Full-time. On-site. Infant through Pre-K. New center opening soon in Atlee, Virginia.
We are opening a brand new Kiddie Academy in Atlee, Virginia, and looking for our opening Director. If you have led a center before and thought, “I wish I could do this from scratch, my way, with the right support,” this is that role.
Why this role is different
You are not inheriting a building, you are starting one. The classrooms, the team, the family experience, the culture - all of it starts with you. The owner is engaged and accessible, not absentee. You get the autonomy to lead, and a partner to lean on when you need one.
This is also not a stepping-stone role. We want someone who wants to plant roots, open this center well, and grow with us.
What the first few months look like
• Help finalize hiring across infant, toddler, preschool, and Pre-K classrooms
• A real say in who joins this team and how the building feels to walk into
• Get the building, licensing, and operations ready for inspection and opening day
• Lead pre-enrollment tours and convert early interest into committed families
• Set up the systems: scheduling, ratios, classroom routines, parent communication
• Partner with the owner on the opening plan, marketing, and community outreach
Once we are open
• Be visible in every classroom, every day, so children, teachers, and parents know who is leading the building
• Coach teachers in the moment, not just at annual reviews
• Run tours, grow enrollment, build a waitlist
• Handle the parent conversations that need a Director’s touch
• Keep licensing, health, and safety files audit-ready
• Own the operational rhythm: staffing, budgets, enrollment reporting, ratios
What we need from you
• Prior Director or Assistant Director experience in a licensed childcare center
• Working knowledge of Virginia Department of Education child care licensing for infant through Pre-K
• Bachelor’s in ECE or a related field, or equivalent experience plus credential
• Comfort with the operational side: scheduling, budgets, enrollment, ratios
• The composure to handle a tough parent moment or a last-minute staffing gap without it rattling you
• Real excitement about opening a center from scratch
What we offer
• Competitive base plus performance bonus tied to enrollment, retention, and operations
• Room to grow with us as we expand
• Paid CDA and ECE continuing education
• 401(k)
• Childcare tuition discount for your own children
• Paid time off and holidays
How to apply
Send your resume and a cover letter. In the cover letter, tell us why opening a new center excites you, or share a team or center you built up from a tough starting point. Applications without a cover letter will not be considered.
Kiddie Academy of Atlee is a brand-new educational childcare center opening in Atlee, Virginia, serving infants through Pre-K. Part of the national Kiddie Academy franchise, our location is locally owned and operated, with an engaged, accessible owner who is hands-on in building the center, the team, and the family experience from the ground up. We are creating a workplace where directors and teachers have real autonomy, strong support, and room to grow as we expand.