Director of Childcare

Are you an experienced child care professional who wants to make a meaningful impact in your community Join the Rockland Harbor YMCA as the Child Care Center Director overseeing three classrooms including the public Pre-K partnership with RSU#13. This is an exciting opportunity for a Child Care leader to work in a supportive caring fun environment while expanding teaching and leadership skills both inside and outside the classroom.

Our Rockland Harbor Child Care center currently has three classrooms from toddlers to preschool. Our Y is a high-quality licensed accredited 5-star QRIS-rated child care center. We offer a caring family-friendly work environment within a mission-driven organization that serves our wonderful Midcoast community.

We seek a responsible kind organized creative individual to lead our dynamic Rockland child care team. join the Y and make a difference in our community!

Logistics:

• Daytime schedule: Monday through Friday between 7:00 am - 5:30 pm. (Keep your nights and weekends free!)
• Opportunity to make a difference in each classroom at the early learning center working with children from infants up to Pre-K.
• This position also currently receives a $240 monthly BONUS from the State of Maine in addition to base pay.

What Youll Do:

• Lead a passionate team to create a safe nurturing and engaging environment for children.
• Develop and implement exciting age-appropriate activities that support childrens growth.
• Communicate with parents to share updates and address any concerns.
• Oversee site-specific program operations while ensuring compliance with safety standards.

What Were Looking For:

• A degree in Early Childhood Education or related field (Bachelors preferred).
• Experience in child care with leadership skills highly valued.
• Strong communication and organizational skills along with a genuine love for working with children and families.
• Proficiency in standard software and readiness to complete required training upon hire.

Why Join Us

• Competitive Benefits PTO paid holidays health dental vision insurance life & disability coverage
• Retirement Program 10% match from the YMCA after two years
• Family Membership Perks Enjoy a free annual YMCA membership ($972 value!)
• A Role That Makes a Difference The PenBay Y is a community cornerstone where all people can connect grow and thrive. YOU are a vital part of that vision.

Essential Functions

• Supervise and support childcare staff ensuring adherence to program policies and best practices.
• Provide classroom coverage and assist with lesson planning and activities as needed.
• Implement an age-appropriate curriculum that fosters childrens physical emotional and social development.
• Ensure childrens safety and well-being in a clean secure environment.
• Manage daily operations including staff scheduling and program oversight and maintain compliance with state regulations NAEYC standards and YMCA policies.
• Lead staff meetings training sessions and professional development opportunities to promote teamwork and high program standards.
• Communicate effectively with parents/guardians providing updates on progress and addressing concerns.
• Maintain accurate records (attendance incidents etc.) and ensure licensing requirements are met.
• Foster positive relationships with the community and engage in outreach activities.
• Build an inclusive environment encouraging childrens growth through purposeful programming and observation.
• Connect families with additional services and Y programs ensuring a nurturing and supportive experience.
• Perform all other duties necessary for the good of the organization.

Qualifications

• Bachelors or Associates degree in Early Childhood Education Child Development or a related field (or equivalent experience).
• Minimum 2 years of experience in child care or a developmental setting.
• Strong knowledge of early childhood development and classroom management strategies.
• Excellent communication interpersonal and organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple tasks.
• Completion of required training (e.g. Child Abuse Prevention Mandated Reporter First Aid/CPR/AED) within 30 days of hire..
• Ability to plan and implement age-appropriate activities while maintaining a positive inclusive environment.
• Experience working with diverse populations and a commitment to inclusion and ADA compliance.
• Basic computer literacy or willingness to learn.

Work Environment & Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met successfully by an employee to perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

• Must be able to lift up to 40 pounds multiple times each day.
• Must be able to perform frequent twisting bending and kneeling.
• Must with reasonable accommodations be able to see and hear well enough to respond to classroom needs.
• Must have sufficient strength agility and mobility to perform essential functions and supervise activities in various indoor and outdoor locations.
• Must be able to manage and de-escalate unsafe behavior if necessary.
• This role requires exposure to the outdoor environment during all seasons.
• Noise in the working environment is usually moderate with occasional exposure to decibel levels between 85-110 dBA.