Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Childcare Manager

🎯 Role Definition

The Childcare Manager is responsible for leading and managing a licensed early childhood program, ensuring high-quality care and education for children from infancy through preschool. This role combines operational leadership, staff development, curriculum oversight, regulatory compliance, family engagement, and fiscal stewardship to create a safe, nurturing, developmentally appropriate learning environment. The ideal candidate balances strong organizational skills and regulatory knowledge with empathy, coaching ability, and a commitment to early childhood best practices.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Lead Teacher (Infant/Toddler/Preschool)
Assistant Director or Program Coordinator
Early Childhood Education Specialist

Advancement To:

Director of Early Childhood Programs
Regional Childcare/Center Operations Manager
Head of Early Learning & Development

Lateral Moves:

Family & Community Services Manager
Curriculum and Training Specialist

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Oversee daily center operations including opening/closing procedures, classroom transitions, and adherence to posted schedules to ensure safe, consistent, and nurturing routines for children.
Manage staffing: recruit, hire, onboard, schedule, and retain qualified early childhood professionals while maintaining required child-to-staff ratios and coverage for vacations and illness.
Develop, implement, and continuously improve age-appropriate curriculum and lesson plans aligned with early learning standards (e.g., CA ECE, Head Start, state frameworks) and observation-based assessment practices.
Ensure full compliance with federal, state and local licensing regulations, submittal of required documentation, and timely corrective action for any deficiencies found during inspections.
Lead staff training and professional development programs, including coaching, mentoring, performance evaluations, individualized improvement plans, and in-service training on child development and classroom management.
Maintain health, safety and sanitation standards across the facility, including medication administration protocols, illness exclusion policies, injury reporting, and emergency preparedness drills.
Build and manage the center budget: oversee expenditures, payroll, invoice approvals, supply procurement, tuition collection, and monthly financial reporting to senior leadership.
Facilitate transparent and positive parent and family communication through conferences, daily updates, newsletters, social media, orientation sessions, and family engagement events.
Implement child assessment and progress tracking systems, analyze developmental data, and use insights to individualize supports and plan interventions in collaboration with teachers and specialists.
Monitor classroom environments and materials to ensure learning spaces are inclusive, developmentally appropriate, culturally responsive, and support differentiated learning needs.
Coordinate special needs services and individualized plans by partnering with families, early intervention providers, special education staff, and external agencies to ensure timely referrals and accommodations.
Lead safety and risk management initiatives, perform regular facility inspections, address maintenance needs, and coordinate with building management and vendors to maintain a safe environment.
Oversee enrollment management, waitlist processes, orientation for new families, tuition contracts, subsidy documentation, and strategies to maximize occupancy and retention.
Develop and enforce center policies and procedures, update employee and family handbooks, and ensure consistent application of behavioral guidance and discipline practices that prioritize positive guidance.
Conduct regular staff meetings and cross-functional collaboration with nutrition, health coordinators, HR, and finance to ensure alignment on program goals and operational priorities.
Drive continuous quality improvement by collecting feedback, conducting program self-assessments, preparing for accreditation (e.g., NAEYC), and implementing measurable action plans tied to learning outcomes.
Prepare mandated reports (attendance, incident reports, subsidy billing, health records) and maintain accurate, confidential records for children and staff per regulatory and organizational requirements.
Serve as the primary on-site representative for licensing visits, community partnerships, family service referrals, and communications with local school districts and public health.
Design and execute outreach and enrollment marketing strategies including open houses, community events, social media, and referral partnerships to meet capacity and program growth goals.
Supervise and support meal and nutrition programs, ensuring compliance with CACFP or similar guidelines, and coordinate menu planning with kitchen staff or vendors.
Address and resolve parent concerns and staff conflicts in a timely, professional manner using clear documentation and restorative approaches, escalating issues to leadership when necessary.
Track and manage inventory of classroom and safety supplies, order materials aligned to curriculum needs, and maintain budgets for learning resources and playground equipment.

Secondary Functions

Support program-level grant applications or funding proposals by providing operational details, budget inputs, and outcome metrics.
Coordinate community outreach and partnerships with pediatric clinics, social services, and early intervention agencies to expand family supports.
Assist in program marketing analytics and enrollment forecasting to inform staffing and budget planning.
Maintain and update digital records systems (child files, teacher files, scheduling platforms, POS) and train staff on their proper use.
Facilitate substitute teacher placement and build a reliable pool of trained substitutes to ensure continuity of care.
Participate in strategic planning sessions and contribute operational insights to the center’s annual goals and KPIs.
Implement and monitor behavior support plans and positive guidance trainings for staff to reduce suspensions and exclusions.
Support staff wellness initiatives, including workload balancing, mental health resources, and recognition programs to reduce turnover.
Coordinate logistics for family education workshops, health screenings, and program special events.
Serve as a mentor to emerging leaders within the center and support succession planning activities.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Knowledge of early childhood development theories and ability to translate into practical curriculum and classroom practices.
Strong understanding of state and local childcare licensing requirements and experience managing compliance and licensing renewals.
Curriculum design and lesson planning skills for infant, toddler and preschool age groups, including assessment tools and developmental checklists.
Staff recruitment and performance management expertise, including interviewing, onboarding, coaching, and conducting performance reviews.
Budget management and basic accounting skills: payroll oversight, budgeting, expense tracking, and vendor invoice reconciliation.
Proficiency with childcare management software (e.g., Procare, Brightwheel, HiMama), electronic attendance and billing systems, and Microsoft Office or Google Workspace.
Emergency preparedness, CPR/First Aid certification (or ability to maintain), and knowledge of health and safety protocols for young children.
Experience with family engagement strategies, parent-teacher conferencing, and conflict resolution documentation.
Data-driven program evaluation: using enrollment, attendance, developmental screening and assessment data to make program improvements.
Familiarity with special needs referral processes, IEP/IFSP coordination, and collaborating with early intervention and special education professionals.
Regulatory reporting and record-keeping: maintaining accurate child files, incident reports, personnel files, and compliance documentation.

Soft Skills

Strong leadership and team-building skills: ability to inspire, develop, and retain high-performing early childhood teams.
Exceptional verbal and written communication with families, staff, and external stakeholders.
High emotional intelligence, empathy, and cultural competency when working with children and diverse families.
Problem-solving and conflict resolution skills; calm decision-making under pressure.
Organizational skills and attention to detail for maintaining schedules, records, and regulatory documentation.
Time management and prioritization across competing operational demands.
Coaching and mentoring mindset with a focus on continuous professional development.
Adaptability and resilience in fast-paced, dynamic childcare environments.
Customer-service orientation: creating positive family experiences and responding proactively to concerns.
Ethical judgment, confidentiality, and professionalism in handling sensitive child and staff information.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Associate’s degree in Early Childhood Education, Child Development, Human Services, or equivalent combination of education and supervisory childcare experience. High school diploma with 3+ years supervisory experience considered in some settings.

Preferred Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education, Child Development, Early Childhood Special Education, Social Work, Education Administration, or related field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Early Childhood Education
Child Development
Education Administration
Social Work
Human Services

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 3–7 years in early childhood settings, including at least 2 years in a lead teacher, assistant director, or supervisory role.

Preferred: 5+ years of progressive childcare/early learning experience with demonstrable leadership in licensed centers, experience managing budgets, accreditation experience (e.g., NAEYC), and documented success in staff development and regulatory compliance.