Employment Opportunities with IALS Member Schools

Private University in Irvine

Position:  Program Director, University Early Learning Lab School

 

Our university is committed to creating a community that fosters equity of experience and opportunity, and ensures that students, faculty, and staff of all backgrounds feel safe, welcome, and included. Our culture of openness, freedom, and belonging make it a special place for students, faculty, and staff.

 

The Early Learning Lab School provides early childhood services to toddlers and preschoolers in our southern California location. The Early Learning Lab School teaches our youngest students in a safe, nurturing, stimulating environment that sparks curiosity. We teach families and educators to see and unlock the potential of each child. Our staff of highly trained childhood educators give parents peace of mind -- and support our student, staff, faculty, and community parents to balance family, school, and work.

 

The Director serves as the key contact for school parents, staff, and other stakeholders and is responsible for providing consistent, high quality developmentally appropriate early childhood care, curriculum, and supervision. The Director is responsible for creating a welcoming, healthy, and supportive learning environment for parents and their children, along with modeling and reinforcing a high performing culture, where staff can do their best work. The Director supervises all school specific administration and manages the daily school staffing and operations with a clear understanding of licensing guidelines, Early Learning Lab School policies and procedures, and is directly responsible for the school’s health and safety compliance and risk management. This position collaborates with leadership to ensure high quality programmatic and administrative consistency across all of the university’s classrooms.

 

Under the strategic leadership, this role will provide leadership and direction; to manage, supervise, and coordinate the Early Learning Lab School programs and initiatives, including grants; to coordinate assigned activities with other University divisions, and outside agencies; and to provide highly responsible and complex professional support to the Dean of the College of Education.

 

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires us to identify the essential (E) duties/functions of the position. We have indicated those duties with an E on the job description.

 

Essential Duties

• Provide leadership and direction and assume management responsibility for Early Learning Lab School programs, services, and activities. (E)

• Manage and participate in the development and implementation of goals, objectives, policies, and priorities for Early Learning Lab School programs including grants; recommend, within District policy, appropriate service and staffing levels; recommend and administer policies and procedures. (E)

• Continuously monitor and evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of service delivery methods and procedures; conduct needs and instructional program analyses; assess and monitor work load, administrative and support systems, and internal reporting relationships; identify opportunities for improvement and review with the Dean the College of Education; direct the implementation of improvements. (E)

• Select, train, motivate, counsel, and evaluate assigned personnel; provide or coordinate staff training; work with employees to develop skills and abilities. (E)

• Plan, direct, coordinate, and review the work plan for the Early Learning Lab School; meet with staff to identify and resolve problems; assign work activities, projects, and programs; monitor work flow; review and evaluate work products, methods, and procedures. (E)

• Manage and participate in the development and administration of the Early Learning Lab School program annual budget; direct the forecast of additional funds needed for staffing, equipment, materials, and supplies; direct the monitoring of and approve expenditures; direct and implement adjustments as necessary. (E)

• Serve as a liaison for the Early Learning Lab School with other University divisions and outside agencies; negotiate and resolve significant and controversial issues. (E)

• Provide responsible staff assistance to the Dean of the College of Education; prepare and present staff reports and other necessary correspondence. (E)

• Conduct a variety of organizational studies, investigations, and operational studies; recommend modifications to Early Learning Lab School programs, policies, and procedures as appropriate. (E)

• Ensure maintenance of a physical environment that conforms to the State Department of Social Services licensing standards of health and safety; conduct routine inspections to ensure compliance. (E)

• Plan, organize, and direct the Early Learning Lab School to provide a quality child development program for children, students, students in teacher training, and students in other disciplines. (E)

• Supervise the maintenance of appropriate records for children, staff, and students.

• Write, maintain, and enforce policies and procedures manuals for staff, students, and parents; prepare informational brochures. (E)

• Analyze the needs of the children; supervise the implementation of developmentally appropriate practices and communicate the results to parents, staff, and faculty. (E)

• Market and conduct outreach for the Lab School. (E)

• Recruit, organize, and act as advisor to the parent Advisory Board. (E)

• Initiate and perform strategic planning, program evaluation, research, and advocacy for the Early Learning Lab School. (E)

• Research and analyze grant opportunities; write and submit funding proposals. (E)

• Participate on a variety of boards and commissions; attend and participate in professional group meetings; stay abreast of new trends and innovations in the field of child development and center operations. (E)

• Promote equal opportunity and student and gender equity to effectively serve the University’s diverse community. (E)

• Develop, apply, and evaluate effective approaches to implement the policies of the University relating to program and workforce diversity in order to fulfill the core academic mission of the University and serve its diverse community. (E)

• Provide effective leadership and direction to recruitment and retention efforts to further workforce diversity policies of the University. (E)

• Provide administrative and professional leadership and direction for the Early Learning Lab School

• Recommend and implement goals, objectives, and practices for providing effective and efficient Early Learning Lab School services.

• Manage, direct, and coordinate the work of professional, technical, and administrative support personnel.

• Select, supervise, motivate, counsel, train, and evaluate staff.

• Identify and respond to Early Learning Lab School issues, concerns, and needs.

• Analyze problems, identify alternative solutions, project consequences of proposed actions, and implement recommendations in support of Early Learning Lab School goals.

• Research, analyze, and evaluate new Early Learning Lab School service delivery methods, procedures, and techniques.

• Prepare and administer budgets.

• Prepare clear and concise administrative reports.

• Interpret and apply the policies, procedures, laws, codes, and regulations pertaining to Early Learning Lab School programs and functions.

• Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.

• Establish, maintain, and foster positive and harmonious working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

• Perform related duties and responsibilities as assigned.

• Respond to and resolve difficult and sensitive inquiries and complaints.

 

Job Related and Essential Qualifications

• Operational characteristics, services, and activities of an Early Learning Lab School program.

• Organizational and management practices as applied to the analysis and evaluation of Early Learning Lab School programs, policies, and operational needs.

• Modern and complex principles and practices of Early Learning Lab School program development and administration.

• Grant writing and funding principles and concepts.

• State Department of Social Services licensing standards of health and safety.

• Pertinent federal, state, and local laws, codes, and regulations, including DSS Title 22 regulations, CDE Title 5 regulations, State and County Health and Safety Codes, Playground Safety Regulations, and Federal Food Program for Children and Adults Regulations.

• Principles and practices of budget preparation and administration.

• Principles of supervision, training, and performance evaluation.

• Safe driving principles and practices.

 

SKILL TO:

• Operate modern office equipment including computer equipment and software.

• Operate a motor vehicle safely.

 Minimum Qualifications

 

EXPERIENCE/TRAINING:

Master’s Level degree with a major in early childhood education, child development, or a closely related field; and at least five years of progressively responsible teaching experience in a child development program, at least one of which was in a lead or supervisory capacity; or an equivalent combination of training and experience.

 

Demonstrated sensitivity to and understanding of the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, and ethnic backgrounds of community college students.

 

License Certificates/Credentials:

Possession of, or ability to obtain, an appropriate, valid driver’s license.

 

Possession of currant Pediatric First Aid and CPR certification, a 15-hour course in Preventative CPR and First Aid certificates.

 

Possession of a Child Development Site Supervisor Permit (or higher) issued by the State of California, Commission on Teacher Credentialing.

 

Working Conditions

Essential duties require the following physical skills and work environment:

 

Ability to sit, stand, walk, kneel, crouch, stoop, squat, crawl, twist, climb, and lift 20 lbs.; exposure to outdoors; ability to travel to different sites and locations.

 

Commitment to Diversity

All applicants must have demonstrated cultural competency and sensitivity to and understanding of the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, and ethnic backgrounds of college students and staff.

 

LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMER

The above job description is meant to describe the general nature and level of work being performed; it is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required for the position. All job requirements are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. Some requirements may exclude individuals who pose a direct threat or significant risk to the health and safety of themselves or other employees. This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee occupying this position. Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform other job-related duties requested by their supervisor in compliance with federal and state laws. Requirements are representative of minimum levels of knowledge, skills, and/or abilities. To perform this job successfully, the employee must possess the abilities or aptitudes to perform each duty proficiently. Continued employment remains on an at-will basis, unless otherwise contractually bound.

 

University is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Compensation Based on Qualifications

Email your interest and resume to: director.labschool@gmail.com