About the Center
We are opening a new Christian early learning center in Sterling, Virginia, designed to serve up to approximately 91 children.
Our mission is to provide children with a strong foundation in faith, academics, character, independence, and a lifelong love of learning.
Our educational approach combines Christian learning with Montessori-inspired hands-on experiences, early literacy and phonics, math, science exploration, critical thinking, practical-life skills, social-emotional development, motor development, and kindergarten readiness.
We are seeking an exceptional, highly experienced Program Director who views early childhood education as more than simply a job. We want a proven leader who is passionate about positively impacting young children and is excited about helping build a high-quality Christian early learning program from the ground up.
The Leadership Opportunity
The Program Director will serve as the center's senior educational and program leader, overseeing the daily educational program and approximately 15–20 teaching and program staff.
The Director will work directly with the Owner and receive active leadership, resources, and support while having meaningful autonomy to lead the educational program, teaching team, classroom culture, and day-to-day program operations.
This position is ideal for an experienced early childhood leader who wants the opportunity to build, lead, grow, and shape a new center, rather than simply maintain an established program.
Key Responsibilities
Center & Educational Leadership
- Lead the center's day-to-day educational and program operations.
- Direct implementation of the center's Christian, Montessori-inspired educational approach.
- Maintain high standards for early literacy, phonics, math, science/STEM, critical thinking, practical-life learning, social-emotional development, and kindergarten readiness.
- Monitor classroom quality and developmentally appropriate instruction.
- Establish a nurturing, structured, academically strong classroom culture.
- Maintain appropriate staff-to-child ratios and classroom coverage.
- Provide hands-on program leadership when needed.
Staff Leadership
- Direct and supervise approximately 15–20 teaching and program staff.
- Recruit and interview qualified teaching and program staff.
- Lead program onboarding and orientation.
- Coach, mentor, evaluate, and develop teachers.
- Manage classroom staffing and scheduling.
- Establish clear expectations for classroom quality and staff performance.
- Develop future classroom and program leaders.
- Build a professional, accountable, high-performing, mission-aligned team.
Enrollment, Families & Community Growth
The Program Director will play an important leadership role in growing and maintaining enrollment.
- Conduct prospective-family tours.
- Follow up with prospective families and enrollment leads.
- Help convert qualified inquiries and tours into enrollments.
- Develop strong relationships with enrolled families.
- Support family satisfaction and retention.
- Participate in open houses, enrollment events, and community outreach.
- Build relationships with local churches, employers, military families, community organizations, and other potential partners.
- Professionally represent the center in the community.
- Work with ownership toward enrollment and occupancy goals.
Licensing & Compliance
- Maintain program-level compliance with Virginia Department of Education child day center requirements.
- Monitor classroom ratios, staff qualifications, health and safety practices, required records, and program operations.
- Review the VDOE license application and supporting licensing materials with the Owner for accuracy, completeness, and program readiness before submission.
- Review program policies, procedures, schedules, classroom plans, forms, and other licensing materials.
- Prepare classrooms and program operations for licensing inspections.
- Participate in licensing visits and inspections.
- Address program-related compliance findings and maintain ongoing licensing readiness.
Required Qualifications
- Must be at least 21 years old.
- Must independently meet Virginia Department of Education Program Director qualifications under 8VAC20-780-190.
- Professional experience in a licensed child care or early childhood education setting.
- Demonstrated supervisory and leadership experience.
- Strong understanding of early childhood development and classroom operations.
- Knowledge of child care licensing, staff-to-child ratios, health and safety, and regulatory compliance.
- Strong leadership, communication, organization, decision-making, and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to successfully complete all required pre-employment and background requirements.
- Ability to provide documentation demonstrating qualification under an applicable VDOE Program Director pathway.
Preferred Experience & Qualifications
Because this is a senior leadership position, we are particularly interested in candidates with substantial experience.
- 10+ years of professional early childhood education or licensed child care experience strongly preferred.
- 7+ years of Program Director, Center Director, Assistant Director, or comparable child care leadership experience strongly preferred.
- Bachelor's degree or higher in Early Childhood Education, Child Development, Elementary Education, or another child-related field preferred.
- Experience supervising a substantial teaching team preferred.
- Experience opening, expanding, or establishing a child care center preferred.
- Experience successfully growing or maintaining center enrollment preferred.
- Montessori training or Montessori classroom experience preferred.
- Experience with Montessori-inspired education preferred.
- Early childhood STEM/STEAM training or experience preferred.
- Strong early literacy, phonics, and kindergarten-readiness experience preferred.
- Bilingual skills preferred, but not required.
- Experience working in a Christian or faith-based early childhood environment preferred.
- Experience incorporating age-appropriate Christian values, Bible stories, character development, kindness, gratitude, compassion, and service into children's learning preferred.
- Family engagement, community outreach, and partnership-development experience preferred.
Our Christian Mission
Christian faith and values are an important part of the center's identity and educational culture.
We believe children can receive an excellent academic foundation while also developing faith, character, compassion, kindness, gratitude, confidence, independence, and respect for others.
We are looking for a Program Director who is comfortable supporting this mission and who recognizes the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on children's lives through Christian values, strong academics, and excellent early childhood education.
Why Join Us?
This is an opportunity to help shape a new early learning center from its beginning.
The Program Director will have meaningful leadership autonomy while also receiving direct support and partnership from ownership. You will not be expected to build or operate the center alone.
You will have a meaningful voice in the center's educational programming, classroom culture, teaching quality, staff development, family experience, enrollment growth, traditions, and long-term program excellence.
Most importantly, this position provides the opportunity to make a lasting difference in the lives of children and families through faith, education, leadership, and service.
Compensation & Benefits
- 100% child care tuition discount for an eligible child
- Paid time off (PTO)
- Paid holidays
- Professional development opportunities
- Meaningful leadership autonomy
- Direct partnership and support from ownership
- Opportunity to help shape and grow a new Christian early learning center
- Long-term professional growth opportunity
To Apply
Please submit a current résumé, unofficial transcripts or other education documentation, applicable early childhood credentials/certifications, and three professional references.
Applicants should also provide a brief statement describing their child care leadership experience and how they meet the VDOE Program Director qualifications under 8VAC20-780-190.
We are looking for more than someone who can manage a child care center. We are looking for an exceptional, experienced early childhood leader who wants to build, lead, grow, and make a meaningful impact.
Pay: $70,000.00 - $80,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Childcare
- Employee discount
- Paid time off
- Professional development assistance
Work Location: In person
