Director, Wolk Children's Center

PROGRAM AGES: Infants through School Age

LICENSED CAPACITY: 286 Children

The Louis S. Wolk JCC of Greater Rochester is more than an institution. It is a living, breathing reflection of what community can be—diverse, vibrant, welcoming, and resilient. It is a place where a child takes their first steps, a teen finds their voice, an adult discovers new purpose, and Jewish life, culture, and connection to Israel flourish across generations. It is a place to learn, connect, celebrate, and, most importantly, belong.

We are stronger together. We nurture meaningful relationships.

Every person who walks through our doors belongs.

We lead with kindness, empathy, and care for one another.

We have each individual’s dignity and unique journey.

We care for body, mind, and spirit – for ourselves and others.

The Wolk Children’s Center is a vibrant and welcoming community where children are encouraged to explore, build relationships, develop confidence, and grow into who they are. Guided by Jewish values and open to families of all backgrounds, the Center creates meaningful opportunities for children to experience kindness, community, tradition, and a strong sense of belonging.

The Director serves as the primary leader of the Wolk Children’s Center and is responsible for the overall quality and performance of comprehensive Early Childhood and School Age programs. This is a highly visible leadership position for someone who enjoys being present in classrooms, connecting with families, developing employees, and creating an environment where children feel safe, supported, challenged, and excited to be here.

With a licensed capacity of 286 children, the Director must be a strong organizational leader who can successfully manage a large team and complex daily operation. The Director is accountable for program quality, staff leadership, family experience, licensing and compliance, enrollment, financial performance, and the overall operation of the Center.

• Provide leadership and oversight for infant, toddler, preschool, and school age programs.
• Establish and maintain standards for curriculum, classroom environments, teacher and child interactions, and developmentally appropriate practice.
• Maintain a consistent presence in classrooms and conduct regular observations to assess program quality and support teaching teams.
• Coach employees in promoting children’s social, emotional, cognitive, language, and physical development.
• Guide employees in using positive, developmentally appropriate behavior support practices.
• Ensure children’s progress and developmental milestones are observed, documented, and communicated with families.
• Coordinate appropriate resources and support when developmental, behavioral, social emotional, or educational concerns are identified.
• Ensure Jewish values, traditions, holidays, and cultural experiences are thoughtfully incorporated into programming in ways that are meaningful, developmentally appropriate, and welcoming to families of all backgrounds.
• Use classroom observations, developmental information, family feedback, and program data to guide continuous improvement.
• Recruit, hire, onboard, supervise, evaluate, and retain qualified employees.
• Establish clear roles, performance expectations, and accountability across the Center team.
• Develop supervisors and lead teachers to effectively guide and support their teams.
• Maintain a visible and accessible presence while providing timely coaching, recognition, and performance feedback.
• Develop staffing schedules that meet enrollment needs, required ratios, program…