Assistant Center Director

GenerationEd

Job title

Assistant Center Director

Programs

Head Start/Early Head Start

Reports to

Center Director

FLSA Status

Exempt

Last Updated

March 2026

General Description

The Assistant Director supports the Center Director in overseeing the daily operations of a Head Start Learning Center. This role ensures high-quality program implementation, compliance with federal, state, and local regulations, and the creation of a safe, nurturing, and developmentally appropriate environment for children. The Assistant Director provides leadership and guidance to staff, supports family engagement, and assists in managing center operations to achieve program goals and outcomes.

Required Competencies

All GenerationEd Employees

• Reliability/Dependability

• Problem Solving

• Customer Service

• Teamwork

and Collaboration

• Integrity

• Effective Communication

• Initiative and Growth

• Qualityand Timeliness of work

Role Specific

• Regulatory Compliance
• Quality of Programs
• Administration
• Center Operations Leadership

Leadership

• Performance

Management and Accountability

• Team Development

• Leadership

• Cost Consciousness

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Program

• Ensure implementation in all classrooms of a developmentallyappropriate curriculumas described by NAEYC and a culturally relevant curriculum as described by the ACF Principles ofMultiCulturalprogramming;

• Ensure that curriculum integrates all components into the classroom activities andenvironment;

• Maintain a physical environment that conforms to governmental and agency standards of safety and cleanliness, is conducive tooptimalgrowth and development of the children who attend the center, and meets state licensingstandards;

• Integrate all components into the program by working closely withcomponentcoordinators in implementing the program and deliveringservices;

• Coordinate the delivery of services with theappropriate componentcoordinator;

• Annually hold an orientation event which will thoroughly orient parents to center and provide information on activities for use athome;

• Provide information to parentsregardingeducational programs and other program activities and parent information area in thecenter;

• Perform any other job-related tasks as assigned.

B. Staff Supervision

• Assistin the supervision and evaluation of personnel, paid and volunteer, asrequested;
• Schedule assignments of all center personnel asrequested;
• Plan and conduct regular and called meetings of center staff asrequested;
• Ensure that each staff memberestablishesand maintains open communication with families through attending parent meetings and encouraging parentinvolvement;
• Plan for the delegation of staff responsibilities (including bus duty and assignment of groups of children to each staffmember;
• Arrange for substitutes to fill in for permanent employees when needed asrequested;
• Ensure staff participation in the overall program-wide recruitment effort.

C. Operations

• Collaborate with the Family Advocate to ensure that newly enrolled children have completed information onfile;
• Supervise record keeping for the center that is required by governmental and agency policy such as records of children's enrollment,attendanceand progress, anecdotal, personnel evaluations, health and safety inspections, and firedrills;
• Coordinate with center staff and Family Advocates to keep enrollment of children atcapacity;
• Ensure that each teachermonitorseach child in their classin order tomaintaingoodattendance;
• Maintain confidentiality ofrecords;
• Inspect building and grounds for cleanliness, needed repairs and generalupkeep;
• Report to Center Director all unsafe or hazardous centerconditions;
• Make referrals to other components asnecessary;
• Conduct monthlysafetydrills;
• Collect and promptlysubmitreports, invoices, volunteer time sheets, records etc. required by the program to theappropriate person(s);
• Report suspected case of abuse to ProtectiveServices;
• Compile with staff, materials for ProgramNewsletter;
• Attend center parent committeemeetings;
• Participate in staff meetings as called.

D. Professionalism

• When implementing the strategies for meeting the goals of the program, make decisions based on knowledge of child development theories andappropriate practices.
• Abide by the NAEYC Code of Ethics.
• Continuously identify areas for professional growth and actively pursue opportunities for addressing these areas.Some options for increasing knowledge and skills are activelyparticipatingin in-service staff development programs; taking college courses; reading articles in professional journals and/or books, attending local, state, regional and nationalconferencesand seminars.
• Participate in activities which inform the community of the services and goals of the agency

Essential Qualifications

Education and Experience:

• A BS/BA degree in Child Development/Early Childhood Education or a BS/BA out of field with 18 semester hours in classworkpertaining tothe preschool education of children 0-4 preferred. An AA degree in Child Development may be accepted or equivalent experience; NC Early Childhood Administration III preferredbut will accept II with a professional development plan.
• At least twoyears experiencein an early childhood education program, and supervision experience in Head Start (or a similar program) is preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Demonstrated ability to supervise others.
• Demonstrated ability to organize and implement procedures essential to the operation of a Child Development Center.
• Successful completion of Infant/Child or Community CPR Course and a Red Cross First Aid Course within the first 6 months of employment. Must renew CPR annually and First Aid every 3 years.
• Demonstrated willingness to actively pursueappropriate professionaldevelopment opportunities.
• Demonstrated ability to perform effectively the dutiesrequiredfor the job including verbal ability to communicate, auditory capacity to respond to children and adults, visual ability to complete written assignments and physical ability to complete assignments given accommodations as required by law.

Physical, Mental and/or Visual Demands

• Must be able to sit and stand for extended periodsoftime throughout the day.
• Must be able tolift upto 35 lbs.
• Must be able to bend and stoop.
• Must be able to walk extended periods throughout thedaymonitoring.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is exposed to weather conditions prevalent at the time.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
• Specific vision abilities required by the job include close, distance, color, peripheraldepthand the ability to adjust focus.

GenerationEd is committed to provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified individuals, including those with disabilities in accordance with ADA.

Acknowledgement

This job description describes the general nature and level of work performed by the individual assigned to this position and should not be interpreted as all inclusive. It does not state or imply that these are the only duties and responsibilities assigned to the position. The employee may be required to perform other job-related duties. All requirements are subject to change and to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with a disability.

Your signature below acknowledges receipt of this job description, and you were provided with a copy to retain for your records. However, it does not create a binding employment agreement between the employer and the employee and is subject to change by the employer as the needs of the employer and requirements of the position change.

I further understand that my employment with GenerationEd is at will.

Monday - Friday: 7:30 AM - 4:00 PM