing verbal and written reprimands to employees and leading the conversations on these matters & ensuring that employees are performing their jobs according to the job descriptions they were hired for.
• Ensure that an appropriate Reggio Emilia curriculum is being presented in all classrooms.
• Give tours to prospective families and offer them the resources that they need to make decisions. (Director)
• Help parents of currently enrolled children navigate Procare, get the forms they need and assist them with any questions they have as it relates to their child. This includes making sure families are appropriately onboarded
• Address parent concerns in a timely manner. If a concern involves an accident/injury and we are notified after hours, if the injury is severe, parents must be responded to.
• Monitor email inbox(es) and respond to messages within 24-36 hours.
• Ensure all family files and required documents are maintained and accurate.
• Aid in selecting supplies, equipment and materials for purchase.
• Complete ongoing training courses and ensure that employee training files are also complete and updated periodically.
• Occasionally, some weekend or before/after hours work may be expected depending on the situation. The leadership team is expected to be present for all company events/holiday parties/team meetings. Directors must work together to ensure leadership coverage of the whole center on a daily basis.
• Personal cell phone use is expected in this type of role. Calls outside of business hours are not expected to be regular but the leadership team is expected to be reachable when necessary in urgent situations or as it pertains to business needs.

• These responsibilities are subject to change as business needs change.

There are many benefits that team members of smaller organizations can enjoy. Here are a few of the key benefits:

• Paid bi-weekly stipend for personal cell phone use
• Very generous PTO offered (a minimum of 12 days offered per year)
• Paid holidays and time where the center is closed
• Subsidized health insurance pre-tax deductions for employee paid portion
• Flexible scheduling opportunities
• Employer matching 401(k)
• Short term disability (paid maternity, medical leave, etc.) offered
• Significant discounts on childcare tuition
• Starting salary $47,000 and UP based on experience, education and other factors