ANCA Job Board

The Director of Early Childhood Education oversees Irvine Nature Center’s early childhood programs serving children from birth through age six. This includes Irvine’s Nature Preschool and related early childhood offerings such as Little Birds (Caregiver and Child Program) and other programs designed for young children and families. The Director also supervises Irvine’s Earth Friends homeschool program, which serves children through age 12, ensuring alignment with Irvine’s educational philosophy and program quality standards.

The Director of ECE is responsible for the day-to-day leadership, management, and growth of Irvine’s early childhood programs. This includes supervising program leads and educators, maintaining high-quality educational experiences rooted in nature-based learning, ensuring compliance with licensing and accreditation standards, and supporting strong program enrollment and financial performance. The Director of ECE should have a strong understanding of nature-based ECE philosophy and practices, Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) preschool licensing guidelines and the NAEYC accreditation process. They should remain informed about current trends and best practices in early childhood education and environmental education.

The Director works closely with Irvine’s leadership team and reports to the Deputy Director. This position plays an important role in implementing Irvine’s educational vision while ensuring programs operate effectively and sustainably. This is a full-time (12 month) salaried position. As a leadership role, this position requires flexibility and may occasionally include evenings or weekend commitments to support programs, events and organizational initiatives.