Job Overview

The Center Director I supervises teaching staff in the Early/Head Start/Parent-Child Education programs, with responsibilities, to include full implementation of policies, procedures, and tools. The individual in this role works collaboratively with all AVANCE teams. The Center Director I supports the ELIM in coaching all teaching staff (teachers, assistant teachers, floaters, cooks, assistant cooks, and substitutes) with the goal of supporting all children to achieve School Readiness Goals.

Job Responsibilities

• Promotes and models the organizations Core Values.
• Acts as the operational lead for the center, ensuring compliance with all program policies/procedures and Head Start/Early Head Start, licensing or other regulations.
• Ensures overall early childhood and family engagement components are in full compliance with Head Start Performance Standards, State Licensing Regulations, Texas Rising Star, and NAEYC (as appropriate).
• Serves as education lead for the center, overseeing implementation of all aspects of education services and provides teachers with supervision, training, and monitoring.
• Supports implementation of the educational content areas to include curriculums, with fidelity.
• Oversees training of new hires (in conjunction with ELIMs); develops, conducts, or arranges other training as needed for staff, parents, and/or volunteers.
• In conjunction with the ELIMs provides coaching support for all teachers.
• Ensures teachers implement a program curriculum that incorporates all elements and meets standards established by AVANCE (in compliance with Early/Head Start/PCEP standards and best practices).
• Oversees and approves the preparation of weekly lesson plans, including student individualization and all other required elements.
• Ensures that teachers integrate goals from Individual Education Program (IEPs) and Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSPs) for children with disabilities (in consultation with ELIMs).
• Ensures the completion of all required child screenings and assessment, including 45- and 90-day requirements for new children and quarterly progress assessments for all children.
• Ensures teachers understand child outcomes data and uses it to improve practice.
• Supports teaching staff in successfully fulfilling all aspects of their role, including but not limited to effective practices in the following: learning environments working with families, meeting childrens needs, and CLASS teacher-child interactions.
• Coordinates with the Family Engagement team to ensure implementation of family services and parent involvement.
• Ensures successful transitioning alongside the Family Engagement staff of children from a center-based setting into a school Pre-K, Head Start Program, or private child development program.
• Responsible for ensuring all required program components and reporting of the Child and Adult Food Care Program (CACFP) are implemented in accordance with program requirements inclusive of reporting responsibilities.
• Supervises cooks and assistant cooks assigned to the center.
• Works in conjunction with ERSEA to ensure full enrollment at the Child Development center.
• Responsible for reporting on maintenance of facilities, materials, and equipment.
• Participates in team meetings, home visits, and community events as needed.
• In conjunction with ELIMs, ensure that they are prepared to step into classrooms to ensure staff/child ratios.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Education

Required:

• Associate degree in early childhood, Child Development, or related field

Certification

Required:

• CLASS Certification (or ability to become certified within 12 months from date of placement in the Center Director I role) for Early Head Start and Head Start.

Work Experience

Required:

• Previous experience teaching in an early childhood setting
• Experience managing an infant/toddler or preschool program
• Experience with supervision, management or coaching preferred
• TXDFPS Licensing Directorship Certification

Additional Skills Required

• First Aid and CPR training.
• Good writing, editing and proofreading skills.
• Proficiency in MS Office software applications, computer literate.
• Spanish fluency helpful, but not required.
• Demonstrated ability to achieve high performance goals and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Organizational skills that reflect ability to perform and prioritize multiple tasks seamlessly.
• Good interpersonal skills and the ability to build relationships with stakeholders, including staff, parents, and external partners.
• Highly resourceful team-player, with the ability to be extremely effective independently
• Forward-looking thinker, who actively seeks opportunities and proposes solutions.
• Ability to travel to various training sessions.
• Must have dependable transportation, valid drivers license, a clean driving record, (subject to annual MVR check and policy), current auto liability insurance, and be bondable by AVANCE, San Antonio, Inc.

Disclaimer (s)

This is not necessarily an all-inclusive list of job-related responsibilities, duties, skills, efforts, requirements or working conditions. While this is intended to be an accurate reflection of the current job, management reserves the right to revise the job or to require that other or different tasks be performed as assigned. Nothing in this job description forms or is intended to form a contract of employment. Neither shall the content in this job description be interpreted to conflict with or to eliminate or modify in any way, the at will employment status of AVANCE San Antonio employees. Employment remains on an at-will basis.

Travel

Travel required locally or long-distance up to 25% of the time for work-related meetings and functions.

Equipment

Computer, computer software programs and peripherals, resource materials and equipment, copier, fax, and other equipment applicable to the position.

Working Conditions

Mental and Physical Demands

General office and sedentary. Regularly required to sit; use hands to handle or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus. Use of personal computing equipment.

Maintain emotional control under stress; work with interruptions and deadlines; walking, standing, stooping, bending, pulling, and pushing; occasional: lifting/carrying, pulling/pushing 10-30 pounds. Work evenings and weekends as needed.

Environmental Factors

ADA/ADAAA Statement

AVANCE is committed to equal opportunity in employment for persons with disabilities and complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), as amended, and any other applicable state and federal laws. Accordingly, AVANCE does not discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities regarding application, hiring, advancement, discharge, compensation, training or other terms, conditions, and privileges of employment. Moreover, it is AVANCEs policy to provide reasonable accommodations in employment to qualified individuals with disabilities so that they can perform the essential functions of the job, unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the operation of AVANCEs business or would change the essential functions of the position. Retaliation against an individual with a disability for utilizing this policy or seeking a reasonable accommodation is prohibited. Individuals with any questions or requests for accommodation should contact the Human Resources Department.

EEO/AAP Statement

AVANCE values diversity and is committed to providing equal employment opportunity to all individuals regardless of their race, color, creed, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, age, sexual orientation, genetic information, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by state, federal, or local law. It is also our goal to employ and advance in employment women, minorities, individuals with disabilities and protected veterans, and to treat qualified individuals without discrimination based on their physical or mental disability or veteran status.