Director of Operations

The Director of the Speedway United Methodist Church Child Care is responsible for the ongoing development and maintenance of a safe, ministry-centered, developmentally appropriate, quality, faith-based childcare and preschool program that aligns with the mission of Speedway United Methodist Church: “to make disciples of Jesus Christ by being Spirit-Powered and Revved Up to share the love of Christ near and far.”

The Director empowers and supports the staff by utilizing discipleship principles and team-building techniques. Supports parents by establishing good rapport, positive methods of communication, and mutual care practices for children. Serves the staff, parents, and the community with a passion for ministry and a love for Jesus.

The Director is responsible and accountable for the total program and services of the center, reports to the Executive Pastor, and collaborates with any Youth and Family Ministry Directors assigned by the church.

Job Type: Full-time (collaborates with the Director of Youth and Family Ministries from the church)

Pay: $41-47k per year, depending on the level of experience

Schedule: Monday to Friday (hours pending child-to-staff ratios needed)

Essential Job Functions:

• Character and Professionalism Represent an active faith in Jesus Christ
• Loves children and fosters their spiritual, physical, mental, and emotional health and development.
• Conducts self in a professional manner of excellence while infusing the love of Christ into interactions with children, colleagues, families, and the local community.
• Belong to at least two Early Childhood professional development and/or community networks.
• Continues learning through professional and personal development, including conferences, ongoing education, mentorships, and discipleship.

Leadership:

• Partners with staff, pastors, and church members to share space, create a unified environment, and establish a common vision.
• Develop long-term and short-term goals as well as strategies to motivate staff to achieve those goals.
• Maintain self-motivation with strong leadership, interpersonal, organizational, financial, and communication skills.
• Participate in strategic planning and development of the vision for the childcare ministry.
• Lead in sharing the vision of the ministry to the parents, staff, congregants, and community.

Program Quality, Safety, and Development:

• Self-starter that can cast vision and develop strategic plans consistent and aligned with SUMC’s mission.
• Implement and coordinate childcare ministry plans to achieve long-term and short-term objectives resulting in more spiritual growth and support for families in the community.
• Comply with program components, policies, and guidelines for the purpose of maintaining compliance with Paths to Quality and Registered Ministry standards.
• Develop and maintain relationships with state childcare licensing agencies, Food Programs, Parents, and community groups. Responds to all agency, parent, and community inquiries in a timely manner.
• Must have annual Universal Precautions, Child Abuse, and Neglect Detection and Prevention, CPR, and First Aid training. Proof of training is kept on file in the office.
• Continually evaluates trends in childcare and preschool ministries, implementing the best quality program, ensuring child outcomes are met through curriculum, assessments, parent conferences, and other resources.
• Ensure teachers and staff are provided with training, professional development, and growth opportunities. o Ensure all health files (vaccinations, physicals, etc.) are on file for each child and that staffing ratios and room sizes are consistently maintained.

Administrative Skills:

• Proficient with current technology and communication tools.
• Prepare budgets, collect tuition and curriculum fees, and allocate program funds.
• Develop and ensure all policies, procedures, and systems function systematically and efficiently, including but not limited to the following areas: staffing time off, payroll, performance evaluations, staffing disciplinary processes, childcare disciplinary views and processes, etc.
• Recruit, hire, train, develop, schedule, and direct personnel (and volunteers as needed).
• Ensure all staff meets safety, background, and health requirements with files that adhere to requirements of Indiana State Policy, Homeland Security, etc.
• Provide for the upkeep of assigned program facilities, furniture, and equipment and ensures the quality of the physical environment.
• Coordinates all fundraising and grant writing activities and/or recruits parents or church members to assist with this process.
• Coordinates and plans any potential field trips and required transportation (as these may recruit more children/families).

Communication:

• Demonstrates effective, positive collaboration and communication skills with SUMC executive pastor, leadership team/trustees, children/youth and family ministry director through the church, and child care executive team/board.
• Actively engage and be approachable with staff through group and individual prayer, coaching, and training, including implementing/ensuring individual training plans for all employees.
• Recruits new children/families through the upkeep of social media accounts (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, etc.), SUMC Child Care website, fliers to families/schools, etc.
  Ensures all above-listed policies, procedures, and systems are clearly communicated to staff and families/parents.
• Establishes and maintains consistent means of communication with families through available electronic communication applications (Constant Contact, e-mails, or other apps), social media accounts (e.g., Facebook, Instagram), and/or paper.

Time and Priority Management:

• Prioritizes multiple tasks to maximize time spent on the clock
• Reports to work on time, during agreed-upon hours, and on a consistent basis
• Initiates and completes tasks and projects without reminders
• Begins and ends projects within reasonable timeframes.

Benefits:

• Children of employees (2 years through kindergarten) may attend SUMCC with a 50% discount on tuition fees. Regular curriculum fees must be paid in full in September.
• Full-time employees are given 40 hours (5 days) of sick time after 90 days of employment. New sick hours (40) are earned on the employee’s anniversary date.
  Full-time employees are paid for the following six (6) holidays in which the child care is closed: New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.
• Full-time employees are given 40 hours (5 days) of vacation time after completing one year of employment. After two years, employees are entitled to 80 hours (10 days) of vacation time.
• Bereavement days are provided for full-time employees as follows: 3 paid days for immediate family (mother, father, siblings, spouse, child) and 1 day paid for other close relatives (aunt, uncle, cousin, grandparent). Step-family and in-laws are also eligible according to the above guidelines.

Education:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education, Early Childhood Education, or Related Field.
• Each employee must provide an application for employment complete with two references.

How to Apply:

• Apply online at https://speedway-umc.org/director-of-operations/
• Call our office directly at 317-241-1049 to inquire about an application. Please leave a message as our current support staff is often assisting teachers and are, on occasion, unavailable to answer the phone. We will return your call as soon as possible.
• Resumes with references can be emailed to SUMC Childcare at sumc5065@aol.com or submitted in person at the Child Care located at Speedway United Methodist Church.

Notice of Nondiscriminatory Policy as to Students
The Speedway United Methodist Child Care admits students of any race, color, national, and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.