The Director of Early Childhood Education is a member of the Temple Sinai Senior Staff and will be responsible for the day-to-day operations, staff, budget management, and program quality for a licensed, play-based, Jewish preschool and after-care program, the Temple Sinai David Pregerson Preschool (TSDPP). The Director works collaboratively with the Senior Staff and reports to the Senior Rabbi.

Duties and responsibilities

Preschool Administration:
• Assure compliance with health, safety, and licensing regulations
• Work with internal synagogue committees on safety and security policies
• Maintain, review, and implement school wide policies and procedures
• Assist in collaboration with the Executive Director to establish and maintain a preschool budget
• Plan the yearly calendar in partnership with the Senior Staff and Preschool Parent Committee (PPC)
• Attend Temple Sinai Board meetings and provide regular reports
• Partner with the PPC in planning co-curricular programs and events and attend monthly PPC Meetings
• Attend regular meetings of the Jewish Early Childhood Education Directors
• Network and maintain professional relationships with ECE professional peer groups

Program Development/Quality:
• Provide oversight and support the teachers in the design and implementation of a developmentally appropriate, play-based, curriculum grounded in the principles of Judaism
• Ensure that teachers have the support and resources to care for and enable growth of every child
• Manage a year-round program (a regular school year and a modified summer camp preschool program)

Parent Relations:
• Cultivate and maintain solid parent and teacher partnerships through open-door, responsive, and proactive communication
• Conduct outreach to prospective families (tours, prospective parent nights, and new family orientations)
• Partner with the PPC on all co-curricular activities (parent education, social action, community building, fundraising)
• Oversee and create all TSDPP parent communications
• Support families of children with diverse learning needs
• Cultivate a sense of community and engagement among preschool families

Staff Supervision and Leadership:
• Recruit, hire, and train new teachers, subs, and support staff
• Conduct staff meetings for lead teachers and all staff
• Plan and implement staff in-service and teacher trainings
• Supervise, manage, evaluate, and mentor the Associate Preschool Director and all TSDPP staff
• Maintain a positive and constructive team atmosphere

Organizational Leadership:
• Actively participate in visioning and implementing all planning of temple life as a part of the Senior Staff
• Work with other Senior Staff members in all Jewish holiday program planning, especially as it relates to preschool-aged children and their families
• Support planning and logistics of family engagement activities for the temple community
• Represent and espouse Jewish values and the philosophy of Temple Sinai
• Build positive and collaborative relationships with the Temple Sinai Board of Trustees

Budget:
• Develop and manage the preschool department budget, in consultation with the Executive Director and the temple’s Finance Committee
• Oversee scholarship awards for the preschool
• Investigate and respond to grant opportunities related to Early Childhood Education, in concert with lay leadership and the Executive Director
• Manage grant projects and proposals; maintain regular contact with funders and write grant reports

Qualifications

• Must meet California State Director certification requirements
• Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education or a related field (MA Preferred)
• Supervised experience in licensed, play-based preschool setting
• 3 ECE units in administration/staff relations
• 12 Core ECE units
• Maintain ongoing educational requirements toward ECE accreditation
• Experience implementing Jewish preschool curriculum
• Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills
• Experience in a supervisory or leadership role
• Highly organized and detail-oriented with strong time management skills
• Flexibility and ability to work under pressure
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to relate to children and parents
• Visionary, creative, with an ability to be proactive and take initiative
• Strong team player with experience working in a collaborative environment
• An understanding and sensitivity of working in a diverse community and in an urban environment
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and discretion, while understanding sensitive issues and in accordance with the laws and Temple policies
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Outlook, Excel, databases, and other technology

Direct reports

List by job title any positions to be supervised by the incumbent:
• Associate Preschool Director
• All Preschool Teachers

Statement of Equal Opportunity:
Temple Sinai is thoroughly committed both to a policy of equal employment opportunity for all job applicants and employees, and to providing a work environment that is free from harassment, discrimination, and retaliation. Consistent with the requirements of the law, it is the policy of Temple Sinai to hire, employ, train, retain, promote, demote, compensate, discipline, terminate, and otherwise treat all employees and job applicants on the basis of merit, qualifications, and competence, and without regard to sex, sexual orientation or preference, gender, gender identity, race, color, religion, national origin, creed, citizenship status, ancestry, age, marital status, pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, medical condition including genetic characteristics, mental or physical disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law, ordinance, or regulation. This policy prohibits harassment, discrimination, and retaliation on the basis of actual or perceived possession of a characteristic protected by any applicable law, ordinance or regulation; of actual or perceived inclusion in a group protected by any applicable law, ordinance, or regulation; and of association with any individual or group that actually has, or is perceived to have, any attribute protected by any applicable law, ordinance, or regulation.
Temple Sinai will make reasonable accommodations, whenever necessary, for applicants and employees with disabilities if they are otherwise qualified to safely perform the essential functions of the position.

Salary Range:
$100,000-$120,000, depending on experience

How to apply:
To apply for this position, please send your resume and cover letter describing your interest and qualifications as well as three reference contacts for this position to the Director of Early Childhood Education Search Committee at search@oaklandsinai.org. References will not be contacted until after an initial interview is conducted. This position will be open until the successful candidate is identified. No telephone calls, please.