Director of Early Childhood

The 14th Street Y is a vibrant Jewish Community Center located in downtown Manhattan grounded in the belief that contemporary Jewish sensibilities and culture can be a source of inspiration, connection, and learning. Each year, tens of thousands of New Yorkers of all ages, races, and ethnicities come to 14Y as members, visitors, or partners to experience our high-quality and varied programs centered around arts and culture, early childhood education, summer camps, fitness and aquatics, and older adult services. 14Y is committed to the development of the whole person, to strengthening family connections, and to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment to downtown New York's entire community.

14Y is hiring a Director of Early Childhood to join our team, beginning in late spring or summer. This new leader will report directly to 14Y’s Executive Director and be charged with upholding our institution as a center for nurturing education and joyful Jewish learning in downtown Manhattan.

Considering the timing of the current school year, we are currently welcoming applications for either Permanent or Interim placements:

• Interim placement beginning in mid-January 2025, staying on through June 2025 to guide our team through the end of the current school year, with the possibility of staying on in a long-term or permanent role if appropriate
• Permanent placement beginning no later than Summer 2025 (or earlier if able)

JOB PURPOSE

14Y’s next Early Childhood Director will an inspiring and experienced educator and leader, who will maintain and build strong and supportive relationships with, between, and among children, families and staff of the department, and the broader community of the 14th Street Y. They will be responsible for leading and supporting our team of administrators and educators, ensuring that our programs reflect our vision and values for 14Y, and managing a strong business plan for the 14Y Early Childhood Department.

14Y’s Early Childhood division consists of:

• 14Y Preschool, which currently serves approximately 60 children in 5 classes, ages 2 – 5 with 15 teachers and 4 administrative staff. Our school is inspired by a progressive, Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood education and guided by Jewish culture and values
• The Infant and Toddler Center, which offers many programs and classes supporting young children, parents, and caregivers, including Prelude to Preschool.
• Early childhood summer camps, serving over 100 young children each year

We are looking for a candidate with demonstrated leadership experience who fosters a collaborative work environment and maintains expertise in progressive and inclusive Early Childhood education. The Early Childhood Director should also have demonstrated experience and comfort with financial management, marketing and recruitment, admissions, exmissions and ongoing school placement (both private and public), fundraising, and interdepartmental collaboration, which are key additional components of this critical 14Y leadership role.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES

• Provide leadership, direction and support to a team of 4 administrators, 15+ full-time faculty and part-time/seasonal educators and specialists
• Oversee hiring, training and onboarding processes for all Early Childhood employees
• Manage year-round plans for all Early Childhood Programs: Preschool Prelude to Preschool, Infant and Toddler Classes, and Summer Camps, including tuition setting, registration and communication timelines, ongoing enrollment processes and project management tools.
• Conduct regular faculty meetings, promote collaboration, team building, and peer to peer mentoring, and be a resource on school-wide issues and questions
• Implement a progressive Early Childhood curriculum, integrating a Reggio Emilia approach and Jewish values, sensibilities, and culture
• Oversee student care and social emotional development; partner with teachers and families to communicate growth and key milestones
• Guide teachers to support students with various needs, IEPs, and coordinate necessary specialists, as needed
• Plan annual series of specialized parent/family-facing events, including Open Houses, Curriculum Night, Parent Teacher Conferences, Special Visitors Week, Alumni Day, Come Play With Me, Holiday Programs, and others
• Stay current with research and innovations in the area of early childhood education; participate in trainings and convenings for Early Childhood educators offered through Jewish Community Centers Assocation (JCCA), Jewish Education Project (JEP), and other organizations
• Establish and sustain a sense of community through welcoming and supporting parent involvement, promoting retention and word-of-mouth marketing
• Oversee admissions, including developing materials and recruitment strategies in collaboration with appropriate colleagues and identifying processes for tracking progress and outcomes
• Manage ongoing school placement for graduating 4’s, both public and private options
• Participate in Downtown Early Childhood Association (DECA) meetings and build a network of colleagues for thought partnership and ideation
• Lead planning and execution of fundraisers such as bake sales, item sales, challah subscriptions, and the annual Parents Night Out event
• Collaborate with communications and marketing departments on brand recognition and promotion of our Early Childhood programs
• Work with 14Y’s Chief of Staff to:
  • Regularly assess consistent quality of program, operations, communications, and systems for all early childhood programs; recommend resources and investments needed to achieve annual goals and continuous improvement
  • Organize and track data for evaluation of the program, looking at lead tracking, enrollment, demographics, retention, diversity, etc.
  • Develop, track and maintain department budgets; effectively communicate regular updates on revenue goals and expenses
  • Oversee the development and running of a 14Y Preschool Parents Association; work with Executive Leadership to identify key stakeholders in school and opportunities for deeper parent engagement
• Oversee daily operations of the Early Childhood department; maintain policies and procedures for program operation and accountability
• Oversee and monitor compliance with city and federal rules and regulations, including safety, Department of Health, union and licensing regulations
• View the Early Childhood Division as part of a larger entity, all elements of which commit to advancing the 14Y’s mission and values
• Participate in agency meetings and trainings
• Other related projects and tasks as assigned

JOB REQUIREMENTS

Required Knowledge

• College degree required, MA/MS in Early Childhood Education or related field preferred.
• Valid NYS Early Childhood Teaching Certificate.
• Minimum of 6-10 years of professional experience in Early Childhood education
• Demonstrated leadership and supervisory experience required
• Prior experience and comfort with planning formal/informal Jewish educational programming
• Excellent organizational skills with the ability to approach tasks that are complex and urgent in a systematic, deliberate, and efficient manner.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively and manage multiple priorities and projects effectively.
• Demonstrated ability to handle stressful situations in a professional, courteous and friendly manner.
• Excellent interpersonal, organizational, verbal and written communication skills with strength in communicating with faculty, parents, caregivers, learning specialists, support services and ongoing schools.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality of records and information.
• Strong knowledge of MS Office Suite, expertise in Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Word.

EEO Info

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, or protected veteran status. Educational Alliance takes affirmative action in support of its policy to employ and advance in employment individuals who are minorities, women, protected veterans, and individuals with disabilities.