Program Lead

Description

The Program Lead manages all programmatic and staffing aspects of an early care and education center, ensuring program quality is maintained in a single Catalyst Family Inc. licensed childcare center. The role includes oversight of planning, implementation, assessment, reflection, and program requirements for school‑age and infant/toddler children. The Program Lead coaches, mentors, and observes teaching staff to promote quality programming and ensures children receive high‑quality staff‑child interactions and are supervised in a safe, healthy environment.

The Program Lead works collaboratively with the Center Manager/Site Supervisor to support the business of the center, including enrollment and attendance, purchasing, and community relationship building. The position acknowledges and celebrates diversity among staff, children, and families, creating classroom environments that reflect the community’s cultural backgrounds. The Program Lead is expected to spend approximately 33% of time on program quality activities.

• Liaison for communicating Catalyst Family Inc. vision, mission, philosophy, and curriculum approaches to staff, parents, school personnel, the community, and state and local government agencies.
• Ensures streamlined processes for documented learning from observations to lesson plans, documentation, assessments, and reviews consistent with Catalyst Family Inc.’s mission and values.
• Shares program information and assessment results with the center, supporting and modeling best practices for teachers.
• Collaborates with center staff to provide enriched indoor/outdoor environments that meet diverse and cultural needs, utilizing staff, family, and community expertise.
• Assesses program quality, curriculum implementation, health/safety, and licensing standards and takes steps to continuously improve in alignment with agency quality standards.
• Fully participates and leads QRIS for Infant/Toddler programs.
• Maintains knowledge of Developmentally Appropriate Practices and applicable curriculum influences such as Reggio Emilia, California’s Learning Framework, the Search Institute, and Program for Infant/Toddler Caregivers.
• Uses staff observations and assessment tools to develop and implement child growth plans.
• Follows Catalyst’s Positive Behavior Approach and protocol with family members, providing tools and resources to support implementation of agreed strategies.

• Manages a team of 2–5 staff depending on center size and enrollment.
• Provides proactive coaching, support, and feedback to staff to enable high performance.
• Conducts annual performance reviews and provides regular feedback.
• Facilitates participatory team meetings that foster ownership of outcomes.
• Observes staff interactions with children, evaluates activity effectiveness, and gives constructive feedback.
• Provides on‑site mentoring, modeling, and training for teaching staff.
• Orients new staff to integrate them into the team and sets clear job expectations.
• Develops professional growth plans and provides opportunities for continuous development.
• Ensures individual and team goals align with agency goals and holds staff accountable to high performance expectations.

• Commit to continuous improvement in knowledge of child/youth development, curriculum, and leadership skills.
• Attends trainings, professional development, and research‑based exchanges to support center needs and share learnings.
• Acts as a change agent to advocate, communicate, and implement organizational changes.
• Maintains high staff morale and nurtures team spirit.
• Mentors internal candidates for new positions.
• Encourages staff to recruit new hires through strong relationships with families, schools, and communities.

• Provides excellent customer service and builds authentic, culturally responsive relationships with families, schools, and the community.
• Supports a parent advisory committee that gives families feedback and a voice in center operations and program quality.
• Acts as a Catalyst representative at local and school community activities.
• Assesses…