This position requires fluency in both English and Mandarin

Exempt, full-time position

Full job description including benefits

OUR IDEAL CANDIDATE

The ideal candidate aligns strongly with our Dual Language Early Childhood Center philosophy and has a deep understanding of child development for children ages 2–6. This leader brings knowledge and practical experience in Mandarin immersion early childhood education, where young children learn through meaningful, play-based experiences primarily in Mandarin during the preschool years, and then gradually develop bilingual skills in kindergarten through developmentally appropriate dual-language practices. This leader supports teachers and families in navigating the unique opportunities and challenges of a dual-language environment, communicates with clarity and empathy, and consistently centers young children in decision-making. We seek someone who embraces CAIS’s mission and contributes to an equitable, inclusive community for all children, families, and educators.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

Position responsibilities include (but are not limited to):

• Design ECC systems and lead preschool and kindergarten programs (ages 2–6), ensuring a safe, developmentally appropriate, and mission-aligned early childhood environment.
• Take a strong role in leading preschool instruction and curriculum while collaborating with curriculum leaders to design, implement, and refine high-quality curriculum, developmental assessments, and Chinese immersion bilingual early childhood education.
• Supervise and support the Associate Preschool Director, who manages safety, licensing compliance, after-school programs, and the preschool summer program.
• Oversee daily program operations, staffing, schedules, and classroom support to ensure smooth and consistent routines.
• Coach and support teaching staff through feedback, professional development, and team culture-building.
• Serve as the primary leader for family communication and partner with teachers in conversations related to individual children’s needs and development.
• Work closely with the Student Services Director and Student Services Team (SST) and support early intervention processes to assist families and guide staff when additional services are needed.
• Partner with the School’s Educational Leadership Team to align ECC goals with the broader P–8 direction and to represent ECC within the school community.
• Lead and grow programs that advance Chinese immersion early childhood education, sharing effective practices and collaborating with the wider educational community, including the coordination of the Early Childhood Chinese Immersion Forum, an online forum and annual conference founded by CAIS in 2018.
• Work closely with the School’s Admissions team to introduce the School to prospective families.

ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Early Childhood Education, Child Development, Educational Leadership, or a related field.
• Extensive knowledge of child development for children ages 2–6.
• Experience in early childhood program leadership, school administration, or comparable supervisory roles.
• Understanding of Chinese immersion and bilingual early childhood education, including developmentally appropriate practices for dual-language learners.
• Demonstrated ability to lead, coach, and collaborate with diverse teaching teams.
• Strong communication skills in both Mandarin and English, with the ability to partner effectively with families and navigate sensitive conversations.
• Commitment to the school’s mission, core values, and strategic vision.
• Commitment to the school’s approach to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.
• Excellent work ethic.
• Flexibility, patience, compassion, resilience, and good humor.
• Technical/computer skills as required for the job. 

TO APPLY

CAIS’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion is central to our mission. People of color and LGBTQIA candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. Email cover letter, resume, and list of references to admin_jobs@cais.org, attention: Head of School. In the subject line please indicate “Director of Early Childhood Center.” In your cover letter, please reference how you learned of this opening. Please no calls.

About Chinese American International School

ABOUT CAIS As the nation’s first Mandarin Immersion Preschool through 8th grade school, CAIS embodies our mission by working continuously to maintain our role as a leader in immersion education. We value honest self-assessment, thoughtful self-reflection, intentional planning, and focused implementation. We are known as an ambitious school, and we are making substantial progress on our multi-year vision to reimagine immersion, reimagine our culture of learning, reimagine character and community, and reimagine our learning spaces. Since 2021, we have been using our new campus on 19th Avenue in San Francisco for athletics, arts, and community events. In September 2024, our entire community began the school year at our newly renovated Forever Home, which more than doubles the program space from our former Hayes Valley locations and allows all divisions to be together on one spectacular campus.

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