ECC Assistant Director for Community and Culture

About the Bender JCC:

The Bender Jewish Community Center in Rockville, Maryland is a premier community center at the heart of Jewish life in Montgomery County, operating a full-scale health and fitness center, pre-school, day camp and variety of education and arts programs.

We create a welcoming and inclusive environment, connecting the people of our Jewish community with each other, Israel, and the broader community. We inspire individuals of all ages and backgrounds to enhance their social, physical, intellectual, and spiritual well-being through programs of excellence rooted in Jewish values.

The Bender JCC embraces and welcomes the diversity of our community and encourages everyone to seek meaning and fulfillment by participating in our rich programming inspired by our Jewish heritage. We open our doors to everyone, including people of all backgrounds, religions, abilities and sexual orientations, and interfaith couples and families.

Our core values are:

• Welcoming and inclusive (Hachnassat Orchim) – We open our doors to everyone and strive to create an inclusive and accommodating environment for people of different backgrounds, abilities and means.
• Respect (Kavod) – We seek to create a town square where our community can be exposed to diverse viewpoints and grapple with difficult issues in a respectful and civil manner.
• Jewish Peoplehood (Klal Yisrael) – We create connections to the people, history, culture, and land of Israel and with the Jewish people as a whole, welcoming all Jewish traditions and backgrounds.
• Community (Kehilla) – We facilitate relationship building and a sense of belonging to create communities across all stages of life.
• Working together (B’yachad) – We partner and collaborate with Jewish and secular organizations to build a stronger community.
• Wellness (Shmirat HaNefesh v’HaGuf) – We promote the well-being and fitness of every person.
• Spirit (Ruach) – We infuse spirit and fun into our activities and programs.

Why this role matters:

The Early Childhood Center Assistant Director for Community and Culture (ADCC) has the educational qualifications, knowledge, and professional commitment necessary to support all aspects of the early childhood center; with primary responsibilities focused on working with all educators and family members. The ADCC is responsible for collaboration with ECC staff, JCC staff, and the ECPC (parent committee) to support community building and engagement, education, and integration of the early childhood community within the larger JCC. The ADCC will be a collaborative member of the senior leadership team of the ECC and a collaborative partner with larger JCC stakeholders, helping to develop and ensure values-based policies, structures and operations in the ECC and JCC.

The Bender Early Childhood Center is one of our core programs, and the Assistant Director is central to the functioning of the school. This is an exciting opportunity to work directly with our community and have a significant impact on the experience of our early childhood staff and community.

Core Responsibilities:

• Understand emergent and developmentally appropriate curriculum for the 0–5 year age group, and remain up to date on best practice.
• Assist with day-to-day management of the ECC and serve as director-in-charge when the Director is unavailable.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with all ECC staff, provide on-going staff morale support, and build a culture of staff celebration, including birthday and holiday celebration, staff recognition, etc.
• Create and implement robust staff engagement throughout the year, including with life-cycle and holiday opportunities, also coordinating with the JCC community building “M&M” team.
• Create and send daily weekly emails to educators from administrative team, with important details for the next day, week, and as appropriate, month ahead.
• Monitor the ECC Facebook page and other social media, and post photos regularly in coordination with the JCC marketing team.
• Serve as liaison to the ECPC, providing technical assistance for ECPC programs, developing unique and innovative family engagement opportunities, and connecting families to the JCC and to one another.
• Interface with other JCC departments to ensure ongoing communication, collaboration, and seamless transition of family members through their JCC journey.
• Work closely with HR to coordinate and implement policies and procedures that support ECC staff recruitment and retention goals.
• Assist the director in program coordination and design, as well as administrative tasks to support annual registration and ongoing program development.
• Advocate for the rights and needs of the children in meetings and conversations with internal and outside groups and elected officials.
• In collaboration with the ECC administration, plan and execute ECC programs, including Staff Week, Back to School Night, Professional Days, etc.
• Knowledge of all safety procedures and the ability to respond to any situation in a calm and deliberate manner.
• Assist in the supervision of staff members, including regular support and reflection around opportunities and challenges, and assisting in writing yearly reviews.
• Serve as liaison to the Parenting Center and support their on- and off-site programs.
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as needed, required, or assigned.

Qualifications

You are:

• Innovative and grounded. You love trying new things and devising creative solutions to persistent problems. Most importantly, you know how to make it happen.
• Organized. You are able to handle multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment and bring a high level of attention to detail to your work.
• Passionate about the work. You are motivated by the JCC and ECC core values and supporting families with young children. You have a deep connection and desire for this work to exist in the world.
• Savvy and Intuitive. You are adept at communicating ideas to a range of stakeholders and you know that different settings often require different methods and tools.
• You believe that diversity is a strength. You account for the value of diversity in every aspect of your work, and you understand the nuances of diversity that shape the experiences of students and families.
• Compassionate. You are able to relate to young children and adults, and you show empathy in your interactions with those around you.
• Collaborative, with strong interpersonal skills. You enjoy learning from and working closely with talented colleagues, both in and outside of the preschool. You are excited to be part of the success of the Bender Early Childhood Center and the whole organization. You are patient and respectful to those around you.
• Open to feedback. You have a desire and willingness to learn and grow, using feedback from colleagues and administrators as an opportunity for professional development.
• Professional. You are prompt and dependable.
• Always Growing. You have a love of learning and continually seek opportunities to learn and grow personally and professionally. You set your sights and expectations high and are excited to strive. You also help others strive for their dreams and goals as well.

You should have:

• Ability to carry out assigned tasks, accepting supervision, and acting independently as needed.
• Experience working with young children or families with young children.
• Three to five years’ experience serving as a program or engagement director for adults or families.
• Bachelor’s Degree or Master’s Degree in Early Childhood, Education, Social Work, Jewish Communal Service, or related field.
• Knowledge of Jewish traditions and culture.
• Working knowledge of the growth and development of young children and ability to assist in classrooms as needed.
• Knowledge of safety procedures and the ability to respond to any situation in a calm and deliberate manner.
• Ability to meet the physical requirements of the job as outlined in the Bender JCC Preschool Staff Handbook.
• Ability to meet required background check & health requirements.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Suite.
• First Aid, CPR/ AED, and Medication Administration certifications or willingness to be certified within 45 days of start.
• Required COVID-19 vaccination and boosters.

Compensation & Benefits

This is a full-time exempt position, with an annual salary between $65-75K, commensurate with experience. The Bender JCC provides a benefits package that includes medical, dental, and vision benefits, and a flexible working environment. You’ll also receive a full family membership to the Bender JCC, including complete access to the entire fitness facility and pools, plus staff discounts on program and services.

To Apply

Research shows that women and underrepresented groups apply to jobs only if they feel that they meet 100% of the qualifications. If this role sounds interesting to you, we encourage you to apply! The Bender JCC is committed to building a diverse team that draws on the strengths of people with a variety of identities, backgrounds, perspectives, and skills.

Please submit a resume and cover letter with your application.