Office Manager

The Growing Place Position Description

Position: Office Manager

Location: Growing Place Early Childhood Lab School, 1802 4th Street, Santa Monica, CA 90401

Status: Full-time, non-exempt

Reports to: Campus Director

Hours: Monday- Friday, 8:30 am-5:00 pm

Description of the Position

The Office Manager is responsible for providing all of the services necessary to carry out effective teaching, learning, observations, documentation, research, enrollment, marketing and communication within the Growing Place organization. The candidate is expected to collaborate with all constituents of the campus and overall organization. This position requires a candidate to be a critical thinker, reflective, communicative, flexible, inclusive, and professional; the candidate fulfills the Growing Place's mission, philosophy, and pedagogy.

Responsibilities and Duties

Promoting Effective Teaching and Learning

Work with Children

Support teachers with ill/late/absent children

Create a positive, trusting relationship with young children

Score Ages and Stages Questionnaires (ASQs)

Work with Families

Collaborate with Director, Program Coordinator, and Campus Manager to oversee and organize GP Friends Parent Committees

Liaison between parent volunteers, vendors, and teachers to ensure tasting lunches and hot lunches are organized and served once a month for 8 months

Support parents with scheduling committee meetings and needs

Contact families regarding their children when needed and appropriate (ex: a child is sick, need an attendance signature...etc)

Maintain attendance record keeping on a daily basis

Collaborate with administrators to onboard new families

Update and maintain Parent Square (online communication platform with enrolled parents)

Respond to family needs and requests in a timely manner

Work with Faculty and Staff

Respond to faculty and staff daily needs as they relate to the operation of the school

Collaborate with administrators to onboard new faculty and staff

Serve as the notetaker at All Staff Meetings and send out notes to all faculty and staff

Support with supervision when needed and appropriate

Support the Directors, Program Coordinator, and Business Manager for record keeping and marketing/communication for Annual Investment Campaign, Spring Fundraisers, Pitch-In Days, and other events

Support with Growing Place calendar and scheduling (ex: events, conferences...etc) Support Campus Director in coordinating and preparing interviews.

Support Campus Director, Program Coordinator, Educational Coordinating Team, and faculty regarding Professional Development Days and Educator Tours/Workshops/Internships

Collaborate with Campus Director to orient and oversee internships, observations, and student-teachers

Attend weekly and monthly meetings to organize and coordinate work (ex: Administrators, Directors...etc)

Overseeing Enrollment and Marketing

Collaborate with Campus Director to organize and coordinate prospective family tours and interviews

Schedule and communicate with prospective families for Parent Interviews and Classroom Observations (PICO)

Track, update, organize, coordinate prospective family applications and paperwork (ex: Curacubby - online enrollment platform and database)

Respond promptly to inquiries regarding the school

Collaborate with campus Director to track and send out acceptance and rejection letters for enrollment and tuition assistance

Oversee enrollment paperwork and share information with the appropriate faculty and staff

Support with the marketing and communication of the organization

Adhere to fiscal procedures handbook and partner with Business Manager regarding secure tuition deposits, fees and contracts

Ensuring Licensing, Accreditation Standards, and Qualifying for Insurance

Serve as a liaison with licensing to ensure that facilities and personnel paperwork are properly collected and maintained

Collaborate with Director(s), Program Coordinator, and faculty to collect, update, and maintain NAEYC accreditation yearly and every renewal period

Support with design, implementation, evaluation, compliance, and updates of emergency preparedness plans

Ensure that proper materials needed for emergency preparedness plans are available, accessible, and maintained

Serve as liaison with local law and emergency personnel

Maintaining School Environment and Facilities

Plan and ensure all outdoor and indoor spaces of the campus promote health and safety for children and adults

Conduct a walk through three times a year to keep a record of maintenance needs

Design a campus environment that promotes teaching, learning, development of strong and trusting relationships, beauty, richness, connection to the natural world and the context of the school

Support the Educational Coordinating Team, faculty, and staff to select materials for the school

Serve as the liaison with any janitorial, garbage, maintenance, district companies/organizations to schedule regular cleaning, upkeep, and maintenance

Create effective emergency preparedness plans

Maintain safe and strong security system for the campus

Coordinate and oversee Pitch-In Days

Ensure office supplies are available, organized, and sufficient

Purchase, organize, and update supplies for first aid, sanitation, food service, site maintenance and office as needed and approved by Directors

Support with the stewardship of resources and ensure healthy overall fiscal budget

Partner with Faculty, Staff, and Families to advance fundraising initiatives and goals

Ensure Effective Center Communication and Records

Collaborate with Directors and Program Coordinators to create classroom binders

Keep an updated Resource Book for the schools' resources, vendors and other necessary contacts, including basic information such as regular fees, username/passwords, etc.

Serve as point person for incoming and outgoing mail and package deliveries

Maintain and update daily attendance; ensure late fees are appropriately charged through Business Manager

Maintain, and update all relevant campus Google Calendars

Serve as the point person for phone calls and relay information to appropriate parties in a timely manner

Utilize technological tools to create effective work and collaboration (ex: Asana, Google...etc)

Collaborate with Campus Director, Educational Coordinating Team, and faculty to maintain the inventory and ordering of school materials (ex: orders over $300 require Campus Director approval)

Maintain Check Log in a timely manner, ensuring checks are logged at least twice a month if not more frequent

Ensure all bills are paid and mailed once a week; scan bills weekly to Business Manager

Building Deeper Community Partnerships

Convey a welcoming, friendly, and positive image with all faculty, staff, families, and visitors

Partner with organizations to support Tuition Assistance, such as Connections for Children, SMCCTF, etc.

Build relationships with local organizations and agencies (ex: SMMUSD schools, law enforcement, code enforcement...etc)

Requirements

Minimum Qualifications/Requirements

Skills

A Bachelor's Degree or higher (12 ECE units preferred)

2 years of experience working with children and families in a licensed childcare program or school; an NAEYC-accredited childcare center preferred

Must meet the requirements of the California Department of Social Services (licensing), including an updated TB status, CPR certification, and fingerprint clearance

Competencies

Values parents as important partners in the work of the school

Demonstrates discretion in communication with various constituents within and outside our community

Values accuracy, competency, and attention to detail

Pays attention to the many ways that children make meaning of the world

Collaborates with children and adults in positive ways

Exhibits a positive, team player spirit

Has a keen interest and curiosity about the nature of learning and teaching

Finds joy in working with children and adults

Approaches teaching as a life-long learner

Embraces reflection as a tool for growth and learning

Demonstrates commitment to diversity, inclusion, and equity

Seeks out resources to continually improve one's practice

Values learning from mistakes

Establishes professional boundaries with children, parents, and colleagues

Demonstrates professionalism in dress, attitude, communication, and punctuality

Shows and values integrity for oneself and others

Provides value add to the organization beyond the job position

Demonstrates strong writing and communication skills

Working Conditions

Standing and sitting in indoor and outdoor environments designed for children ages 2.5 to 5

Ability to move rapidly from a sitting to standing position, and to be able to get down and up off the ground as needed

Ability to push, pull, or lift up to 50lbs

Working in all weather conditions

Requires developmentally normal hearing abilities and visual acuity

Requires strong communication skills with children, families, faculty, and staff

Salary Description

$25-27/hour