Director of Tompkins Hall

Description:

Reporting to the Senior Associate Provost for Administration and Planning, the Director of Tompkins Hall Nursery and Childcare Center is a visionary leader responsible for cultivating a dynamic and inclusive learning environment grounded in progressive pedagogical approaches and experiential learning for young children. This multifaceted position requires a dynamic individual with a deep understanding of educational philosophies, strong leadership skills, a keen eye for administrative detail, and the ability to quickly develop familiarity with and to navigate the larger University context.

Responsibilities:

Pedagogical Oversight and Educational Leadership

• Oversee the execution of the school’s developmental curriculum for Infants, Toddlers, Twos, and Preschool students, integrating constructivist and progressive philosophies into all aspects of the curriculum.
• Plan and develop strategic curriculum design and long-term educational planning that supports the Center’s pedagogical philosophy; articulate these to teachers, parents/guardians, and the community.
• Oversee all communications: develop messaging and seek out forums for applicant recruitment; supervise teachers’ regular, structured reports to parents/guardians on individual student progress; maintain school-wide communication system (currently Bloomz).
• Manage all policy- and protocol-related communications to parents and guardians, including announcements and notifications, DOH policy updates or changes, admissions and enrollment information, and more; effectively use messaging and tone to reinforce community and the school’s culture and values.
• Supervise Associate Director in staff development, training, and supervision of Child Care Workers (variable hour officers) and student workers (may include interns, work-study candidates, volunteers, and student teachers).
• Organize and conduct staff development, including during scheduled professional development days and on an as-needed basis, identifying areas of pedagogical and administrative training needs.
• Conduct parent workshops on child development and other relevant topics.
• Coordinate in conjunction with the Class Parents, parental volunteer obligations.
• Oversee rooftop garden, including developing a plan for parent volunteer participation.

Administrative Leadership

• Ensure timely renewal of DOH operating permits.
• Oversee full compliance with all mandated regulations; train staff in compliance.
• Supervise all teachers and administrative staff. Conduct semi-annual and annual performance reviews and set professional goals.
• Cultivate leadership among the Lead Teaching team and delegate supervisory responsibilities as appropriate.
• Work closely with the Office of the Provost Human Resources on recruiting, hiring, and onboarding all teachers and administrative staff.
• Conduct annual orientation for new and returning teachers to ensure pedagogical, regulatory, and policy consistency and to build team culture.
• Collect and maintain data on all aspects of applications and enrollment to analyze trends and inform policies.
• Ensure compliance with all New York City and New York State regulations and with Columbia University policies.
• Explore, pursue, and maintain accreditation and membership with professional and accreditation organizations such as ISAAGNY.
• Work closely with the Columbia University Office of the Provost and other central units on strategic and financial planning.
• Oversee center finances, including financial strategy and the annual school budget, while overseeing the Associate Director who handles day-to-day financial operations.
• Coordinate with the Office of the Provost and Columbia central offices on the budgeting process.
• Determine strategy and execute on core human resources functions for the center, including employee relations and performance evaluations, working in consultation with the Office of the Provost and Central Human Resources for more complex needs.
• Provide back-up support to Associate Director, in the case of absence, for core and time-sensitive responsibilities.

Application, Admissions, and Enrollment Processes

• Conduct application, admissions, and enrollment processes.
• Establish and conduct tour dates and Open House events; add different types of applicant recruitment events as needs evolve.
• Prepare and distribute marketing materials for school.
• Develop and maintain application tracking systems and historical data; analyze trends; respond in real-time to applicant demand to bolster pool.
• Enroll, staff, and oversee the summer program.
• Create, maintain, and distribute school contracts and tuition bills.
• Maintain relationships with external financial aid assessment vendors. Support parents/guardians in the financial aid application process, including complying with all requirements.
• Chair financial aid committee for review of awards; create and distribute award letters.

Ex-missions

• Maintain the ex-missions process in alignment with the ISAAGNY calendar.
• Conduct ex-mission meetings with current families, including follow-up meetings with individual families as needed.
• Supervise teaching staff’s ex-missions-related responsibilities, including adherence to deadlines and production of school reports.
• Stay informed of public and independent school admissions policies and opportunities.
• Support parental compliance with deadlines and expectations.

Perform other related duties and responsibilities as required.

Qualifications: