Early Childhood Educ Program Director

Phipps Neighborhoods, the social service affiliate of Phipps Houses, has been a catalyst for community growth and empowerment for over 50 years. Our mission is focused on creating safe, inclusive spaces where community members can access education, career opportunities, and economic pathways. Serving approximately 14,000 New Yorkers annually, we address barriers to educational achievement, economic security, and career stability through three key program areas:

• Education and School-Day Programs: Offering pre-kindergarten services, community schools, after-school programs, and college access counseling.
• Sector-Focused Training and Employment Placement Pathways: Providing specialized training, employment placement pathways, Summer Youth Employment, Work Learning Grow initiatives, and aiding residents in accessing new employment opportunities.
• Community & Economic Empowerment Services: Enabling community progress through community centers, resident services, food access, financial literacy programs, and support accessing benefits and wellness services.

We collaborate with government, corporate, and philanthropic partners to effect significant and lasting social change, fostering thriving communities.

Salary range for this role will be $80,000.00 to $85,000.00, based on education, training and experience.:

Position Summary:

Phipps Neighborhoods seeks a dynamic and experienced Early Childhood Education Director to oversee the day-to-day operation and educational quality of our Early Childhood Education Center at Daly Avenue, serving children ages 3–5. The Director will ensure high-quality instructional practices, adherence to DOE and DOHMH regulations, effective curriculum implementation, and strong family engagement. This role is ideal for a leader who is passionate about early learning and committed to achieving school readiness and positive outcomes for children and families.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Instructional Leadership & Curriculum Oversight

• Provide leadership in the creation, planning, and implementation of a developmentally appropriate, child-centered curriculum for preschoolers.
• Conduct regular classroom observations and provide coaching and feedback to instructional staff to support best practices and high-quality instruction.
• Lead data-driven instructional planning and monitor student outcomes to promote school readiness.
• Ensure alignment with DOE learning standards, Pre-K for All expectations, and Common Core where applicable.

Staff Supervision & Development

• Directly supervise head teachers, assistant teachers, and classroom aides.
• Develop and implement individualized professional development plans and facilitate ongoing staff training.
• Recruit, hire, and retain high-quality instructional staff.
• Foster a positive team culture grounded in reflection, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

Compliance & Program Operations

• Ensure full compliance with all regulations from the NYC Department of Education (DOE) and Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), including Article 47.
• Maintain up-to-date documentation and records related to licensing, health and safety, and quality assurance requirements.
• Partner with the Phipps UPK Compliance Manager to support all audits and site reviews.

Family Engagement

• Build strong, trusting relationships with families and create a welcoming school environment.
• Coordinate and participate in family engagement activities, including workshops, orientations, and family-teacher conferences.
• Support families in reinforcing learning at home and staying informed of their child’s developmental progress.

Program Planning & Evaluation

• Use child assessments and program data (e.g., Teaching Strategies GOLD, ASQ, CLASS) to inform instruction and drive program improvements.
• Collaborate with leadership to support continuous quality improvement and achievement of site performance goals.

Qualifications:

• Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education or related field (required)
• NYS certification in Early Childhood Education (B–2) strongly preferred
• Must meet all NYC DOE qualifications for site directors
• Minimum of 3–5 years of experience as a head or lead teacher, with at least 2 years in a supervisory or site leadership role
• Demonstrated expertise in curriculum implementation, early childhood pedagogy, and teacher coaching
• Strong working knowledge of DOE, DOHMH Article 47 regulations, and early childhood compliance standards
• Experience with early childhood assessment tools (e.g., Teaching Strategies GOLD, ASQ, CLASS) and data systems (e.g., Salesforce)
• Excellent organizational, interpersonal, and communication skills
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, especially Excel
• Passion for educational equity and commitment to working in underserved communities

Work Environment:

This is an on-site leadership position based at our Daly Avenue early childhood center. The Director will be expected to be present during school hours and available for occasional evening events or meetings.

Phipps Houses and Affiliates is an Equal Opportunity Employer that does not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, creed, color, religion, citizenship or national origin, ancestry, alienage, citizenship status, age, disability or handicap, sex, marital status, veteran status, pregnancy, gender, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws. Our management team is dedicated to this policy with respect to recruitment, hiring, placement, promotion, transfer, training, compensation, benefits, employee activities and general treatment during employment.