Office Manager
: Job Details :

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