Center Director - Jewish Council for Youth Services (JCYS)

Center Director – Lincoln Square/Ravenswood

Jewish Council for Youth Services (JCYS) is a 117-year-old, Chicago-based nonprofit organization that provides early childhood education and camping programs to children of all religions, races, and ethnicities across Chicagoland. Our mission informs everything we do: Guided by Jewish values and culture, Jewish Council for Youth Services provides educational and recreational programs for Chicagoland’s children and, through board service, develops the next generation of Jewish civic leaders

The Center Director is responsible for leadership, direction, and oversight of the JCYS Iris & Steven Podolsky Family Center. As a key member of the agency’s leadership team, the center director is charged with ensuring that JCYS programs further the agency’s mission of providing educational and recreational programs. These programs should nurture a child’s spirit, imagination, confidence, kindness, and talents. This position is considered confidential.

Core Responsibilities:

Center Administration

• Oversee daily operations, ensuring the safety and welfare of children and staff.
• Ensure compliance with IL DCFS and other regulatory standards; prepare for inspections, maintain appropriate staff and child files.
• Collaborate with other JCYS centers, Central Office Administration, and Facilities Manager to safeguard quality operations.
• Conduct quality assurance, risk management, and facility planning with assistance from appropriate individuals.
• Monitor center budget with the CFO, Facilities Team, COO, and MDO to ensure fiscal health and success.
• Hire and maintain staff to meet DCFS ratios, build positive community relationships, and be a positive presence throughout your school.

Fiscal Management

• Assist in the development and manage annual center budgets in accordance with established JCYS fiscal guidelines and best practices.
• Monitor revenues, expenses, and fundraising activities to ensure fiscal solvency and growth.
• Prepare mid-year financial projections based on current budget performance and directives from Operations and Financial Teams.

Program Development

• Align center goals with JCYS Strategic Plan and field-based research, and best practices in Early Childhood Education.
• Identify, develop, and implement new programs from ideation to execution.
• Regularly assess program effectiveness and alignment with agency mission, objectives, policies, and participant and community needs.

Staff Supervision & Development

• Lead staff recruitment, hiring, training, mentoring, supervision, and evaluation.
• Supervise and ensure effective oversight of teacher and staff providing appropriate observations, and evaluations.
• Provide ongoing support and oversight of ECE programming.
• Maintain positive staff morale and foster a positive, inclusive work culture focused on customer service, diversity, dignity and respect; maintain a positive attitude and receptivity toward staff, welcoming new ideas, and making staff feel respected, trusted, and empowered.
• Conduct regular staff meetings that keep staff apprised of ECE best practices and meet DCFS licensing guidelines.
• Assist and ensure effective implementation along with HR to coordinate staff training in child safety, conduct, ethics, and confidentiality requirements.

Client Relations

• Foster a culture and environment focused on customer service, diversity, respect and dignity, in which families feel welcomed and part of a community.
• Along with the Marketing Department, develop and implement marketing and recruitment plans, including open houses, recruitment fairs, and tours to meet participation goals.
• Interact regularly with parents to develop and ensure their comfort and confidence in JCYS, (responding to messages, greeting parents, attending family programs, hosting parent meetings, continuously building positive relationships with parents, ensuring trust and engagement)
• Oversee family communications and community engagement initiatives.
• Ensure successful planning and execution of multiple annual family events (e.g., Classroom celebrations, Purim carnival, Shabbat dinners).
• Knowledge of Jewish culture and traditions and the ability to integrate this knowledge appropriately into programs and staff training to build a cohesive Jewish environment that is inclusive to all.

Organizational Responsibilities

• Represent JCYS within the community to partners, donors, and funders for the promotion and advancement of JCYS.
• Provide enrollment updates, special reports, and audits as needed.
• Attend relevant JCYS meetings and events.
• Keep appropriate JCYS managers (COO, MDO, Director of Risk Management, Director of Facilities) apprised of situations and report significant developments that could adversely impact JCYS and its operations.

Additional Responsibilities: May be assigned as needed to support the center's objectives.

JCYS offers a generous benefit package that includes PTO, health, dental, vision, life, LTD, and STD insurance and an employer matched 401K plan. Jewish Council for Youth Services is an (EEO) Equal Opportunity Employer.