Center director learning center

Salary: Base salary, with bonus potential up to $55,000.

About Little Lights

Little Lights Learning Center is more than a childcare / early education center, it’s a ministry. We believe every child is a special, unique individual created by God. Our mission is to nurture growth intellectually, emotionally, socially, physically, and spiritually.

We work under the standards of Keystone Stars, and place importance on both structured learning and free play, recognizing the profound value of play in the life of a young child. Our environment is stimulating, nurturing, and grounded in Christian values.

We seek a leader who will partner with the Church to continue and expand this vision, someone passionate about early childhood education, with a heart for children, families, staff, and faith.

Position Summary

The Center Director for Little Lights is a key leadership role. This person will oversee all aspects of the center’s operations, ensuring high-quality early care and education within a faith-based environment. The Director leads the team, cares for the children, partners closely with the Church, interfaces with parents, ensures compliance, and champions our Christian values.

Key Responsibilities

• Program management: oversee daily operations, classroom schedules, curriculum standards, play and learning balance; ensure adherence to Keystone Stars regulations.
• Health, safety, licensing & compliance: maintain health and safety standards, ensure all certifications, inspections, background checks are up to date; maintain a safe and a welcoming facility.
• Develop and implement marketing strategies to promote the center’s mission, programs, and events. Lead online marketing efforts such as social media and Google MyBusiness. Track inquiries, tours, and enrollment conversions to meet or exceed annual enrollment goals.
• Team leadership and staff development: recruit, hire, train, mentor, evaluate, and support teachers and staff; foster teamwork, trust, professional growth, and a positive, caring work environment.
• Provide spiritual leadership: ensure Christian values are integrated into curriculum, daily schedule, teacher interactions, and center culture.
• Budget & resource management: develop and oversee budget, manage resources, supplies, materials; ensure cost-efficiency without sacrificing quality.
• Family/Community engagement: build trusting relationships with parents, communicate well; coordinate tours, enrollment, conferences; represent Little Lights in the church and wider community; listen and respond to families’ needs.
• Reporting & accountability: track program metrics (attendance, staffing ratios, developmental milestones, outcomes), evaluate program effectiveness, report to church leadership.
• Innovation & continuous improvement: stay current with best practices in early childhood education and faith-based programs; propose improvements, new opportunities, enrichment activities.

Qualifications

Essential:

• Deep, personal Christian faith; committed to the mission of Carlisle PA UMC, willing to lead in faith and partner with church leadership.
• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education, Child Development, or related field (or equivalent experience).
• Experience: Significant leadership experience (at least 3-5 years) in managing early childhood programs (pre-K, preschool, childcare). Experience with team leadership, supervision, curriculum oversight.
• Knowledge of licensing, regulatory requirements; ideally experience with Keystone Stars or similar state standards.
• Strong communication skills: ability to engage with staff, parents, church leaders, children. Warm, compassionate, organized.
• Excellent organizational, time-management, decision-making skills.
• Commitment to creating a safe, inclusive, nurturing, faith-centered environment for children, staff, families.

Desirable:

• Experience in budgeting and financial oversight.
• Prior success in recruiting and retaining high-quality staff.
• Experience integrating Christian education or spiritual formation into early childhood settings.
• Familiarity with church settings and willingness to attend or participate in church events where appropriate.

What We Offer

• A chance to lead and shape a faith-centered early education program with real support from church leadership.
• Competitive salary commensurate with experience.
• Benefits: health insurance, paid time off, professional development support, continuing education, opportunity for spiritual growth.
• A supportive team and faith community.
• The satisfaction of making long-term impact on children’s lives, staff development, families, and the church.

Traits / Qualities We Seek

• Heart for children: compassionate, patient, encouraging.
• Visionary leadership: able to see what Little Lights can become, and inspire others to pursue that vision.
• Faith-driven: active in Christian life, someone whose faith is integrated into their work.
• Adaptable & resilient: able to meet the challenges of early childhood education (staffing, regulation, daily surprises) with grace and creativity.
• High integrity, trustworthiness, strong ethical standards.
• Strong collaborator: works well with church staff, parents, staff team.

How to Apply

Please submit cover letter, resume and references to [email protected]:

• Cover letter expressing your faith journey, leadership style, and why Little Lights’ mission resonates with you.
• Resume detailing applicable education and leadership experience in early childhood settings.
• References (including at least one spiritual/faith-leader reference and one professional reference).

Contact: Quinton DeBeer, , 717-249-1512

Why Join Little Lights?

Because here, your work is ministry. Every day is an opportunity to shape little hearts and minds. To partner with families, staff, and the church in raising children who feel loved, seen, strong in faith. To lead a team, grow professionally, and make a difference in a community that values inclusion, spiritual formation, joy, play, and growth in all dimensions.

Job Type: Full-time

Base Pay: $42,500.00 - $45,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Employee discount
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance
• Vision insurance

Education:

• Bachelor's (Required)

Experience:

• managing early childhood programs .: 3 years (Required)

Language:

• English (Required)

Work Location: In person