Executive Director

Summary

The Connecticut Children’s Museum in New Haven, CT, is seeking an Executive Director who will provide strategic leadership and ensure the seamless integration of three distinct yet interconnected programs: the Creating Kids Childcare Center, the Connecticut Children’s Museum, and the Early Childhood Resource Center (ECRC). Each program is inspired by the Theory of Multiple Intelligences, articulated by Harvard psychologist, Howard Gardner.

• The Creating Kids Childcare Center provides a full‑time, year‑round program dedicated to serving the needs of children and their in an urban setting. The children spend their day in small groups in a nurturing, inclusive environment designed for learning and loving. Creating Kids supports the development of creative teachers, children, and families through play‑based exploratory learning.
• The Connecticut Children’s Museum is inspired by the Theory of Multiple Intelligences. This rich, resourceful, cutting‑edge educational theory recognizes the multiplicity of children’s intelligence and honors the different ways children learn.
• The museum’s Early Childhood Resource Center (ECRC) offers free, bilingual professional development workshops and curriculum materials to early childhood educators. This year, the ECRC is supported by a grant through CERCLE in New Haven.

Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Executive Director will provide operational leadership and partner with the Board to champion the organization’s vision through high‑quality educational programming, operational compliance, financial management, fundraising and donor stewardship, partner relations, and risk management. As the primary liaison between staff and the Board of Directors, the Executive Director will balance day‑to‑day operational excellence with long‑term growth strategies ensuring that the organization remains a sustainable model for early childhood education, play‑based learning, high‑quality professional development for early childhood educators, and community impact.

• Champion and communicate a clear vision grounded in educational inclusion and equity, high quality early childhood development, creativity, family‑centered practice, and community engagement.
• Lead and manage multi‑year strategic planning with the Board, staff, and community stakeholders.
• Provide transparent, consistent communication with the Board; prepare strategic recommendations and ensure the implementation of approved policies.
• Drive mission alignment across museum programming, childcare operations, and professional development efforts.

• Supervise and mentor staff across Creating Kids, the Connecticut Children’s Museum, and the ECRC.
• Ensure all programming meets or exceeds the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood, National Association of Education of Young Children (NAEYC), and the CT Early Learning and Development Standards.
• Oversee curriculum development, program evaluation, NAEYC re‑accreditation, classroom configurations, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Foster innovative, culturally responsive and inclusive approaches to teaching, learning, and family engagement.
• Oversee ECRC programming, including workshops, resources, curriculum boxes, staffing needs, and translation support.

• Develop, present, and manage the annual organizational budget in collaboration with the accountant and Board.
• Oversee tuition collection, accounts payable and receivable, payroll, purchasing, organizational spending in collaboration with the accountant and the Board, as needed.
• Lead grant writing and management, public funding efforts, donor relations, and fundraising events.
• Identify new revenue opportunities, partnerships, and philanthropic investments.

• Recruit, hire, retain, and support high‑quality staff aligned with the organization’s mission and values.
• Supervise Creating Kids Director, Museum Director, Administrative and Facilities Staff, and Other Staff as needed.
• Conduct annual evaluations for direct reports…