Director, Little School

Please apply here: https://www.schooljobs.com/careers/sfcollege/jobs/3952098/director-little-school?pagetype=jobOpportunitiesJobs

Application Deadline:        Tuesday, April 11, 2023
Salary & Benefits:        Salary is $59,630.96. Compensation package is comprised of many college paid benefits including health and life insurance, retirement, leave time, and tuition waivers for Santa Fe College and the University of Florida.
Classification:        Full-time, Executive Managerial, Pay Grade EM2, Exempt.
Location:    Northwest Campus, 3000 N.W. 83rd Street, Gainesville, Florida 32606

Overview:  Santa Fe College (SF) has been recognized as one of the top-rated community college in the United States.  Santa Fe College is a student-centered institution with a commitment to open access, academic excellence, and cultural and ethnic diversity.  Santa Fe College is a comprehensive public college that offers a range of Bachelor’s degrees, Associate in Arts, Associate in Science and Associate in Applied Science degree options, as well as Certificate and Non-Degree programs.  A high quality of life, temperate climate, proximity to the University of Florida, diverse cultural events, and plentiful recreational opportunities make SF and Gainesville an ideal community to work and live.  SF enrolls over 16,000 students each semester, retains and completes over 60% of students every academic year, while over 10% transfer into the University system.

The Santa Fe College Little School provides a safe, enriching, stimulating and caring learning environment for toddlers and preschool children. In a carefully supervised environment, the SF Little School also serves as an early childhood laboratory site for aspiring teachers of young children.
The Little School seeks an experienced director to serve as a member of the Academic Affairs leadership team. The Director, Little School is responsible for leadership, management, and supervision of Little School operations. They must exhibit a strong commitment to the childcare profession, as well as a demonstrated knowledge of current and emerging trends in early childhood development.

The Director, Little School reports to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs and is a member of the division’s leadership team. The position provides leadership that motivates staff to perform at their highest level and develops a teamwork environment. The director is expected to evaluate program offerings and staff performance, providing leadership to enhance both. The successful candidate must have a broad understanding of childcare operations, and must demonstrate strong managerial, organizational, and planning skills, including budgetary skills.

Responsibilities and duties include:
•    Supervise Little School childcare center teachers and student employees.
•    Manage the Little School program.
•    Regularly assess the Little School program, services, fees, staffing level, and enrollment. Recommend enhancements as appropriate to ensure high quality and value, continuous improvement, and sustainability. 
•    Provide supportive leadership to the Little School staff.
•    Nurture the development of Little Staff children by providing them an optimum educational environment for their intellectual, emotional, physical, and social development.
•    Monitor and manage the operating and food budgets.
•    Oversee enrollment efforts.
•    Coordinate and oversee research projects.
•    To benefit Santa Fe College students and in partnership with the Early Learning Coalition,  represent the needs and capacities of local childcare centers to the Coalition and provide relevant information to the centers.
•    Form and maintain meaningful relationships across the College.
•    Communicate with families of Little School students.
Reports to: Provost/Vice President of Academic Affairs

QUALIFICATIONS 

Required: Five (5) years of childcare experience with increasing responsibility. Certification appropriate for teaching toddlers and preschool children.

Additional Requirements:  A criminal background check will be conducted.

Preferred: Master's degree in Early Childhood Education or a closely related discipline. Demonstrated ability to inspire and professionally develop teachers of toddlers and preschool children; demonstrated ability to build community among children, families, and staff.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:  
•    Communication – Applicant must possess a student-centered advising philosophy. Must also possess excellent listening, communication, problem solving, customer service, and organizational skills. 
•    Team Orientation & Interpersonal – highly motivated team-player with ability to develop and maintain collaborative relationships with all levels within and external to the organization.
•    Diversity - Able to work in a multi-cultural environment.
•    Organization & Time Management – able to plan, schedule and organize tasks related to the job to achieve goals within or ahead of established time frames.
•    Adaptability to Change – able to be flexible and supportive, react swiftly to and able to positively and proactively assimilate change in rapid growth environment.
•    Leadership – has demonstrated success as an entrepreneurial, high energy, driven, hands-on leader.  Possess expertise in selecting, training, developing, coaching, mentoring, and retaining a highly motivated workforce.
•    Relationship Management – able to personally provide high level of interactive service to others, building relationships and addressing identified needs.
•    Ethics – able to demonstrate integrity, professionalism, civility, and a high degree of ethics in all job-related actions.

Application Process:  All applicants must submit a completed online application, a letter of interest, an up-to-date curriculum vitae, a list of five (5) professional references (please note this is two more than the online application  requires as a default), as well as unofficial transcripts to be considered for this position. The letter of intent must describe your interest in working as the Director of the Little School at Santa Fe College and explain the skills, strengths and experience you can bring to this position. Unofficial transcripts are only accepted for review purposes, official transcripts are required prior to any offer of employment being made.

If you are a retiree of the Florida Retirement System (FRS), please check with the FRS on how your current benefits will be affected if you are re-employed with the State of Florida. Your current retirement benefits may be canceled, suspended or deemed ineligible depending upon the date of your retirement.
Santa Fe College (SF) is committed to maintaining a work and educational environment that embraces diversity and where no member of the college community is excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or subject to discrimination in any college program or activity based on: their race, ethnicity, national origin, color, religion, age, disability, sex, pregnancy status, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, genetic information, political opinions or affiliations, or veteran status. This commitment applies to employees, volunteers, students, and, to the extent possible, to third parties, applicants for admission, applicants for employment, and the general public. http://www.sfcollege.edu/eaeo/

Inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies or concerns about discrimination or harassment, including concerns about sexual harassment or sexual violence under Title IX, should be directed to: equity.officer@sfcollege.edu
Santa Fe College reserves the right to extend deadlines and/or not to offer advertised positions.
Preference will be given to eligible veterans and spouses of veterans.