Preschool Center Director

Responsive recruiter

Salary: $65,000 - $75,000 + Bonus Eligible Benefits: Paid time off, Professional Development, Wellness Benefits, Childcare Discount About the Opportunity

The Learning Experience is opening a brand-new childcare center in Bartlett, IL, and we're seeking an experienced, driven Preschool Center Director to lead its launch, build a strong team, and establish a thriving early childhood education program.

This is more than a Center Director position—it's an opportunity to:

• Build, hire, and lead your own team.
• Establish a positive school culture from day one.
• Welcome your first families and create lasting relationships.
• Drive preschool enrollment, retention, and center growth.
• Make a meaningful difference in the Bartlett community.

We're looking for a hands-on childcare leader who combines early childhood education expertise, people leadership, family engagement, and business management skills to create an exceptional learning environment.

What You'll Do

Lead Your Team & Center Operations

• Recruit, hire, train, coach, and develop a high-performing teaching team.
• Create a positive workplace culture that supports employee engagement and retention.
• Oversee daily childcare operations, staffing, scheduling, and classroom ratios.
• Maintain health, safety, and licensing standards.
• Ensure compliance with Illinois childcare licensing requirements and TLE standards.
• Champion TLE's proprietary L.E.A.P.® Curriculum and exceptional classroom experiences.

Drive Enrollment & Business Performance

• Grow enrollment through center tours, prospective family follow-up, and community outreach.
• Build meaningful relationships with prospective and current families.
• Strengthen family satisfaction, engagement, and retention.
• Monitor enrollment, staffing, labor, and key center performance metrics.
• Manage payroll, labor costs, scheduling, and staffing levels.
• Support budgeting, accounts receivable, and expense management.
• Identify opportunities to improve enrollment, operational efficiency, retention, and profitability.
• Partner with ownership and TLE support teams to achieve business and educational goals.

What We're Looking For

We're seeking a confident, relationship-focused early childhood education leader with experience in childcare, preschool, daycare, or licensed learning center management.

• 2+ years of leadership or management experience in a licensed childcare or early childhood education setting.
• Previous experience as a Preschool Director, Child Care Center Director, Assistant Director, Education Director, or similar leader.
• Proven ability to recruit, coach, mentor, and develop teachers.
• Experience managing childcare center operations, staffing, scheduling, payroll, budgeting, or financial performance.
• Experience driving preschool enrollment, family engagement, and retention.
• Strong leadership, communication, organizational, and business management skills.
• Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education, Child Development, Education, Business, or a related field required.

• Illinois Licensing Requirements
• Must meet all applicable Illinois qualifications and regulatory requirements for a licensed childcare center Director position.
• Why Join The Learning Experience?

• Lead a brand-new preschool and childcare center from opening day.
• Build your own team and establish a culture of excellence.
• Make a lasting impact on children, families, and educators.
• Benefit from established curriculum, proven systems, professional training, and operational support.
• Access professional development, tuition reimbursement, and leadership advancement opportunities.
• Enjoy a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package.

• Ready to Build Something Great?
• If you're an experienced Childcare Center Director, Preschool Director, Assistant Director, or Early Childhood Education Leader ready to lead a new school, grow a team, and take the next step in your career, we want to meet you!
• Join The Learning Experience – Bartlett, IL as our Founding Preschool Center Director.
• Apply today and help create a place where children thrive, teachers grow, and families feel at home!
• Compensation: $65,000.00 - $75,000.00 per year
• At The Learning Experience, we make early education joyful, engaging and fun so children are happy to learn, play and grow.

Our curriculum focuses on the six ages and stages of early childhood development and engages children in hands-on learning activities that encourage them to explore and solve problems at their own rate of development. This forms a foundation for kids to Learn, Play and Grow under the care of our nurturing teachers and staff.

At TLE®, we’ve created a full cast of characters that become our little learners’ educators, partners and friends through their preschool education journey. Each character has a unique personality and area of interest and brings learning to life by allowing children to explore the world through fun and imagination.

This franchise is independently owned and operated by a franchisee. Your application will go directly to the franchisee, and all hiring decisions will be made by the management of this franchisee. All inquiries about employment at this franchisee should be made directly to the franchise location, and not to The Learning Experience Corporate.