Early Learning Director

Position: Early Learning Director

Hours: 40 hours per week, 51 weeks per year

Salary range: $69,646 - $104,468 DOE

Location: Encompass Early Learning Center, North Bend, WA

Benefits:

• Medical (80% Company-paid)
• Dental/Vision
• Company paid Life/AD&D, EAP, Wellness
• 401K and 401K Matching
• Vacation/Sick Leave
• 11 Paid Holidays, plus bonus week of company PTO

Encompass is a private nonprofit serving the Snoqualmie Valley and Issaquah communities for over 50 years. Our mission is to partner with families to build healthy foundations for children. We believe what happens early in life matters. We offer high quality, leading edge early childhood educational, therapeutic services, and family enrichment programs for children ages 0-8 and their families.

THE ROLE

The Early Learning Director provides visionary and operational leadership for Encompass's Early Learning programs, including Preschool and two ECEAP sites. This role blends strategy, people leadership, program quality, and community partnership. It helps ensure that children, families, and staff experience excellence, care, and consistency every day.

The Director is a key member of Encompass's leadership team, collaborating across departments to strengthen systems, grow impact, and advance our mission.

WHY YOU'LL LOVE THIS ROLE

• You'll lead in a culture grounded in integrity and trust, where transparency, accountability, and follow-through matter-and where leaders are expected to model the values they ask of others.
• You'll work alongside people who value respect, connection, and a welcoming spirit, creating space for authentic relationships, open dialogue, and shared learning across teams and with families.
• You'll be empowered to pursue excellence and continuous improvement, encouraged to think creatively, try new approaches, and strengthen systems that support children, families, and staff.
• You'll champion equity in action, helping ensure access, opportunity, and belonging for individuals and communities with diverse identities, experiences, and circumstances.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

Program Leadership & Strategy

• Provide overall leadership, coordination, and management of all Early Learning programs.
• Guide planning, implementation, and evaluation of program activities using data and continuous improvement practices.
• Collaborate with program directors, managers, and the Family Services team to meet the holistic needs of children and families.
• Foster a culture of respect, belonging, accountability, and collaboration grounded in trauma-informed and neuro-affirming practices.

Quality, Compliance & Outcomes

• Ensure all classrooms meet or exceed requirements for Child Care Licensing, ECEAP Performance Standards, CACFP, and NAEYC accreditation.
• Oversee program monitoring, documentation, and reporting systems to support strong outcomes and compliance.
• Act as the primary liaison with funders and partners including PSESD, King County, and other contractors.
• Represent Encompass at community and regional early learning meetings, including monthly PSESD Center Director meetings.

People Leadership & Development

• Supervise, coach, and support Early Learning staff to perform at their best.
• Develop individual and team training plans that support professional growth and retention.
• Lead with curiosity, clarity, and compassion-supporting staff through change and complexity.

Family & Community Engagement

• Ensure consistent, meaningful communication with families through in-person and written channels.
• Maintain clear, accessible policies that support family understanding and participation.
• Promote opportunities for parents and caregivers to engage with staff and the broader Encompass community.

Fiscal & Operational Oversight

• Develop and manage the Early Learning departmental budget.
• Balance operational sustainability with program quality and staff well-being.

WHAT YOU BRING

Experience & Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years of experience working in or closely connected to ECEAP and Early Learning programs.
• 5+ years of leadership experience
  , including supervising and developing teams.
• Strong understanding of early childhood curricula and development across domains (language, literacy, math, science, art, music, and social-emotional learning).
• Demonstrated experience supporting children with special education needs and working with culturally, linguistically, and socioeconomically diverse communities.

Commitment to Equity & Belonging

• Deep alignment with Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging principles.
• Demonstrated professional and/or lived experience in one or more of the following areas:
  • LGBTQIA+ communities
  • Racial equity and BIPOC family engagement
  • Multiracial identity
  • Immigrant and refugee families
  • Gen Z & Millennial BIPOC parents
  • Neurodiversity and disability justice

Skills & Strengths

• Strong communicator-able to listen, write, and speak with clarity and empathy.
• Organized, adaptable, and skilled at managing multiple priorities.
• Confident using data, systems, and technology to inform decisions.
• Collaborative leader who builds trust and leads teams to…