Early Childhood Development Center Director

About the YMCA

The mission of the Plattsburgh YMCA is to strengthen community through programs that focus on youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility.

Job Summary

The YMCA seeks a mission-driven, highly organized Child Care Center Director to lead and oversee the operations of the YMCA Early Childhood Development Center.

• The ideal candidate will understand and be able to implement Developmentally Appropriate Practices and best practices for an early childhood center serving infants through preschoolers.
• The ideal candidate would be familiar with Continuity of Care Classrooms
• The ideal candidate experience implementing emergent, play-based curriculum
• The ideal candidate would have experience implementing positive guidance and knowledge and skills in conscious discipline
• The Child Care Center Director is expected to maintain high standards of quality and customer service while ensuring strict compliance with New York State Office of Family Services regulations.
• The Early Childhood Development Center Director must have excellent communication skills and be capable of effectively leading, supervising, and training the staff team, resulting in a child care experience that is safe, positive, nurturing, and educational.

Key Responsibilities

Regulatory Compliance: Maintain 100% compliance with New York State Office of Children and Family Services (NYS OCFS) and Department of Health (DOH) standards; lead the center through all inspections and licensing renewals.

Staff Leadership: Recruit, hire, train and coach a qualified and effective staff team, fostering a culture of excellence in the classroom and continuous professional growth.

Financial: Assist in creating and managing the annual budget for the child care center; meeting targets for enrollment, payroll, supplies, equipment, etc. Oversees and maintains a budget and is responsible for overseeing tuition payments.

Curriculum: Oversee the planning and implementation of a developmentally appropriate curriculum that prioritizes hands-on, creative, discovery-based learning, physical activity, and sensory exploration.

Quality Assessment: Utilize assessment tools, including the ITERS (Infant/Toddler Environment Rating Scale) and ECERS (Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale), to routinely evaluate and improve classroom environments, interactions/communication, and staff performance.

Developmental Monitoring: Ensure staff are trained to recognize and support key developmental milestones and create developmental plans for individual children as needed.

Family and Community Engagement: Build and maintain strong relationships and ongoing communication with parents; represent the child care center in the early childhood community and the community at large.

Facilities: Oversee and coordinate the cleaning and maintenance of the child care facility, playgrounds, and grounds.