Director of Child Development

Job DetailsJob Location: OKLAHOMA CITY, OK 73109Position Type: Full TimePosition Summary

The Director of Child Development provides strategic and day-to-day leadership for LCDA’s child development programming, including quality assurance, licensing/compliance, staff supervision, enrollment growth, and strong operational and financial management. This role ensures the program delivers safe, high-quality early childhood services aligned with best practices, grant requirements, and LCDA’s mission.

Essential Job Duties

Program Leadership & Quality

Lead the overall performance of Child Development Services, ensuring a high-quality, developmentally appropriate learning environment.
Establish and monitor program goals, outcomes, and continuous quality improvement plans.
Maintain strong family engagement practices and responsive customer service.

Compliance, Licensing & Accreditation

Ensure compliance with all applicable regulations and requirements, including (as applicable) OKDHS licensing, STARS, Certified Healthy Oklahoma, NAEYC and other accreditation/renewals.
Maintain documentation, prepare for monitoring visits/audits, and lead corrective action plans when needed.
Review and update Child Development policies and procedures at least annually and as regulations change.

People Management & Culture

Recruit, hire, onboard, train, evaluate, and coach staff to ensure strong performance and alignment with LCDA values.
Build schedules and staffing plans that meet ratios, licensing standards, and program needs.
Promote a positive, accountable culture focused on safety, professionalism, and continuous learning.

Enrollment & Community Outreach

Lead enrollment strategy and ongoing recruitment through outreach, partnerships, and community presence.
Track enrollment pipelines and retention; address barriers to enrollment with practical solutions.

Budget, Finance & Operations

Develop and manage the annual program budget; monitor monthly budget reports, explain variances, and implement corrective actions.
Oversee appropriate financial processes (purchasing, invoices, reimbursements) in coordination with finance staff and LCDA policies.
Ensure effective operational systems for supplies, classroom materials, facility needs, and program reporting.

Grants, Fundraising & Partnerships

Support grant development and grant management responsibilities tied to Child Development Services, including reporting, meetings with funders, and compliance.
Cultivate education and early childhood partnerships that strengthen services and expand capacity.

Data, Reporting & Administration

Maintain accurate program records and timely reporting (internal dashboards and required external reports).
Participate in leadership meetings and contribute to agency-wide planning and initiatives.

Competency Statements

Ability to provide leadership and oversight for Child Development Services by maintaining high-quality, developmentally appropriate programming and implementing continuous quality improvement practices.
Ability to ensure compliance with licensing, accreditation, and regulatory requirements through accurate documentation, monitoring preparation, policy updates, and implementation of corrective action plans.
Ability to recruit, supervise, train, and support staff while fostering a positive, accountable, and professional work culture aligned with organizational values and safety standards.
Ability to develop and manage staffing plans and operational systems that support licensing ratios, program efficiency, classroom needs, and overall service delivery.
Ability to build strong family engagement and community outreach strategies through effective communication, customer service, partnership development, and enrollment retention initiatives.
Ability to manage program budgets and financial operations by monitoring expenditures, analyzing budget variances, implementing corrective actions, and ensuring compliance with organizational financial procedures.
Ability to support grant management, fundraising efforts, and strategic partnerships by coordinating reporting requirements, maintaining funder relationships, and strengthening community collaborations.
Ability to maintain accurate records, data systems, and reporting processes while contributing to agency-wide planning, leadership initiatives, and organizational goals.

Supervisory Responsibility

This role supervises the Site Director position. QualificationsPosition Type and Expected Hours of Work

This is a full-time position with typical working hours of Monday through Friday, 8:30am to 5:30pm. Hours and work shifts may change in accordance with business needs. Exempt employees must have the ability to be on-call and available, as business needs require, Evenings, Saturday or Sundays if necessary.

Required Minimum Job Qualifications, Experience, Education and Training

Education: Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education, Education, Child Development, or related field (Master’s preferred).

Experience

Minimum 5 years of progressive experience in an early childhood setting, including significant leadership/supervisory responsibility.
Demonstrated experience with licensing/compliance and quality standards (DHS/STARS/NAEYC strongly preferred).
Budget management experience and comfort with financial reporting and variance explanations.
Strong communication, leadership, and problem-solving skills in a community-based environment.

Skills

Bilingual/bicultural (Spanish/English)
Initiative to address and solve problems
Completes documentation in a timely manner and maintain up to date documents
Works well with others in a community setting