Overview of Position:

The Assistant Director assists the Director with the daily management of the centre, the provision of high quality early learning and child care, and provides supervision and leadership to Child Care Centre employees as required by the Director.  Also acts in the Director’s absence when required.

The main areas of responsibility are as follows:

1. Health and Safety
2. Program
3. Families
4. Administrative Management

            A.        Government Regulating Body

            B.        Administration 

            C.        Children and Families

            D.        Operational Management

            E.         Financial Management

            F.         Personnel Policies and Procedures

            G.         Professional Development and Training

            H.        Public Relations

5. Professionalism

1. HEALTH AND SAFETY:

The responsibility of the Assistant Director is to ensure a healthy, safe and hazard-free environment.

Specifically, the Assistant Director will:

•  comply with fire and health regulations including fire drills, evacuation plans, safety equipment, removal of safety hazards

•  ensure planning for and implementation of a safe environment for children in areas such as program safety, traffic safety, transportation/arrival and departure, and field trips

•  ensure recognition, documentation, reporting and immediate action in the case of accidents and illness and monitor symptoms

•  implement a process to ensure that medication permission forms are signed and that medication is administered and recorded

•  ensure that accident report forms are completed and appropriate authorities notified as required by legislation

•  maintain updated health histories including URIS plans when necessary

•  ensure cleanliness and maintenance of all program equipment and appliances

•  ensure children are only released, in accordance with relevant legislation, to the known guardian or that alternate arrangements have been documented

•  report incidents for suspected abuse upon discovery as per centre and Child Abuse Protocol

• ensure all employees have current and relevant First Aid/CPR training

2.        PROGRAM 

The Assistant Director is responsible for ensuring the development, implementation and evaluation of the curriculum.  The Assistant Director is ultimately held accountable for the quality of the program; therefore, s/he provides the vision for the development of a high-quality program which meets the needs of young children and their families. 

Specifically, the Assistant Director will:

• provide leadership to the employees when designing and implementing curriculum.
• provide leadership to employees in preparing daily, weekly, and yearly plans to assist in setting goals and objectives to guide in programming.
• ensure the centre’s mission and philosophy is upheld and communicated to employees.
• work with employees to plan on a short and long term basis; plan a program of activities taking into account employee expertise, various program models and relevant cultural influences within the centre.
• ensure toys, equipment and supplies for the centre are appropriate to the emotional, physical, social and cognitive needs of the children and their individual learning styles. 
• evaluate the use of physical space including a workable plan for indoor and outdoor space.

3.         FAMILIES

The Assistant Director must consider the needs of not only the children in the program, but their families as well.  S/he provides the leadership and vision to the employees to ensure that parents and caregivers are welcomed and involved in their child’s program.

Specifically the Assistant Director will:

• uphold the centre’s level of commitment to working with families
• clearly communicate the organization’s policies and procedures to the families 
• meet with parents and provide a parent information package with a clear statement of all centre policies at the time of registration and orientation
• assist parents in filling out forms and subsidy applications as needed
• ensure behaviour management policies based on relevant philosophies and theories are developed, communicated, implemented, and reviewed regularly
• communicate with parents about their child’s day, sharing any concerns regarding behaviour or illness; as well as information about: the program, the employees, nutritional suggestions, resources and events etc. 
• refer parents to appropriate professionals and other resources as needed
• involve parents regularly in discussion of their children’s development as well as program goals and objectives

4.    ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGEMENT 

The Assistant Director is responsible to the Board of Directors in absence of the Executive Director (and oversees the daily operation of the program and services on their behalf). This includes keeping abreast of political, social, demographic and market trends that affect the long and short-term quality of services provided by the centre.  It also includes the management of all aspects of the program’s operation that relate to the delivery of quality care to children and families.

A:        Government Regulating Body (Early Learning and Child Care)

The Assistant Director will:

• maintain current knowledge of the provincial regulations
• manage the daily operation of the centre in compliance with the provincial regulations and with the policies established by the Board of Directors
• represent the centre at meetings with the provincial Child Care Coordinator in the absence of the Director
• assist the Director and Child Care Coordinator with annual licensing
• keep all applications, licenses and policies up to date.
• complete and forward all required records to the Early Learning and Child Care Program, as needed

B:        Administration 

The Assistant Director will:

• assist the Director and Board in developing and implementing policies
• act as a liaison between the employees and the Board of Directors
• communicate regularly with the Director/Board in the form of an Assistant Director’s report (monthly and/or as requested)
• advise the Director of expenditures for supplies, equipment, maintenance and repairs as per financial control policies
• assist the Director in completing regular employee evaluations
• assist the Director in developing the annual budget
• provide information on group benefits, centre liability, and Directors & Officers Liability Insurance
• forward all correspondence addressed to Board Chairperson in a timely manner
• plan and assist with annual general meeting, understanding Robert’s Rules of Order and taking minutes from the annual general meeting
• attend board meetings in the absence of the Director
• research and present information relevant to the Board regarding decision making

C:        Children and Families 

The Assistant Director will:

• plan the orientation of newly enrolled children ensuring employees are aware of changes in enrollment as they occur
• establish and update children’s information records, including registration forms, medical records, enrollment and assessments on a continual basis
• refer children with additional support needs when identified
• notify parents and employees of centre closures, fee increases, change in hours of operation and changes in policy at least one billing period prior to the change

D:        Operational Management

The Assistant Director will:

• respond to email and other correspondence on a daily basis
• schedule shared use of space and equipment as program needs dictate
• create and maintain a filing system
• submit facility reports to ELCC for subsidy, grants, and attendance tracking 

E:        Financial Management 

The Assistant Director will:

• be trained on back-up financial management functions in the absence of the Director, including but not limited to:
• maintaining complete, accurate, and continuous records of financial transactions
• payroll
• billing
• subsidy tracking
• budget tracking
• monthly bank reconciliations
• bill/rent payments
• participate in the preparation of the annual budget one-month prior to the end of the current fiscal year
• apply for available grants
• negotiate and arrange repairs and services
• purchase supplies and equipment, as needed, subject to centre budget approval and government guidelines

F:        Personnel Policies, Practices and Procedures: 

The Assistant Director will:

• schedule sufficient staffing of the centre to meet ratio requirements at all times while falling within the budgeted expenses for staffing
• maintain and update all relevant records relating to employees’ files, including hours of work, wages, deductions, absenteeism
• conduct regular staff meetings, as per centre policy. If the meeting is not chaired by the Assistant Director, the responsibility of minute-taking will fall on the Assistant Director. 
• supervise employee participation in the daily program
• assist the Director in interviewing, hiring and providing orientation for new employees
• recognize the need for and recommend revisions to the job descriptions to ensure that they reflect policies of the centre and duties of the position
• recommend employees for permanent status or dismissal after a probationary period
• participate in the preparation of the employee personnel policy manual and suggest revisions necessary
• recruit an active pool of substitutes
• relay policies and procedures regularly to employees, and ensure that they are adhered to.
• ensure the environment meets employee needs

G:         Professional Development and Training 

The Assistant Director will:

• ensure ample supplies of professional magazines, journals; circulating relevant articles among employees
• identify and support employee opportunities for career development and promotion
• develop and implement position descriptions and responsibilities
• implement annual performance reviews; use ongoing observation and provision of constructive feedback
• train all employees regarding the Child Abuse Protocol
• plan for and arrange employee training and workshops
• provide ongoing orientation for substitutes, new and permanent employees, as needed
• communicate with employees daily, to implement procedures for solving problems that may occur and to respond to individual and group needs
• act as a resource for, and work with employees, to ensure policy procedure and program needs are met

H:        Public Relations

The Assistant Director will:

• interpret the goals and objectives of the centre to the community through information regarding the centre
• cooperate with educational institutions to achieve common goals
• share program and policy ideas with other community organizations

5. PROFESSIONALISM 

The Assistant Director will:

• enforce and adhere to the “Community Child Day Care Standards Act”
• maintain confidentiality
• communicate on a daily basis requiring strong verbal and written skills
• demonstrate and maintain ethical and professional behaviour in the workplace 
• serve on various committees relating to the child care field 
• maintain contact with other early childhood educators, supervisors, Assistant Directors, and centre Directors
• advocate for improved child care regulations and funding and work with other professionals toward achieving these goals
• maintain a current professional library for staff to access new and relevant resources in the field of Early Learning
• attend workshops, conferences and training sessions, hold membership in provincial and national child care organizations 
• maintain appropriate work habits such as punctuality and regular attendance, act as a role model for all employees