Posting Number S-3624
Position Number 71490
Type of Recruitment External
Position Title DIRECTOR / CHILD DEVELOPMENT & LEARNING LAB
Position Summary
The Director of the Child Development and Learning Laboratory (CDLL), a center within the Human Development and Family Studies department, provides administrative and strategic leadership for the NAEYC accredited preschool. The Director oversees personnel administration, fiduciary management, daily operations, and works in close concert with internal and external constituents in maintaining exemplary educational experiences for families enrolled in the preschool and CMU students completing required clinical experiences per academic programs offered through the department. The Director reports to the Chair of the Department of Human Development & Family Studies.
Required Qualifications
Master’s degree in early childhood, child development, program management, or related field.
Supervisory experience.
Meets the Michigan director licensing requirements.
Demonstrated commitment to and advocacy for diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.
Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to project a positive image.
Demonstrated ability to problem solve, proactively plan, and resolve conflicts.
Familiarity with various educational philosophies as they relate to early childhood education and development.
Familiarity with NAEYC accreditation standards and state licensing requirements.
Ability to perform the essential functions of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation.
Preferred Qualifications
Experience leading the operations of a unit/organization.
Familiarity with lab school experiences.
Experience and knowledge of the Reggio Emilia approach.
Proven experience procuring externally sponsored funding and/or grant writing.
Duties & Responsibilities
Provides personnel administration and supervision including recruitment, onboarding, performance reviews, professional development and positional cost management for all Child Development Learning Lab (CDLL) staff and lead teachers.
Oversees and administers the fiscal operations of the CDLL which includes budget development/management of operational cost centers and funding related to externally sponsored projects in partnership with department chairperson/college leadership.
Oversees the daily operations of the center and delegates, as appropriate, duties to ensure compliance with childcare licensing mandates and accreditation standards.
Provides administrative leadership and oversight to the recruitment and onboarding of families to the CDLL including marketing/promotion, strategic communications, and maintenance of reference manuals for families/students.
Provides oversight of facilities ensuring that all safety, security, routine/non-routine maintenance needs are addressed with appropriate college/university personnel and in compliance with pre-established policies/protocols.
Manages, according to University and State policies/requirements, unique situations and potential conflicts involving children.
Provides leadership and administration of the accreditation process, including renewal, to ensure exemplary compliance with national standards.
Supports faculty research by ensuring that CDLL research participation is compliant with institutional policies and procedures.
Participates and collaborates in strategic planning efforts for purposes of growth, expansion, and assessing resource needs.
Collaborates with community organizations and other external constituents for purposes of fostering educational partnerships and civic engagement opportunities.
Works with faculty partners to ensure that the Reggio Emilia Approach is reflected in the policies and practices of the CDLL.
Develops and assists in executing outreach initiatives including events for program families, facility tours for interested constituents, and recruitment activities for prospective students of the College of Education & Human Services (EHS).
Provides routine communication and remains actively engaged with department chairperson, college leadership, and program faculty in an effort to maintain transparency and awareness of CDLL operations.
Represents the CDLL and Central Michigan University by participating in state and national early childhood organizations, boards, and related regional/national conferences.
Provides administrative oversight for the development, collection, maintenance, and reporting of data (ex. annual report, accreditation reports, incident reports).
Performs other duties as assigned.
Supervision Exercised
Supervisors are expected to support the Leadership Standards of Central Michigan University and foster a culture that inspires excellence. The Leadership Standards define how we lead and treat others in our teams. As leaders, it is our responsibility to seek input from our teams to continuously improve leadership abilities and demonstration of the standards. Additionally, it is our responsibility to encourage and support the growth and development of those whom we lead. At CMU, we encourage employees to grow both personally and professionally, and thus advance CMU’s culture of excellence.
Message to Applicants
Central Michigan University is dedicated to fostering a broadly diverse and inclusive campus that respects all social identities, experiences, and perspectives. In an effort to further this initiative, we are especially interested in candidates who will advance and promote an inclusive and supportive environment for every member of our university community.
You must submit an on-line application in order to be considered as an applicant for this position.
Cover letters may be addressed to the Hiring Committee.
Supervisors are expected to support the Leadership Standards of Central Michigan University and foster a culture that inspires excellence. Please review the Leadership Standards before applying for this position.
Employee Group Professional & Administrative -Salary
Staff Pay Level
Pay Range $62,000 - $72,000 per year
Division Academic Affairs
Department Human Development & Family Studies
Position Status Regular
Position End Date
Employment Status Full-Time
FTE 1.0
Position Type 12 month
Weekly Work Schedule Mon-Fri, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. / weekends and evenings as needed
Location Mount Pleasant, MI
About the Department
The Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS) Department includes 15 faculty positions, 11 of which are tenured and tenure-track, serving approximately 660 majors and minors. We offer academic programs in Child Development, Family Studies, and Early Childhood Development and Learning (including a teacher certification program).
CMU’s HDFS department maintains the CMU’s Brazelton Touchpoints Professional Development & Research Center, the first of its kind in Michigan. The Early Childhood Development and Learning degree programs within HDFS are the first in the state of Michigan to be granted bachelor level NAEYC accreditation. The HDFS department also includes the NAEYC accredited Child Development and Learning Laboratory (CDLL), a Reggio-inspired early childhood program serving approximately 64 children and their families in a Head Start and tuition-based preschool. The CDLL has 9 full-time staff members and serves as a research and training site for faculty and students. CMU’s HDFS department maintains a Certified Family Life Education (CFLE)-approved undergraduate program as designated by the National Council on Family Relations.
Please visit our website for more information about our curriculum, student and faculty accomplishments, and about Central Michigan University.
About CMU
Central Michigan University has a more than 125-year legacy of preparing students to become leaders and changemakers in their communities and in their personal and professional lives.
We serve nearly 15,500 students on our Mount Pleasant campus, in satellite locations around the state and throughout the country, and through flexible online programs. Many of our approximately 300 undergraduate, master’s, specialist and doctoral programs in the arts, media, business, education, human services, health professions, liberal arts, social sciences, medicine, science and engineering are nationally ranked for excellence.
CMU leads the nation in leadership development programming through our Sarah R. Opperman Leadership Institute, and we are proud to be among only 5% of U.S. universities in the top two Carnegie research classifications. Our faculty work with graduate and undergraduate students in areas such as Great Lakes research, medical innovation, engineering technology and more.
Central is home to 17 men’s and women’s Division 1 sports including football, basketball, gymnastics, baseball, wrestling and more. Our student-athletes achieve great success in competition and in the classroom, capturing Mid-American Conference championships and maintaining an average cumulative GPA of 3.17.
CMU is located in Mount Pleasant, a community that blends the best of small-town living with big-city amenities. It’s part of the culturally varied and vibrant Great Lakes Bay Region that also includes Saginaw, Bay City, Midland and the state’s largest Native American community, centered on the Saginaw Chippewa Isabella Reservation in Mount Pleasant.
Area residents enjoy the mix of outdoor activities, cultural events, shopping and dining options, and family attractions. Other major Michigan destinations and attractions — Lansing, Grand Rapids, Detroit, Traverse City, wineries, beaches, golf and ski resorts, and many more — are within easy reach of the city’s central location in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula.
CMU employees enjoy access to a nationally recognized wellness program along with health care and benefits that exceed regional, state and national norms.
CMU Leadership Standards
Central Michigan University is a place where we value students and work for their success, where we act as family, and where employees are engaged, appreciated and have extraordinary opportunities to make a difference.
We intentionally maintain and strengthen the hallmark CMU culture that sets us apart from our peers by expecting CMU leaders and employees to model the following Leadership Standards and develop them within their teams.
Please review the Leadership Standards before applying for this position.
EEO Statement
CMU, an AA/EO institution, strongly and actively strives to increase diversity and provide equal opportunity within its community. CMU does not discriminate against persons based on age, color, disability, ethnicity, familial status, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, height, marital status, national origin, political persuasion, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, race, religion, sex, sex‐based stereotypes, sexual orientation, transgender status, veteran status, or weight (see https://www.cmich.edu/offices-departments/OCRIE).
If you wish to see “EEO is the Law” posters, please click here.
CMU does not discriminate on the basis of sex in the education program or activity that it operates, including admission and employment, and is required by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 not to discriminate in such a matter.
Inquiries about the application of Title IX can be made to CMU’s Title IX Coordinator, the US Department of Education’s Assistant Secretary, or both.
CMU’s Title IX Coordinator can be reached at:
Phone: 989-774-3253
Office: 103 E. Preston St.
Bovee University Center, suite 306
Mount Pleasant, MI 48858
Email: titleix@cmich.edu
Posting Ends
Open Until Filled Yes
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