Sr. Director of Early Education

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Sr. Director of Early Childhood Development will lead the Coastal Carolina Center and is responsible for overseeing and advancing the YMCA’s early childhood programs across multiple locations. This leadership role ensures high-quality programming for both children and college interns, compliance with licensing and accreditation standards, and alignment with the YMCA’s mission and values. The Director works collaboratively with YMCA leadership, staff, and community partners to foster a nurturing, developmentally appropriate, and inclusive environment for children, families, and staff.

OUR CULTURE: 
Our mission and core values are brought to life by our culture. In the Y, we strive to live our cause of strengthening communities with purpose and intentionality every day.  We are welcoming: we are open to all. We are a place where you can belong and become. We are genuine: we value you and embrace your individuality. We are hopeful: we believe in you and your potential to become a catalyst in the world. We are nurturing: we support you in your journey to develop your full potential. We are determined: above all else, we are on a relentless quest to make our community stronger, beginning with you.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Develop and implement a vision for excellence in early childhood education within the YMCA.
• Ensure all early childhood programs align with state licensing requirements, YMCA standards, and accreditation criteria.
• Serve as the onsite director at Coastal Carolina University overseeing curriculum development and implementation, staff training and performance, student internship process and making operational improvements.
• Monitor program quality, assessments, and feedback mechanisms.
• Implement and manage the ABC Voucher program across the association where applicable.

• Recruit, train, and support early childhood directors and staff members across multiple program sites.
• Lead professional development initiatives, ensuring ongoing training in child development, curriculum, and best practices.
• Foster a positive, inclusive, and mission-driven work culture among early childhood educators.
• Actively participate in the Childcare for All Vision Enhancement Team
• Build relationships with families to create a keen sense of community within YMCA early childhood programs.
• Collaborates with community organizations, school districts, and local agencies to enhance program offerings.
• Identify opportunities for program expansion, including partnerships, grants, data collection for grant reporting and new funding sources.

• Supports enrollment growth and retention strategies, ensuring accessibility for all families.
• Strong knowledge of licensing regulations, curriculum frameworks and child development best practices.
• Ability to lead and support diverse teams in a multi-site environment.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.
• Represents the YMCA in advocacy efforts for early childhood education at the local and state levels.