Education Director

Originally founded in 1991 as Harlem RBI, DREAM has grown to annually serve more than 2,500 youth across East Harlem and the South Bronx through a network of seven PreK-12, extended-day, extended-year DREAM Charter Schools and community sports-based youth development programs. Through our commitment to rigorous academics, social-emotional learning, deep family and community engagement, and health and wellness, we create lifelong learners who are equipped to fulfill their vision of success in and out of the classroom. We dream big, as well, with an aggressive five-year plan to expand to serve 3,500 students across seven schools-growing our organization's impact and leveling the playing field for all children. To learn more, visit wearedream.org.

Reporting to the Senior Director of Head Start, Education Director serves as the lead for one of DREAM's Head Start Early Childhood sites, and is responsible for the full implementation of all aspects of DREAM's Head Start Early Childhood program at their location. The Education Director collaborates with other leaders, teachers, Network staff, and school support staff, to ensure high quality curriculum & program implementation that meet the needs of all students. The Education Director will also be responsible for supporting school-based staff with operational information systems, maintaining and analyzing operational data, supporting student recruitment and enrollment, supporting and managing special projects, and coordinating on network-wide initiatives. This is an exciting opportunity for a collaborative leader who enjoys working closely with teachers and other leaders to drive student outcomes while sharing evidence-based pedagogical practices.

Responsibilities

• Program Leadership
• Ensure high-quality implementation of program design, including curriculum implementation, health and safety requirements, personnel administration and supervision, and family and community engagement;
• Lead the Head Start location in continuous improvement of programs and systems, including the development and implementation of school improvement plans to meet key performance indicators;
• Contribute to the development of a rigorous curriculum, including a vertical scope and sequence aligned to national standards, through creation of assessments, unit plans, and lesson plans, as needed;
• Set and maintain high expectations and standards for quality teaching and learning that align with mission and organizational culture;
• Ensure all children's individual health, nutrition, disabilities or mental health needs are met, coordinating with appropriate teammates and service providers;
• Improve quality and effectiveness of education service area and overall organization by initiating, sponsoring and implementing organizational change and by helping others to successfully manage organizational change;
• Lead for the good of the entire organization, understand the big picture and use it as a framework to make decisions.

Team LeadershipDirectly supervise site staff and provide, training, coaching, and support for quality improvement and professional growth through regular observation feedback, ensuring program meets all standards established by DREAM, in compliance with Head Start standards and best practices;Work closely with classroom teachers and Network and school leadership to plan instruction, analyze student work, and ensure continuity between classroom and intervention work for students with special needs;Regularly review lesson plans, observe teachers & support staff, and provide staff with timely, high leverage, actionable feedback;Directly support the work of recruiting, selecting, and onboarding a high-performing team of teachers and support staff.

Family PartnershipsSupervise the Family Services team to ensure full implementation of family communications and services;Model strong, positive relationships with families;Design, implement, and evaluate Family Engagement activities and events;Assist teaching staff in developing a system offering families opportunities for enhancing and increasing their child observation skills;Participate in team meetings, home visits, and community events as needed.

DataEstablish performance goals for instructional staff and manage teacher performance evaluations;Support teachers and school staff in understanding child outcomes data and using it to improve practice;Ensure the utilization of student performance data to customize and improve instruction.

CollaborationFoster and facilitate positive relationships and collaboration with network and school-based leaders to advance efforts that advance DREAM's mission and goals;Support with planning and implementation of team-wide events, from professional development to team-building to org-wide occasions;Work with Network and Managing Director of Special Education to support families in the initial evaluation process, ensure students with IEPs are receiving the appropriate services, and run the response to intervention;

Operations & FinanceServe as the operational lead for the center, ensuring compliance with all DREAM and Head Start policies and procedures, and licensing or other regulations;Support the development, implementation, and management of school-wide systems and procedures that ensure operational excellence within the school;Manage all operations functions, including day-to-day processes, supplies and inventory, physical environment and special events (liaising with facilities and operations staff as needed);Ensure DREAM Head Start location maintains fiscal responsibility and stays under budget;Identify areas for improvement and helps to continually improve school operations systems and procedures and lead or support with special projects in this area;Create, manage, and submit yearly budgets with the support of the Director of Compliance and Managing Director of Finance.

Administration & ComplianceEnsure DREAM Head Start location is in compliance and up-to-date on all aspects of enrollment, data collection, implementation, and record keeping (including student files, education portfolios, attendance records, employee timesheets, PTO, and timekeeping, purchasing/supplies, observations, assessments, planning, etc.) in accordance with DREAM and Head Start policies and standards;Conduct regular data entry, review, analysis, and reporting, including data required for school, Board, and regulatory reporting;Manage the maintenance and execution of centralized systems;Liaise with external consultants, as needed;Additional duties related to the running of the organization as assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Education or a related field, required;
• Valid NY State Teaching Certification, required;
• 2 or more years of teaching experience with children under 6 years old, required;
• Previous experience with supervision, people management, or coaching, highly preferred;
• Bilingual (Spanish), preferred;
• Knowledge of toddler health and safety compliance and licensing requirements;
• Excited to take on the opportunities that come with running a growing school, approaching them with flexibility, a learning and solutions-oriented mindset, and demonstrated ability to persevere and think quickly;
• Willingness to be hands-on and do whatever it takes to develop and maintain an excellent school;
• Ability to connect with a diverse group of people and build strong relationships grounded in listening and high levels of challenge and support;
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including ability to convey complex information to a variety of audiences;
• A strong belief in the mission and values of DREAM, including the desire to make a difference in the lives of our students, families, and community;
• Obtain and maintain certification in CPR and first aid;
• A physical exam, fingerprinting, and a federal background check are required for this position.

Working Expectations

• On-site, 5 days a week
• General on-site hours are 7:30-4:30pm, though some earlier or later hours to support the running of the site will be required as needed
• Ideal start date: April 20, 2026

Benefits and Paid Time Off

• We offer comprehensive benefits including:
• Flexible Medical Health Plans, subsidizing the majority of costs for the employee, their spouse/domestic partner and children;
• The ability to select between a variety of medical plans according to what best suits the employee's needs;
• Dental and vision plans;
• Disability benefits;
• Life insurance;
• Up to 12 weeks fully paid of Parental Leave;
• Flexible spending account options;
• Pre-tax commuter benefits (parking and transit);
• Fitness and entertainment discounts;
• A variety of support through our employee assistance program (EAP);
• 403(b) retirement plan with employer match starting at 4% after one year, with increases tied to DREAM tenure;
• Referral, performance, and tenure milestone bonuses;
• Discounted school meals through our in-house Scratch Food Program;
• Tuition reimbursement support;
• Access to a professional development fund;
• School-based 12-month employees have approximately 48 days off throughout the school year including holidays, school breaks, personal days, and wellness days.
• Benefits are subject to change.

Compensation

• DREAM offers a competitive salary commensurate with relevant experience. The incoming annual salary range for this position is $100,000 - $116,000. New hires are typically brought into the organization at a salary closer to the start of the range depending on qualifications, internal equity, and the budgeted amount for the role. All regular employees receive annual compensation increases and have the opportunity to earn both performance- and tenure-based bonuses. Because we value tenure in each role, our salary ranges are not capped.

DREAM Maxims

All Kids Can. This Kid Can.

DREAM is Family.

Fun is a Serious Value.

Teamwork Makes the DREAM Work.

Fail. Persist. Exceed.

DREAM Big.

Applying to DREAM

We know applying for a new job can be a daunting process. In addition, studies have shown that historically underrepresented individuals often only apply to roles if they meet 100% of the qualifications. We encourage all applications! You may be just the person we need. If you have any questions about your application or interview process, do not hesitate to ask your recruiter; we are here to help!

DREAM provides reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and applicable state and local laws. If accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact your recruiter.

If you are a current DREAM employee, please click here to review our Internal Selection Process before applying.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.