Program Director

Why Join Concordia Place? 

Do you want to positively impact children's growth? Interested in teaching a fun and purposeful play-based curriculum? What about working with qualified teachers in beautiful indoor and outdoor play areas? If the answer is a resounding yes, then Concordia Place is right for you! Founded in 1981, Concordia Place is a vibrant mission driven organization providing multigenerational programs including early learning, after-school, and teen leadership for Chicago communities. Our centers are located in the Avondale, Ravenswood, North Center and Old Irving Park neighborhoods, with plans to expand into Albany Park. While we are diverse, we are united by our mission to create involved communities where all our neighbors can gather, learn, and grow. Concordia believes everyone deserves opportunity, and that it is best served when it is broadly inclusive.

Our Guiding Principles

• Faith in Action
• A Place of Yes
• A Place for All
• A Place of One
• A Place of Excellence

Overview

The Program Director at our Seeley center leads the day-to-day operations and long-term success of the program. This role ensures a high-quality, developmentally appropriate experience for children; builds strong partnerships with families and the community; leads and develops a team of educators; and keeps the program in full compliance with city, state, and accreditation standards. Reports to the Vice President of Program Services. 

Responsibilities 

Excellence in Mission 

• Obtain and maintain city and state licensing, NAEYC standards and accreditation, and ExceleRate Illinois Gold Circle of Quality
• Ensure program and curriculum are whole-child focused, developmentally appropriate, and leading edge
• Maintain current knowledge of early childhood research and best practices 
• Collaborate with parents to support their parenting and seamless transition between home and center
• Cultivate parent relationships and support parent engagement efforts
• Establish clear procedures and monitoring for enrollment, tuition billing, and record-keeping to ensure accuracy and accountability
• Partner with Concordia Place leadership and peers across sites and departments to share best practices, align programs, and deliver a consistent experience for families 
• Ensure facility program spaces are outward reflections of a Place of Excellence

Financial Strength

• Lead program recruitment and enrollment, including program marketing, open houses, and other events for prospective families
• Coordinate with marketing and communications to ensure full enrollment
• Manage program operations to stay within budget, keep tuition accounts current, and maintain full enrollment and appropriate staffing 
• Coordinate with other staff to develop and execute fundraising strategies, including but not limited to helping to prepare grant proposals and center-based fundraising efforts

Visibility

• Promote organization through community relationships, events, and online channels
• Present programs to community groups; develop and foster relationships with key community and program leaders and organizations 

Capacity for Growth

• Recruit, hire, and onboard qualified staff to meet the current and future needs of the program and organization
• Supervise, coach, and mentor staff through regular check-ins, classroom observations, and ongoing professional development
• Set clear performance expectations, conduct timely evaluations, and hold staff accountable for meeting licensing, accreditation, and Concordia Place standards
• Address performance concerns promptly and fairly, including corrective action when needed
• Foster a supportive, collaborative team culture that promotes staff well-being and retention
• Ensure all staff are fluent in Concordia messaging and branding

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree with 24 credits in Early Childhood Education, Child Development, or Elementary Education and 9 credits in administration, leadership, or management
• Illinois Gateways Director credential level 2 required
• Early Childhood Education Gateways credential level 5 required
• Family Services Gateways credential level 5 required
• Bilingual Spanish/English strongly preferred
• At least 3 years of experience as a director or assistant director supervising classroom staff in an early learning, preschool, or school-age program with at least 50 children
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (including Word and Excel)
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, handle or feel, reach with hands and arms, and talk and hear. The employee is frequently required to stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must frequently lift up to 30 pounds, including a child

 Benefits and Perks: 

Concordia Place offers a generous compensation and benefits package to employees. Here is an overview of the many perks of working at Concordia Place:

• 403b Retirement Savings Plan (with an Employer Match)
• Vacation Days
• Sick Days
• 1 week paid winter holiday
• 12 paid holidays per year
• Floating Holidays
• Employer paid Short Term Disability
• Employer paid Basic Life & ADD
• Medical insurance with employer contribution
• Voluntary Dental insurance
• Voluntary Vision insurance
• Voluntary Basic Life & ADD
• Voluntary Long-term disability insurance
• Voluntary Aflac plans
• Employer Paid Employee Assistance Program
• Employee Referral program
• Childcare tuition discount for employees
• Quarterly in-service days and professional development resources for teaching staff