About Us (Lightbridge Academy of Glen Allen, VA)
We are seeking a highly organized, operationally strong Center Director to lead our growing premium early childhood education center in Glen Allen, VA. This is not a passive management role — we are hands-on owner/operators who are actively involved in the business every day and are looking for a leader who thrives in a fast-paced, high-accountability environment.
Our ideal candidate is proactive, execution-oriented, highly organized, and capable of independently managing the daily operational complexity of a large childcare center. This role requires strong leadership presence, staffing and scheduling management, parent communication, team accountability, operational problem-solving, and the ability to build and maintain structure throughout the building.
We are looking for someone who anticipates needs before escalation, communicates clearly and proactively, follows through consistently, and takes ownership of operational outcomes rather than waiting for direction. The right candidate must be comfortable balancing classroom operations, administrative responsibilities, staffing challenges, compliance requirements, and parent experience simultaneously.
This is an excellent opportunity for an ambitious operational leader seeking long-term growth within a rapidly developing organization focused on operational excellence, team development, and scalable systems.
Position Summary
The Center Director is responsible for planning, organizing, implementing and coordinating services of the program, exercising independent judgment and decision-making authority as delegated, including budget, policies, procedures, and staff supervision. The Center Director is responsible for maintaining a safe and positive culture in their center, supporting teachers in the development and implementation of an innovative and hands-on curriculum, and building an environment where the children, families and staff thrive. They will have the overall responsibility of promoting a positive image in the community and achieving profitability for the company. Above all else, the Center Director will uphold the Vision, Mission, Core Values and Circle of Care philosophy of Lightbridge Academy.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
The essential functions include, but are not limited to the following:
· Provide day-to-day leadership and management reflecting the Core Values of Lightbridge Academy.
· Ensure effective operation of center; maintain licensing, safety, and educational standards in accordance with all applicable federal, state, and local rules, regulations, licensing requirements, and company policies.
· Cultivate positive relationships with families, staff members, community contacts and build and maintain public relations with prospective clients and corporate partners through networking and cross-marketing opportunities.
· Deliver exceptional customer service to parents by going above and beyond to address questions and concerns and assist parents promptly and effectively.
· Create and implement the marketing plan for the center, coordinate local area and in-center events and activities per Lightbridge Academy requirements.
- Motivate and lead a high-performance team to create engaging and quality classroom experiences; leverage and develop “best in class” quality educators to be passionate and committed professionals; maintain the proper staff/child ratio as set by the state licensing entity.
- Maintain responsibility in the areas of 1) recruiting, interviewing, hiring and training employees, 2) planning, assigning and supervising the work of direct reports, 3) appraising performance of direct reports, 4) rewarding and disciplining employees, and 5) addressing staff complaints and resolving problems.
- Develop and facilitate agenda for monthly team meetings and other meetings as needed.
- Deliver and implement training programs pursuant to Lightbridge Academy’s Core Values and state and company requirements.
· Prepare and deliver reports and forms in accordance with the company’s deadlines and procedures.
- Assist in the planning and development of an annual budget and meet or exceed financial goals and objectives; maintain accurate financial accounting of the center operation and protect the company’s monetary assets; develop cost estimates for future program needs.
- Achieve the set Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and ensure accuracy and timeliness of data entry.
Operational Leadership & Execution
- Independently organize, prioritize, and execute multiple operational responsibilities in a fast-paced childcare environment.
- Anticipate operational needs before escalation occurs, including staffing shortages, classroom transitions, compliance deadlines, parent concerns, and enrollment changes.
- Develop, maintain, and continuously improve operational systems related to staffing, scheduling, classroom transitions, lunch and break coverage, PTO planning, compliance tracking, and classroom organization.
- Ensure timely execution and follow-through of operational tasks without requiring repeated reminders or direct oversight from ownership.
- Maintain proactive operational visibility across all classrooms and identify potential issues before they impact staffing, parent experience, licensing, or classroom operations.
- Create and maintain structured daily operational plans to support classroom flow, staffing coverage, lunch execution, transitions, and closing operations.
Organizational Management & Administrative Excellence
- Demonstrate exceptional organizational and time-management skills while balancing operational interruptions and shifting priorities throughout the day.
- Maintain accurate, timely, and organized administrative systems for staff files, child files, allergy documentation, classroom transitions, attendance tracking, incident reports, PTO requests, and operational compliance.
- Maintain accurate, timely, and organized administrative systems for staff files, child files, allergy documentation, classroom transitions, attendance tracking, incident reports, PTO requests, and operational compliance.
- Ensure all operational deadlines, parent communications, staff reviews, compliance items, and required follow-up tasks are completed accurately and on time.
- Effectively manage competing operational priorities while maintaining attention to detail and consistency.
- Utilize operational dashboards, reports, schedules, and tracking systems to improve accountability and center performance.
Leadership Presence & Accountability
- Demonstrate visible, confident, and proactive leadership presence throughout the building.
- Communicate operational concerns, staffing risks, parent escalations, and compliance matters proactively to ownership and leadership teams.
- Lead team meetings with organized agendas, operational updates, accountability follow-through, and actionable next steps.
- Foster accountability and urgency among staff through clear communication, timely follow-up, and operational consistency.
- Demonstrate sound independent judgment and decision-making while maintaining professionalism under pressure.
- Actively participate in brainstorming, problem-solving, and operational improvement discussions.
Staffing, Scheduling & Operational Planning
- Build and manage staffing schedules strategically around attendance trends, ratio requirements, lunch coverage, classroom transitions, PTO requests, and operational support needs.
- Maintain proactive staffing plans and contingency coverage strategies for callouts, vacations, classroom changes, and enrollment growth.
- Effectively utilize float and support staff to maximize operational efficiency, classroom quality, and center organization.
- Ensure lunch schedules, bathroom breaks, classroom transitions, and late-day classroom combining are executed efficiently and consistently.
- Monitor operational flow throughout the building and adjust staffing dynamically based on classroom needs and attendance fluctuations.
Scalability & Growth-Oriented Leadership
- Demonstrate the ability to operate within a growth-oriented organization and assist in scaling operational systems for future locations.
- Identify operational inefficiencies and proactively implement improved systems, workflows, and processes.
- Support the development of future leaders through coaching, accountability, and operational mentorship.
- Utilize technology platforms, operational software, and reporting systems effectively to support center performance and scalability.
- Maintain a continuous improvement mindset focused on operational excellence, parent experience, classroom quality, and profitability.
- In cooperation with local and state agencies, develop and execute effective emergency response plans, conduct monthly fire drills and quarterly lock-down drills, and maintain a log of drills and documentation of response plans.
- Manage the relationship with outside vendors, including background investigations, insurance requirements, communicating and ensuring vendor compliance with company policies.
- Conduct daily safety checks of overall facilities, including all equipment and company premises to ensure a safe environment.
- Maintain, secure and update important and accurate administrative records for the center as required by the company and all applicable federal, state, and local regulations, including but not limited to records on staff and children.
- Participate in required trainings and meetings, and travel to off-site trainings as needed.
- Maintain the standards per the Association of Early Learning Leaders and the company’s operation and education audits.
- Perform job duties of any staff member as needed, and other duties as assigned.
Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities)
- Bachelor’s Degree, preferably in early childcare education or a related field
- Minimum of two (2) years in a supervisory role in a licensed childcare program
- Maintain continuing education requirements per company and state requirements
- Strong operational planning and execution skills in a high-volume childcare or service-based environment.
- Demonstrated ability to self-direct, prioritize responsibilities, and independently execute operational tasks.
- Ability to proactively solve problems and make sound operational decisions without excessive direction from ownership.
- Strong systems-thinking mindset with the ability to improve workflows, organization, and operational efficiency.
- Ability to effectively manage operational interruptions while maintaining organization, timeliness, and follow-through.
- Demonstrated ability to lead through accountability, communication, urgency, and proactive problem-solving.
- Strong adaptability and comfort operating within a rapidly growing and evolving organization.
- Ability to balance classroom operations, administrative responsibilities, parent experience, staffing management, and compliance simultaneously.
- Leadership – Ability to set a vision, inspire collaboration among staff members, and coach and build teams to achieve mutual goals.
- Integrity – Instill mutual trust and confidence, create a culture that fosters high standards of ethics, behave in a fair and ethical manner toward others, and demonstrate a sense of corporate responsibility and commitment to the population served.
- Initiative – Ability to proactively spearhead and coordinate the execution of responsibilities in order to achieve desired outcome and identify and develop new ideas and challenges for business improvement.
- Customer Service – Demonstrate strong commitment to identifying and meeting customers’ needs in a timely and appropriate manner, and continually seeks to ensure their full satisfaction.
- Decision-Making & Judgment – Ability to react quickly with sound judgment and problem-solving skills in complex and critical situations, such as injuries and accidents.
- Communication – Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, and work effectively with a wide range of constituencies in a diverse community.
- Teamwork – Ability and desire to work cooperatively with others on a team; act as a team leader by demonstrating interest, skill, and success in getting groups to learn to work together.
- Adaptability – Respond to change with a positive attitude and a willingness to learn new ways to accomplish work activities and objectives.
- Motivation – Willingness to take self-directed or self-motivated actions to do more than is expected in the job with the aim of improving job performance and finding or creating new opportunities.
- Self-Development – Responds positively to feedback regarding performance, continually strives to develop professionally, and takes advantage of opportunities to grow.
- Technical –Proficiency with use of technology such as tablets and smart devices, and software such as Microsoft Office, specifically Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
Physical Demands and Work Environment
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions. While performing the duties of this position, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to use hands or fingers, handle or feel objects, tools or controls. The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl, and perform manual tasks. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 35 pounds and must occasionally lift and/or move up to 60 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this position include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, and the ability to adjust focus. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. Employees are expected to interact with others, and successfully concentrate and think in this role. The typical work environment for this position is a classroom, but requires the ability to perform duties outdoors during daily recess, except in cases of extreme weather conditions.
Note
This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee(s) incumbent in this position. Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by any person authorized to give instructions or assignments. All duties and responsibilities are essential functions and requirements and are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. To perform this job successfully, the incumbents will possess the skills, aptitudes, and abilities to perform each duty proficiently. Some requirements may exclude individuals who pose a direct threat or significant risk to the health or safety of themselves or others. The requirements listed in this document are the minimum levels of knowledge, skills, or abilities. This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an “at will” relationship.
Lightbridge Academy is an Equal Opportunity Employer, drug free workplace, and complies with ADA regulations as applicable.
Pay: $65,000.00 - $78,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Dental insurance
- Employee discount
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Relocation assistance
- Vision insurance
Application Question(s):
- How many employees have you directly supervised at one time?
Education:
Experience:
- Childcare Leadership: 3 years (Preferred)
Shift availability:
Work Location: In person
