Center Director

Location: South Tampa, FL

About Our Client

They are a privately owned early-learning organization dedicated to providing high-quality care and education. Committed to a mission-driven approach, the Academy is currently entering a pivotal phase of stabilization, strategic expansion, and quality advancement. With a supportive, family-centered ownership team, they focus on creating a direct, positive impact on children, families, and educators within the Tampa Bay community.

The Opportunity

This leadership role is designed for an operationally strong professional to lead the organization through a period of significant growth and transformation. Beyond overseeing daily operations and regulatory compliance, the Director will play a critical strategic role in evaluating and executing the consolidation of two schools into one unified, high-performing campus. This is a high-impact opportunity to shape the next chapter of a growing academy while driving enrollment and pursuing elite early-learning accreditations.

What You Will Do

• Operations & Licensing Compliance: Maintain full compliance with Florida DCF childcare licensing; lead inspections and ensure all staff credentials and ratios remain current.

• Enrollment Growth & Family Experience: Drive enrollment through tours and retention strategies while strengthening parent communication and satisfaction.

• Staff Leadership & Culture: Recruit, coach, and retain high-quality educators; build a positive, accountable, and child-centered staff culture.

• Financial & Administrative Oversight: Manage tuition billing, collections, and expenses within budget; provide regular operational reports to ownership.

• Strategic Expansion & Accreditation: Support plans for campus consolidation and relocation; lead efforts to obtain and sustain high-level accreditations (e.g., NAEYC, APPLE).

• Community Outreach: Serve as a visible brand ambassador, building partnerships with local organizations and participating in networking events to support growth.

Who You Are

Required:

• Florida Child Care Director Credential 

• 3+ years of childcare leadership experience

• Proven track record in enrollment growth, center stabilization, or operational improvement.

• Strong communicator comfortable with public-facing engagement and community networking.

• Highly organized leader with a deep understanding of Florida licensing and safety requirements.

Preferred:

• Educational Background: Degree or coursework in Early Childhood Education or a related field.

• Accreditation Expertise: Experience achieving or maintaining NAEYC, APPLE, or similar high-quality standards.

• Expansion Experience: Prior involvement with program turnarounds, school relocations, or facility expansions.

• Bilingual: Proficiency in English and Spanish is a plus.

The Ideal Candidate is a mission-driven leader who combines business discipline with a genuine passion for early childhood development. They are someone who thrives in "turnaround" environments and possesses the strategic mindset needed to navigate complex transitions like facility expansion and accreditation upgrades.

Why Join the Team?

This role offers the unique opportunity to lead a meaningful turnaround and shape the future of a well-regarded early learning center. You will work closely with supportive ownership that is committed to the school's long-term success, offering a competitive hourly rate, supplemented by enrollment-based incentives and performance bonuses tied to quality and compliance.

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About Naviga Recruiting & Executive Search

Naviga Recruiting & Executive Search is a leading provider of Contingent Workforce Solutions, Executive Search, Leadership and Individual Contributor hiring, empowering businesses to achieve their strategic objectives through expert talent acquisition. Our specialties include sales, marketing, finance/accounting and operations hiring. With a commitment to excellence and a deep understanding of market trends, Naviga Recruiting & Executive Search helps organizations build high-performing teams and navigate complex workforce challenges. Naviga Recruiting & Executive Search specializes in U.S. Hiring for Global Businesses.