Academy Director

Education Full Time

Apply on

OUR CORE VALUES

We are Christ followers passionate about reaching children and families with the Gospel, and out of our calling flows these.

  • Intentional Relationships – We focus on cultivating relationships and encouraging others
  • Tenacity – We are brave, resilient, and work with all our heart
  • Heart to Serve – We joyfully serve others with humility and strength

OUR VISION

To see children and families transformed by the Gospel through Christ-centered child care centers across the country.

OUR MISSION

To partner with local churches to operate quality Christian preschool, after-school, and summer programs to reach unchurched children and their families.

REASONS WHY PEOPLE JOIN THE LIONHEART FAMILY

  • Personal and Family Wellbeing - Our Total Rewards and Compensation program demonstrates our commitment to support the health and well-being of all our team members.
  • Spiritual Community - Leaders committed to your spiritual growth
  • Personal & Professional Development - Financial Peace University, RightNow Media, and more!
  • Flourishing Culture - Annually certified Best Christian Workplace since 2015

OUR TOTAL REWARDS AND BENEFITS

HEALTH, MEDICAL, PRESCRIPTION AND DENTAL INSURANCE BENEFITS

  • Valuable, low-cost, low-deductible medical plan
  • Vision, dental, and disability insurance
  • Employee Assistance Program for mental health
  • Tuition Discounts

FINANCIAL BENEFITS

  • Retirements saving with matching 403b plan
  • Competitive PTO, even for part-time staff
  • Annual employee wellness benefits
  • Financial Peace University classes to grow in money management

INTANGIBLE BENEFITS

  • Continuing education credits
  • Bi-annual In-Service + monthly staff development
  • Career growth opportunities
  • RightNow Media subscription to stream 20,000+ videos for spiritual, personal, and leadership development

... and a lot more!

The Academy Director will be responsible for managing all aspects of academy operations and meeting the state licensing requirements as outlined in the Minimum Standards for Child Care Centers. The Academy Director will promote and instill corporate values, vision and goals. The Academy Director will foster and maintain positive relationships with academy staff, key host church staff, parents, students, vendors and the local community while providing strategic leadership and oversight of the academy.

The Academy Director will report directly to the Regional Director and have direct reports from Community Director, Assistant Director, Lead Teachers, and all other academy support staff.
Visionary Leadership
Promote and maintain the vision, mission and core values of Lionheart Children's Academy.
Exercise both professional and spiritual leadership and focus to ensure that the goals and vision for the academy maintain priority.
Ensure that the culture of the academy is dynamic, inspiring and fun.
Church Relations
Cultivate and develop strong relationships with church partners to maintain their satisfaction and ensure their goals are achieved.
Contribute to reports on progress and meet with Regional Director to assess effectiveness.
Maintain regular communications with key church contacts with academy updates and spiritual highlights.
Assist in marketing efforts to cultivate additional church partners.
Outreach Marketing
Develop and strengthen partnerships with teachers, educational specialists, school/district administrators, churches and parent/teacher organizations.
Produce effective marketing plans and other direct marketing strategies to achieve and maintain enrollment goals.
Consistently grow the academy through on-going marketing and promotion of the academy.
Work closely with the Regional Director and National Office on production of collateral, social media strategies, web content, etc. for promotion and operation of the academy.
Staffing & Leadership Development
Recruit, hire, and train exceptional academy staff.
Provide leadership to academy leadership and academy staff- including spiritual nurturing, coaching, mentoring, encouragement, educational and professional development - to ensure that they are passionate and joy-filled as they lead others.
Be available to Academy leadership, staff, parents and church leaders for resourcing and/or problem-solving.
Evaluate and document Academy staff job performance, development plans and compensation recommendations. Collaborate with NO and regional on all HR issues.
Actively participate in key professional organizations so as to enrich personal and professional development.
Ensure that all staff have the LCA New Employee Orientation and state required training.
Travel, as requested, to trainings, staff development events, new academy openings, etc. for support and ongoing training and development.
General Operations
Implement and oversee all operating standards, processes and systems necessary to effectively operate academy to achieve stated outcomes.
Ensure compliance with all licensing requirements and federal and state laws related to academy operations.
Conduct annual tuition rate survey in order to adjust tuition rates, based on child care trends in the area.
Work with National Office to leverage opportunities to receive competitive quotes from new vendors for products and services.
Enforce tuition requirements and resolve problems for non-payment, when necessary.
Ensure that information in the faculty, polices, and handbook remains relevant and up to date.
Visit classrooms on a daily basis to ensure adherence to corporate and academy goals, standards and objectives.
Maintain daily/weekly/monthly checklists for licensing standards compliance.
Space & Equipment
Planning for and equipping outdoor areas.
Planning for and equipping indoor areas.
Arranging for custodial care, maintenance, and repairs.
Do playground, bus, and facility inspections to make sure everything is safe and clean.
Enrollment
Interviewing parents of prospective students.
Use the CRM and 1Core daily to meet enrollment and retention goals.
Oversee other administrators use of CRM to ensure accuracy.
Orientation of newly enrolled students.
Familiarizing the parents of newly enrolled students with school policies.
Being alert to enrollment needs at all times
Update your monthly marketing calendar with both internal and external opportunities.
Maintaining an advertising and public relations program to promote enrollments.
Parents
Maintaining an active system of parent-school relationships.
Planning and administering a parent-education program.
Planning and administering a parent-participation program.
Maintaining an open line of communication between parents and staff.
Establishing and maintaining parents’ resource library.
Health
Planning and implementing a health program for the school.
Contacting recognized agencies that are able to help children with special needs.
Maintaining a referral system for children who have special needs.
Safety
Planning and implementing a safety program for the school.
Must have licensing, Health and Fire regulations in good standing .
Keeping informed of the school’s legal responsibilities and liabilities.
Scheduling, conducting and recording fire and storm drills.
Assuring that teachers plan activities to teach the children safety on an ongoing basis.
Maintaining all vehicles and providing annual training for staff to ensure transportation safety.
Community Relationships
Welcoming visitors to the school and arranging for the visits to be pleasant and worthwhile.
Being available to community groups for public events that pertain to early childhood and to family life as a whole.
Maintaining a liaison with representatives of various branches of local, state, and federal government for the purpose of supporting legislation concerned with education.
Planning, Budget & Forecasting
Work closely with the VP of Operation to follow the Academy's annual financial plan including key outcomes and corresponding budget.
Manage weekly/monthly billing using the academy's management software.
Collect, post, and deposit tuition payments daily.
Collect outstanding tuition and implement academy policies regarding such.
Provide weekly tuition aging report to Academy Director.
Provide timely and accurate weekly and monthly records and reports - to include bank deposits, billing reports, contact logs and call backs, etc. to Academy Director as requested.
Adhere to budgetary guidelines - specifically accounts receivable, labor expenditures and food purchases.
Background, Experience, and Education
Bachelors Degree preferred. 1-3 years experience as Academy Director for a licensed child care facility.
Academic experience with infant, toddler, pre-school and/or elementary teaching.
Key expertise will include state licensing , marketing, recruitment and staff supervision, operations management and customer service.
Experience with Microsoft office products, with proficiency in Outlook, Excel and/or other database management or CRM systems.
Critical Gifts
Spiritual maturity - committed and passionate follower of Jesus Christ
Burning desire to reach children and parents
People builder - proven ability to build teams, grow leaders, and create culture
Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written
Results-driven, self-starter
Excellent customer-service skills and the ability to create effective partnerships with churches, families and staff
Well-versed in child care accreditation and licensing standards
Strong collaboration and teamwork
Salary - Based on Experience and Education
$50,000 - $68,000 a year
Thank you for your interest in joining the Lionheart Children’s Academy team. We look forward to learning more about you.

"But Jesus called the children to him and said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these." Matthew 19:14 (NIV)

Blessings!
Talent Acquisition Team
The Lionheart Children’s Academy

Apply on

More Jobs