School Director

Department: School Management

Employment Type: Permanent - Full Time

Location: Grosse Pointe Farms, MI

Reporting To: Lisa Jorgensen

Compensation: $90,000 - $98,000 / year

The School Director is the named leader of the school, with full responsibility for delivering outstanding education, exceptional family experience, and a thriving, values-led team culture.

This role sets the tone for the school, models N Family values, and ensures the school operates safely, compliantly, and to the highest quality standards. Working in close partnership with the School Education Manager and Front of House Manager, the School Director leads the school as a cohesive, high-performing community.

The School Director plays a critical role in building N Family School as the most loved early childhood education group in the U.S.

To be successful in this role, you will Go Beyond, Be Outstandingly Outstanding, and Play as a Team.

• Act as the named leader of the school, setting vision, expectations, and standards
• Create and sustain a safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment for children, families, and team members
• Model N Family values and leads with warmth, clarity, and accountability
• Build a strong, collaborative leadership team across education and operations

• Lead delivery of high-quality education aligned with the N Curriculum and Pedagogy
• Partner closely with the School Education Manager to maintain exceptional classroom practice
• Drive continuous improvement through self-evaluation, audits, and action planning
• Ensure education delivery meets state licensing, N Family, and quality framework expectations (including NAEYC where applicable)

• Serve as the school’s lead for safeguarding, child protection, and mandated reporting
• Ensure full compliance with state licensing regulations, health and safety requirements, and N Family policies
• Monitor risk daily and take proactive action to maintain a safe, well-managed environment
• Ensure all required checks, documentation, and procedures are completed and maintained

• Take full accountability for recruitment, onboarding, retention, performance management, and succession planning
• Lead, coach, and develop the full school team, supported by N Academy and People partners
• Ensure staffing, schedules, and ratios meet licensing and operational requirements
• Partner with the People Team on performance management, development plans, and disciplinary processes

• Build strong, trusting relationships with families and caregivers
• Partner with admissions, sales, and marketing teams to drive enrollment and manage capacity
• Address family questions or concerns with professionalism, empathy, and follow-through
• Represent N Family School within the local community and with licensing authorities

• Own overall operational performance, ensuring the school runs smoothly and efficiently
• Deliver strong financial performance in line with budgets, occupancy targets, and business plans
• Use data and insight to inform decision-making and continuous improvement
• Ensure systems, processes, and routines support high-quality daily operations

• Work a flexible schedule aligned with school operating hours, typically between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., with availability for events or meetings as needed
• Use digital systems confidently to support planning, communication, and compliance
• Take on additional responsibilities as needed to support the school and wider organization

• Experience leading a high-quality early childhood school or center
• Strong knowledge of curriculum, pedagogy, and early childhood best practice
• Proven experience managing teams, staffing, ratios, and performance
• Experience overseeing budgets, enrollment, and operational performance
• Strong understanding of U.S. child care licensing and inspection processes
• Confident, clear communicator with strong relationship-building skills

• Bachelor’s degree required in Early Childhood Education, Child Development, Education, or a related field
• Must meet all state qualification requirements for school leadership
• Pediatric First Aid and Pediatric CPR certification maintained per state requirements
• Completion of child protection and mandated reporter training
• Successful completion of required background checks and clearances
• Must meet all state health…