Early Childhood Assistant Director - JCCs of North America

Location and Job Title:

Early Childhood Assistant Director
Jewish Community Center of the Lehigh Valley
702 N. 22nd St.
Allentown, PA 18104

Principal Responsibilities:

The Early Childhood Assistant Director is an integral part of the Early Childhood supervisory team which creates and maintains a positive learning environment for children, families, and employees. The Early Childhood Assistant Director helps ensure that the school operates in accordance with organizational and state licensing standards to provide a safe, nurturing, and educational environment. The Early Childhood Assistant Director will be an active and engaged partner in planning for the school's strategic goals. The Early Childhood Assistant Director provides exceptional customer service to families, provides supervision of teachers and programs, and helps to create a sense of community while exuding a strong, confident yet approachable leadership presence.

It is anticipated that the Early Childhood Assistant Director will transition to the Early Childhood Director position at some point in the future. This position is poised for growth, and those currently in assistant director or similar positions in search of career opportunities are strongly encouraged to apply!

Essential Job Functions:

General Duties

• Assist with the creation and implementation of a strategic plan for program growth and programmatic excellence
• Assist with the recruitment and enrollment processes, including marketing, new student outreach and tours
• Communicate regularly and proactively with families to enhance and maintain strong relationships with parents
• Develop community partnerships with schools and agencies

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Supervise classroom teachers, providing mentorship, support, real-time feedback, and formal evaluations.
• Review, create, implement, and evaluate classroom curriculum and lesson plans in collaboration with classroom teachers and other supervisory and support staff
• Be the first point of contact for teachers and parents, independently addressing concerns and problem solving situations that occur on a daily basis
• Maintain student and teacher files in accordance with state requirements
• Provide classroom coverage when additional teachers are needed to fulfill required ratios

Additional Duties

• Assist with managing all day-to-day operations of the Early Childhood program.
• Ensure the health and safety of all children, and provide nurturing, responsive, quality care, addressing each children's individual needs.
• Create a positive, warm, individualized, nurturing, environment for children; encourage inquiry and open-ended thought.
• Maintain confidentiality.

Minimum Qualifications:

Job Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited university in early childhood development, education, school administration, or a related field.
• A minimum of 5 years of experience working full-time with young children in an educational environment, and an understanding of child development best practices for early childhood.
• A minimum of 2 years of experience working in an early childhood, JCC, or similar environment in a leadership or management role.
• A director's credential from the Pennsylvania Key or the ability to obtain it within the first three months of employment.
• Excellent organizational, written and verbal communication skills, with technological proficiency (Microsoft Word and Excel).
• Pediatric CPR, First Aid and AED certification or the ability to obtain it within the first three months of employment.
• Understanding of and sensitivity to cultural differences both within and outside the Jewish community. Familiarity with, or willingness to learn, about Jewish culture and customs.
• Ability to pass required state and federal background checks.

Salary:

$45,000 - $55,000

Agency Information:

About the JCC of the Lehigh Valley

The JCC of the Lehigh Valley is a non-profit community center, whose mission is to build community through educational and recreational programs inspired by Jewish values. We offer a wide array of programs for children and adults of all ages, and we are open to all members of our local community regardless of background. Our goal is to create vibrancy, richness and meaning in the lives of our members and the greater Lehigh Valley community.

The JCC has served the greater Lehigh Valley since 1918, when members of the Jewish community opened a facility on 6th Street. In 1958, the JCC moved to its present home at 22nd and Tilghman St. As the needs of the community have grown, so have the facilities and services offered at the JCC. Our campus houses more than 85,000 square feet of meeting rooms, classrooms, a 600-seat open auditorium, recreational facilities including a full size gymnasium, an indoor pool, squash courts, and a fitness center. Our early childhood program, after-school program and Camp JCC summer day camp offer educational and social opportunities for children of all ages.

This thriving community organization currently serves some over 15,000 members and non-members from the 55 greater Lehigh Valley zip codes. Dedicated to the physical cultural and educational enrichment of individuals and families, the JCC continues to play a significant role in the Greater Lehigh Valley community.