Summary

About Children’s Day Preschool
Children's Day Preschool (CDP) is a dynamic and innovative nonprofit provider of early childhood education. Our mission is to provide outstanding early care and education, build child and family resilience, and transform lives by holistically nurturing the development of young children. We have a long, 135-year history of providing preschool education to our community and supporting our families and workforce through innovative programming and services.
Are you ready to join us?

Position Overview:
As the Executive Director (ED) for our incredible nonprofit, you're the person who connects the big-picture vision to the day-to-day operations. The ED is the person who bridges CDP's grand vision with its daily operations. Your role demands leadership, financial savvy, fundraising success, and excellent communication.

Duties

Fiscal Management: Strategic Financial Stewardship
As the Executive Director, you are the chief financial steward, responsible for the long-term sustainability and accountability of the organization's resources. Your role involves active leadership and oversight, not simply administration.

• Financial Health and Reporting: You are required to possess a strong command of the organization's financial status. This includes the ability to interpret and clearly communicate core financial statements to the Board of Directors ensuring they are fully informed to execute their fiduciary duties.
• Budget Development and Oversight: You lead the process of developing the comprehensive annual budget. More than just an expense list, the budget must be a direct reflection of the strategic plan. You are responsible for strict adherence to the approved budget and ensuring all spending is optimized to maximize mission impact.
• Audit/990 Coordination: You serve as the primary internal lead for the annual financial audit. This involves coordinating with the external, outsourced accounting and audit firm, ensuring timely delivery of all required financial documents, and driving the implementation of any recommended internal control improvements.
• External Financial Management: You will also serve as the primary internal lead, coordinating with the external outsourced accounting firm, ensuring all financial systems are running smoothly.
• Financial Control and Compliance: You maintain robust internal financial controls to safeguard assets, prevent fraud, and ensure the integrity of all financial transactions. You guarantee the organization operates in full compliance with all federal, state, and local regulations, including the timely and accurate filing of contract-related expense reports.

Fund Development: Securing the Resources for Impact
The ED is always the Chief Storyteller and Fundraiser-in-Chief. Your job is to lead the effort to bring in diverse revenue streams.

• Setting Strategy: You develop the overall strategy for how the organization will raise money. This includes looking at a mix of grants, individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and events to ensure the organization isn't overly reliant on one single source.
• Major Philanthropic Donor Cultivation: You are the primary relationship builder for the organization's biggest supporters. You meet with them, share the impact of their grant or gift, and personally ask them for continued support. Donors want to hear directly from the leader!
• Grant Leadership (Including Grant Writing):Work collaboratively with our consultant to identify, pursue, and report on all grant-making activities (making sure they align with our mission) and sign off on the major proposals. You ensure the organization is compiling the necessary data and stories that make grant applications compelling and successful.
• Culture of Philanthropy: You encourage the board, staff, and even volunteers to feel comfortable talking about the organization's need for funds and its impact. You make fundraising feel less like begging and more like inviting partners to invest in a great cause.

Digital and Social Media Communications: Sharing the Story
In today’s world, the ED needs to be the main public voice and brand steward. This means using digital tools strategically to communicate your mission.

• Public Voice Spokesperson: You often serve as the face of the organization on the website, in video messages, and across social media platforms. You ensure all public communications are consistent, positive, and clearly convey the mission and impact.
• Strategic Digital Engagement: You decide how digital channels like our website, email newsletters, and social media (like Instagram or LinkedIn) will be used to drive our goals. For example, which platforms will be used to establish our school as a thought leader, and which will be used primarily for donor appeals.
• Content Oversight (Impact Stories): You ensure the communications team is constantly collecting and sharing compelling stories, photos, and videos that show the organization's impact. Digital media is vital for connecting philanthropic and donors' money to the change they care about.
• Maintaining Online Reputation: You monitor online conversations and step in to address any public questions, concerns, or crises quickly and professionally. You're responsible for how the organization is perceived by the community and the public online.

Human Resources and Internal Policy
You are the ultimate leader of the staff and are responsible for fostering a healthy, ethical, and productive work environment.

• Staff Leadership and Management: You hire, train, and manage senior staff and ultimately oversee all personnel. This includes providing clear direction, setting performance expectations, and promoting a culture that is focused on achieving the mission.
• Policy and Handbook Development: You are responsible for the creation and enforcement of organizational policies and the employee handbook. This ensures that staff understand rules for conduct, conflict resolution, leave, and compensation, which promotes fairness and consistency.
• Compensation and Benefits: You oversee the process of setting competitive compensation and benefits to attract and retain talented staff. This includes overseeing the insurance renewal process as well as employee hiring and termination paperwork.
• Legal and Ethical Workplace: You ensure the organization complies with all labor and employment laws, creating a workplace free from harassment and discrimination. You are the final authority on ethical questions and internal disputes.

Requirements

Required Education and Experience:

• Master’s Degree in Nonprofit Management, Business, Education, or Human Services (or related degree title) preferred; Bachelor’s Degree with relevant experience will be considered
• Minimum 5-7 Years Supervisory Experience in a nonprofit setting preferred; direct work experience in one or more relevant area (early childhood education, mental health, or social services); equivalent combination of education and/or relevant experience considered
• Bilingual Spanish/English is a plus, but not required

Required Skills Competencies:

• Effective oral and written communication skills with the ability to interact effectively across all levels of the organization
• Detail-oriented, resourceful, collaborative, and agile
• Strong emotional intelligence
• Self-motivated and accountable

Benefits

Generous Amount of Paid Time Off
Health Insurance Free for Employee-Only Plans
Dental, Vision, and Supplemental Insurance
401(k)
Monday to Friday Schedule
One of the most positive, warm, and welcoming work environments you can imagine!

About Us

Children's Day is a private, non-profit, high-quality preschool and child care center, located in Passaic, NJ. We serve the needs of our diverse community with passion and a high level of commitment to ensure the best early childhood education for our children within a supportive and caring environment. Our school provides year-round preschool programming to 117 children (ages 2.5 to 5); combining education and social services for our children and families.

Our dedicated staff form a unified team that is committed to and passionate about helping children form a strong foundation for a successful future. Management and staff work to create a fun and friendly environment while helping to provide critical services to underserved families. CDP offers a robust array of health and therapeutic services as well as deep family involvement and support programs that create a highly effective trauma-informed preschool program.

Children's Day is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment or internships without unlawful discrimination based on race, creed, color, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, military status, age, disability, predisposing genetic characteristic, marital status or domestic violence victim status, or any other characteristic protected by law.