Program Administrator - Early Childhood Development Center

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A cover letter is recommended for consideration for this position and should be attached as the first page of your resume. The cover letter should address your specific interest in the position and outline skills and experience that directly relate to this position.

Job Summary

The Program Administrator provides onsite leadership for the daily operation of the Early Childhood Development Center (ECDC) and ensures that the center operates in accordance with Michigan child care licensing requirements, University policies, and applicable program standards. The position leads daily staffing, classroom operations, family service, regulatory documentation, staff guidance, training, and continuous quality improvement.

This position works within a shared administrative structure. The licensee designee retains responsibility for institutional oversight, human resources, employee relations, and significant operational decisions. VCBF provides fiscal and grant administration. The Program Administrator supplies timely operational information and collaborates with these partners while remaining accountable for the licensing duties assigned to the Program Administrator.

Responsibilities

• Direct the center's day-to-day operations and remain available to address child, family, staff, safety, and operational concerns.
• Develop, implement, evaluate, and consistently administer center policies and operating procedures in collaboration with the licensee designee.
• Maintain compliance with the Michigan Child Care Organizations Act, current Child Care Center Licensing Rules, corrective-action requirements, and other applicable regulatory standards.
• Maintain required licensing records and documentation; prepare for inspections; respond promptly to licensing inquiries; and ensure required reports and notifications are completed.
• Coordinate daily staffing assignments, classroom coverage, breaks, call-in response, and substitute deployment to maintain required staff-to-child ratios and qualified classroom leadership.
• Monitor staff performance and classroom practices, provide coaching and direction, complete annual evaluations, and elevate employee-relations or corrective-action matters to the licensee designee and Human Resources.
• Verify staff background-check eligibility, Mi Registry records, orientation, health and safety training, CPR/first aid, professional development, and role-specific credentials.
• Provide leadership for developmentally appropriate curriculum, child assessment, active supervision, positive guidance, inclusion, family engagement, and classroom quality.
• Coordinate enrollment and classroom placement based on licensed capacity, staffing availability, children's needs, and program commitments.
• Serve as the primary onsite contact for families and respond effectively to questions, concerns, incidents, and service needs.
• Support Great Start to Quality and GSRP implementation, documentation, staffing compliance, monitoring, and improvement activities, as applicable.
• Provide accurate enrollment, staffing, purchasing, and operational information to VCBF for budget preparation, fiscal monitoring, grant administration, and required reporting.
• Designate and prepare qualified staff-in-charge coverage whenever the Program Administrator is not onsite.
• Perform other related duties consistent with the position and applicable licensing requirements.

Required Qualifications

• Must be at least 21 years of age.
• A bachelor's degree or higher in early childhood education, child development, education, a child-related field, business administration, public administration, organizational leadership, or a related field.
• At least one year of progressively responsible experience in a licensed early childhood, preschool, child care, education, or comparable child- or family-serving program.
• Demonstrated experience maintaining required records, and responding effectively to family and employee concerns.
• Must meet all qualifications for an Early Childhood Program Administrator under Michigan Child Care Center Licensing Rule R 400.8204.
• Must possess, or complete within six months of hire, at least two semester hours or 3.0 CEUs in child care…