Founding School Director (Center Director)-New Early Childhood School Opening/ Celebree School of South Tampa

Benefits

401(k) Health insurance Paid time off Free uniforms Training & development Bonus based on performance Hours: Monday through Friday: 6:30 am to 3:00 pm or 10:00 am to 6:30 pm (Alternating shifts); Welcome Center Monday through Friday 11:00 am to 6:00 pm and Saturday 1:00pm to 6:00pm

Job Summary

With Competitive Salary . We are seeking an energetic, proactive, organized, and hands-on School Director who thrives in a start-up environment and has the initiative to build a school from the ground up. A School Director who can lead operations, staff, and enrollment in our Welcome Center pre-opening and launch phase. The Director will oversee licensing compliance, staff recruitment, parent relationships, and enrollment growth.

This role requires a leader who is proactive, organized, has initiative and highly accountable. Someone who does not wait to be told what to do, but instead identifies needs and executes solutions. The right candidate is comfortable making decisions, solving problems independently, and communicating effectively with families, staff and owners.

The ideal candidate is a builder, recruiter, culture-creator and enrollment driver

Company Overview

Celebree School of South Tampa is a premier/ high quality early childhood education center serving children ages 6 weeks to 5 years old. We are part of the nationally recognized School franchise, guided by the philosophy: Protect, Educate, and Nurture. Providing a safe, engaging, and developmentally appropriate learning environment where children grow academically, socially, and emotionally.

Our state-of-the-art school campus is currently under construction, and we are actively enrolling families through our Welcome Center located at Westshore Plaza mall. This is a unique opportunity to join a founding leadership team and help open a brand-new school from the ground up in one of Tampa's most desirable communities.

We are not simply hiring someone to maintain a center. We are seeking a leader who wants to build one. We are not just opening a childcare center, we are building a community for families.

Responsibilities

Leadership & Operations: Oversee daily operations of the school in accordance with Florida DCF licensing standards Ensure compliance with all state regulations, health & safety procedures, and Celebree brand standards Develop and maintain policies, procedures, and classroom routines Create a positive, professional, and accountable workplace culture Coach and mentor teachers through classroom observations and performance feedback Manage staff schedules, ratios, and classroom coverage

Enrollment & Community Engagemement Conduct tours and convert prospective families into enrollments Actively promote the school in the community (events, partnerships, local businesses, elementary schools, pediatricians) Build relationships with families and ensure high parent satisfaction Lead enrollment growth efforts from Welcome Center through school opening

Staffing & Human Resources Recruit, hire, train, and onboard teachers and assistant teachers Conduct performance evaluations and implement improvement plans when needed Maintain staff files, background screening compliance, and credential verification Promote team accountability and professionalism Administrative & Compliance Maintain DCF licensing compliance and readiness for inspections Oversee VPK readiness and documentation Manage incident reports, health records, and child files Coordinate with corporate Celebree support and ownership Track enrollment, attendance, and operational reports

Qualifications

Director credential (Florida ChildCare Center Director Credential) Minimum of 3 years experience in a licensed childcare center. Minimum 2 years in a leadership role (Assistant Director or Director) Strong knowledge of Florida DCF ChildCare Licensing and ratios Experience supervising staff and managing parent relationships Excellent communication and organizational skills Preferred: Experience opening a new school or expanding enrollment VPK experience and readiness Experience conducting tours and closing enrollments Experience and familiarity with DayCareWorks or Procare, CRM/Lineleader childcare management software Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education, Child Development, or related field What We Are Looking For: We are specifically looking for a Director who: Takes initiative and ownership Does not need constant supervision Is solution-oriented, not excuse-oriented Can coach teachers professionally and respectfully Is comfortable speaking with parents and handling concerns Can build a strong team culture Is organized, responsive, and dependable Is trainable, teachable and coachable not getting offended being coached by owners Understands that enrollment is part of leadership This is not a sit-at-the-desk administrative position. This is a leadership role that requires presence in classrooms, engagement with families, and community outreach.