Early Childhood Education Coach
Foundations Early Learning Center · Gaffney
The Early Childhood Education Coach is a field-based member of the Education Team who helps teachers strengthen daily classroom practice and create high-quality, meaningful experiences for children. Through observation, reflection, modeling, practice, feedback, and follow-up, the Coach supports teachers in turning early childhood knowledge and company-provided resources into consistent classroom practice.
Assigned to a geographic cluster of Foundations Early Learning Centers, the Coach partners with teachers, center leaders, and Education Team members to strengthen developmentally appropriate practice, curriculum implementation, responsive interactions, positive guidance, classroom environments, routines, and quality initiatives.
This role is a strong fit for an experienced early childhood professional who is credible in the classroom, enjoys helping adults learn, builds positive relationships, and can independently manage multiple priorities, coaching cycles, and center needs.
What We Are Looking For:
- Strong working knowledge of child development and developmentally appropriate practice for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and pre-K children.
- Ability to recognize effective interactions, positive guidance, routines, transitions, intentional learning environments, and active child engagement.
- Ability to observe objectively, identify a priority focus, and translate feedback into practical classroom strategies.
- Ability to support adult learning through active listening, reflective questions, modeling, practice, feedback, and collaborative goal setting.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills with consistent professional follow-through.
- Comfort using Microsoft 365, video conferencing, web-based forms, electronic documentation systems, and digital curriculum or assessment platforms.
- Ability to organize independent field work, manage competing priorities, and support multiple centers.
- Ability and willingness to travel regularly within an assigned geographic cluster and occasionally support other markets, including limited evening, weekend, or overnight travel when business needs require.
What You Will Do:
- Build collaborative coaching relationships with teachers and center leaders that support reflection, practice, and continuous growth.
- Observe classroom practice, child-adult interactions, routines, transitions, learning environments, and curriculum implementation using company-approved tools.
- Use observation evidence and teacher input to identify focused coaching goals and practical next steps.
- Provide job-embedded support through modeling, side-by-side practice, reflective conversation, targeted training, resource connection, and feedback.
- Help teachers use company-provided curriculum, planning tools, schedules, child observations, portfolios, assessment processes, and family communication resources with greater confidence and consistency.
- Partner with center leadership to clarify coaching priorities, communicate progress, and reinforce teacher growth while maintaining appropriate coaching boundaries.
- Maintain accurate and timely electronic documentation of observations, coaching goals, action steps, follow-up, and outcomes.
- Manage a cluster-based schedule that balances center priorities, coaching cycles, travel efficiency, and required follow-up.
- Participate in onboarding, professional development, Education initiatives, and virtual or in-person training as assigned.
- Collaborate with Education Team members to share resources, calibrate practice, support peers, and provide cross-cluster support when needed.
- Use coaching trends and available data to celebrate progress, identify needs, and inform support strategies.
- Follow all company safety, compliance, confidentiality, travel, purchasing, and financial accountability expectations.
Requirements
The Disposition That Helps Coaches Thrive:
Our strongest coaches are curious, reflective, dependable, and committed to helping others grow. They build trust without losing focus on expectations, receive feedback with openness, adapt when evidence shows a different approach is needed, and believe teacher growth often requires modeling, practice, encouragement, and follow-up.
- Approaches challenges with kindness, professionalism, curiosity, and a solution-focused mindset.
- Is coachable, self-reflective, and willing to adjust personal practice based on feedback and evidence.
- Shares knowledge and resources and works collaboratively across centers and Education Team roles.
- Follows through consistently and communicates early when a barrier may affect an agreed commitment.
- Uses company time, funds, equipment, and travel resources responsibly and transparently.
Minimum Requirements:
- Meets lead teacher qualifications in the applicable state(s) of assignment.
- Associate degree in Early Childhood Education, Child Development, or a related field preferred; bachelor's degree preferred.
- Candidates with education in another field should demonstrate substantial early childhood coursework, credentials, or equivalent early childhood content knowledge consistent with company and state requirements.
- Minimum three years of successful experience in an early childhood education setting as a lead teacher, primary caregiver, instructional leader, curriculum support professional, coach, trainer, assistant director, or director; five years of relevant experience preferred.
- Experience mentoring adults, supporting peer learning, leading practice change, or providing professional feedback is strongly preferred.
- Experience supporting multiple classrooms or locations is preferred.
- Valid driver's license and ability to meet company travel requirements.
- Ability to successfully complete all required background and employment screening requirements.
Why This Role Matters:
Education Coaches help strengthen the everyday experiences children have with teachers. The goal is not to take over a classroom or provide a temporary fix. The Coach helps teachers build knowledge, confidence, and consistent practices that can continue long after the coaching visit ends.
Benefits
Highlights From Our Stellar Benefits:
Competitive Pay:
- Regular pay increases
- Same day pay available
Insurance Package:
- Blue Cross Blue Shield medical, dental & vision
- Company-paid life insurance
- 401K retirement plan
- Employee wellness program
- Optional programs like Aflac and short-term disability insurance
Education Support:
- Paid trainings & professional development
- Up to 95% FREE tuition for CDA, associate's, bachelor's or master's programs with the TEACH program. Eligible bonuses could push the amount of funding to over 100%.
Additional Perks:
- Discounted childcare
- Paid time off
- Birthday holiday
- Monday-Friday schedule
- Additional paid time off with years of service
- Employee discounts on major brands like Verizon
- Unlimited growth opportunities
Build your future with Foundations—apply today!
About Foundations Early Learning Center:
We help children reach their full potential, with school readiness, socialization, literacy, problem-solving, self-esteem and other life skills at the center of our focus. Foundations provides premier infant, toddler, preschool, Pre-K, school-age, and summer camp programs for children 6 weeks to 12 years. Our programs utilize the nationally-recognized, award-winning Creative Curriculum® with a focus on STEAM in our classrooms.
Our Vision: Empowering children to realize their full potential.
Our Mission: To enrich children’s lives through meaningful, innovative early learning experiences.
Foundations is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.
Foundations follows state and federal labor laws. Follow the links below to learn about Discrimination, FMLA, and Polygraph protections. Information on additional employee rights can be found posted at each school.
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