Center Director – $2,000 Sign On Bonus

About the job
About First Learning

First Learning is one of North America’s largest providers of high-quality early education for children. Founded in 1991 with the opening of Care-a-lot’s first childcare center in Greece, the organization quickly built a strong reputation that fueled growth across the Rochester community and, between 2023 and 2025, expanded further with the addition of Generations Child Care, Storybook Academy, and Windsor Academy. Now operating under the parent company name First Learning, we are proud to be recognized among North America’s Top 50 for-profit childcare organizations by Exchange Magazine and remain deeply committed to delivering exceptional care and education to children and families as we continue to grow.

We care about YOU!

What we offer:

Paid time off and paid holidays
Discounted childcare
Health insurance – including telehealth!
Dental insurance
Education assistance
401k
Life insurance
Employee referral program
Employee assistance program
Abundant opportunities for growth

POSITION: DIRECTOR

Director 1 – Licensed Capacity 0-49

Director 2 – Licensed Capacity 50-99

Director 3 – Licensed Capacity 100+

Pay: $50,000 – $70,000 annually

Purpose:

To be responsible for the leadership, general supervision, management and profitability of the child care center by performing the duties necessary to provide a safe, nurturing and educational environment of the highest quality for children, parents, and staff, and maintaining a quality program so that families remain enrolled in the center and benefit from the Center’s programs and services.

Supervises: All Center Staff

Reports To: Regional Director

Requirements:

Able to observe, see, hear and respond to children’s needs, emergencies and conflicts that might occur in a classroom, on the playground, other Center areas, or on field trips
Able to lift approximately 30 pounds from the floor to a waist high table
Able to reach a child 20 – 30 feet away within 30 seconds
Able to crouch to a child’s height, maintain eye contact at the child’s level, and sit on the floor for extended periods of time
Good health as confirmed by a physician’s statement and proof of being free of tuberculosis
New York State Registry clearance
Criminal History Fingerprint clearance

Responsibilities:

Program / Administration:

Adhering to and enforcing all the policies and procedures of Care-a-lot Child Care and the child care licensing regulations of New York State
Performing work in accordance with governmental laws/state mandates (Health Dept., CACFP, etc.)
Maintaining program quality to meet national accreditation standards
Supervising the implementation of an age and developmentally-appropriate, open-ended program of the highest quality that supports learning through play
Maintaining current customers and promoting the center in the community
Interacting frequently with children in a positive, respectful, responsive and encouraging manner
Maintaining a positive work climate, meeting deadlines and organizing center procedures
Providing timely reports outlining needs, problems, suggestions for improvement, etc.
Communicating frequently and effectively
Maintaining records and keeping necessary written documentation current
Guarding and protecting all information of a confidential manner
Preparing budgets, collecting tuition, maintaining financial records, and meeting earning targets
Supervising general housekeeping and repair of entire center, playground, outdoor space
Purchasing or having available supplies and materials for program and staff
Assisting and rendering staff support to all classrooms and employees as necessary
Delegating responsibilities to an appropriate person in his/her absence
Participating in professional conferences, ongoing training or educational opportunities to remain current in the field
Completing 15 hours of early childhood training within the first 6 months and every year thereafter
Maintaining current Aspire account to record education and training with QualitystarsNY
Taking on additional responsibilities as needed
Personnel/Supervision:
Supervising staff and children in accordance with the laws and regulations of all New York State agencies and Care-a-lot policies
Interviewing, hiring/firing, orienting and supervising subordinates
Developing, coaching and training subordinates, including developing in-service staff training
Supervising staffing schedules, breaks, time off, etc.; providing building coverage as needed
Communicating effectively and directly with all staff
Measuring progress of staff and creating systems to improve, modify and remediate
Participating directly in the classroom as a mentor, role model and back-up staff as needed
Serving in the absence of other staff as necessary
Parental Involvement:
Responding to and orienting current and prospective client inquiries
Developing family relationships and communicating directly with families on a regular basis
Assisting in the development of parent education or support groups

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Knowledge of NYS child care regulations
Knowledge of child development, early childhood education programming, and national accreditation criteria
Knowledge of and ability to supervise developmentally appropriate practices and age appropriate activities
Knowledge of first aid procedures
Effective, professional, timely, courteous, and tactful oral and written communication skills
Effective supervisory skills and role modeling practices
Ability to maintain positive relationships with children, co-workers, and parents
Ability to use sound judgment and tact
Ability to lead and motivate a team
Ability to organize, problem solve and respond to emergencies effectively
Knowledge of community resources
Flexibility (especially in scheduling and practice to respond to program needs)
Creativity and patience
Training and Experience:
B.A. Degree in Early Childhood Education, Child Development or related field OR NYS Administrator Credential AND at least one year each of teaching and supervisory experience;
OR

Associates Degree in ECE or related field
OR

Child Development Assoc. AND at least two years each of teaching and supervisory experience AND a plan of study leading to a Bachelor’s degree or NYS Children’s Program Administrator Credential AND
Prefer one-year experience with office management or financial record keeping AND
Demonstrated commitment to and interest in professional growth through education, work experience and involvement with the early childhood community