2185 Hillcrest Dr, St Paul, MN 55116, USA | Full Time
About Tierra Encantada
Tierra Encantada, headquartered in Minneapolis, MN is the leader in Spanish immersion early education®, and pr ovides high-quality language immersion education and care to children 6 weeks through 6 years of age. At Tierra Encantada, we believe the earliest years should open a world of possibilities. As the Leader in Spanish Immersion Early Education®, we nurture the whole child through joyful play-based learning and a globally inspired culinary program featuring wholesome meals prepared from scratch each day. By fostering curiosity, confidence, cultural understanding, and healthy habits, we prepare children for a lifetime of learning while creating warm, engaging environments that families trust. Join us and be part of a mission-driven team that is committed to making a lasting impact-one child, one family, and one community at a time.
Position Overview
The Center Director is the business leader of the center, responsible for delivering strong enrollment and financial performance, operational excellence, regulatory compliance, and a high-quality educational and family experience. This role leads all aspects of center performance, including staffing, retention, onboarding, coaching, family satisfaction, compliance, educational quality, and facility readiness.
The Center Director is accountable for achieving key performance targets related to staffing, family retention, enrollment growth, labor management, and overall center quality. This role must meet state licensing requirements and be capable of stepping into classrooms when needed, while primarily serving as a strategic and operational leader.
Pay and Schedule
This is an onsite, full-time, salaried, and exempt position that works Monday-Friday, with some weekends required occasionally.
Base salary range is $60,000 to $68,000 depending on qualifications, education, and experience.
This position is eligible for additional compensation in the form of a monthly performance bonus.
Key Responsibilities
As the Center Director, your responsibilities at Tierra Encantada are extensive and crucial to our success. Below is a detailed description of the various aspects of the role:
Business & Financial Management
Lead the overall performance of the center, including center growth and expense management
Track and respond to key metrics including enrollment, labor and withdrawals
Achieve center FTE targets and improve tour-to-enrollment conversion performance.
Oversee inventory management for supplies and food to ensure accurate reporting
Execute local marketing, community partnership, referral, and reputation-building opportunities to support enrollment growth, including community outreach and Google review engagement.
Leadership & Team Management
Build, develop, and retain a high-performing, fully staffed team aligned with Tierra Encantada's values.
Maintain staffing levels that support ratio requirements and labor targets at all times.
Drive strong retention outcomes for both new hires and tenured team members.
Ensure all team members complete onboarding and required training within expected timelines, including licensing-related annual requirements.
Conduct regular coaching conversations, onboarding check-ins, and annual performance evaluations.
Address performance concerns consistently, including drafting and maintaining corrective action documentation when needed.
Manage staffing roles, schedules, time-off requests, workforce planning, and accurate timekeeping.
Operational Excellence & Compliance
Maintain full compliance with all licensing, health, safety, food program, and company policies.
Achieve strong results on inspections, audits, and accreditation reviews.
Oversee completion of required safety drills, reporting, and documentation
Maintain complete, accurate, and current child and staff records.
Ensure incident reports are completed accurately, resolved promptly, and communicated professionally.
Educational Leadership
Ensure curriculum is implemented with fidelity across all classrooms.
Conduct regular classroom observations and provide timely, actionable coaching to improve teaching quality.
Ensure lesson plans, classroom environments, and instructional practices meet company standards.
Partner with staff and families to support behavior plans and child development needs.
Family Experience
Deliver a responsive, relationship-driven family experience that builds trust, satisfaction, and long-term retention.
Address family questions, concerns, and feedback in a timely and professional manner
Create a welcoming, inclusive, and high-quality center experience for all families
Ensure each child and family experiences a strong onboarding and transitions experiences
Facility & Environment
Maintain a clean, safe, and organized center environment at all times
Ensure classrooms and common areas are fully prepared and operational each day
Oversee maintenance needs and ensure timely resolution of facility issues
Position Requirements
Minimum of 2 years of leadership experience, ideally in an educational setting, demonstrating the ability to develop, engage, and inspire teams.
Bachelor's degree in Management, Business, Marketing, Early Childhood Education, Child Development, Education, or a related field, or equivalent combination of relevant experience and education.
Must meet director qualification defined in Minnesota Administrative Rule 9503.0031 (https://www.revisor.mn.gov/rules/9503.0031/) & 9503.0032 (https://www.revisor.mn.gov/rules/9503.0032/)
Fluent in both English and Spanish, proficient in oral and written communication.
Familiarity with business functions such as human resources, marketing, and budget management; experience in revenue generation preferred.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Professional maturity, strong work ethic, attention to detail, and proactive attitude.
Proven track record of building a supportive team culture focused on professional development and continuous improvement.
Organized, adept at multitasking, and skilled in strategic problem-solving.
Strong customer service orientation, capable of collaborating effectively across diverse cultures and backgrounds.
CPR, First Aid, and Food Protection Manager certification required (or willingness to complete within 90 days of hire).
Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word) and G-Suite (Gmail, Google Docs, Sheets, Drive, Calendar); ability to learn new technologies as needed.
Physical Requirements
Requires the ability to frequently walk, stand, climb stairs, crawl, sit, squat, stoop, bend, reach, kneel, rise from the floor, and twist.
Requires the ability to carry and lift 25 pounds or less, use repetitive or fine hand movements, and occasionally push, pull, run short distances, and carry and lift 25-50 pounds.
Requires excellent long distance and near vision to monitor children's activities both indoors and outdoors in various light conditions, as well as hearing capabilities to respond to children's needs and maintain safety in a moderately noisy environment.
Benefits
Medical insurance
Dental insurance
Vision insurance
12 paid holidays
Generous PTO package
401(k) with employer match
Performance bonus
Discounted childcare and waitlist priority for enrollment
Company paid professional development.
Additional Information About the Position
Once a job offer has been accepted, the candidate must pass a background check and fingerprinting.
Tierra Encantada is an E-verify employer.
Tierra Encantada is an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ancestry, age, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy, military status, veteran status, genetic information, citizenship, disability status, marital status, family status or any other basis prohibited by law.
Tierra Encantada is committed to making https://www.tierraencantada.com/ accessible to any and all users. If you would like to contact us regarding the accessibility of our website or need assistance completing the application process, please contact Tierra Encantada Talent Acquisition at careers@tierraencantada.com. This contact information is for accommodation requests only and cannot be used to inquire about the status of applications.
