Position Overview
Montessori Kids Universe of Bannockburn is seeking a highly organized, dependable, and proactive School Operations & Administrative Coordinator to support the daily operations of our school.
This position plays an important role in keeping the school organized, welcoming, compliant, and running smoothly. The ideal candidate enjoys working in a fast-paced childcare environment, is comfortable balancing administrative and hands-on operational responsibilities, and works well with children, families, teachers, leadership, vendors, and other members of the school community.
This is a hands-on role that requires flexibility, strong follow-through, attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple priorities throughout the day.
Key Responsibilities
School Operations
- Support the overall day-to-day operations of the school.
- Order food, snacks, classroom materials, office supplies, and other school necessities.
- Receive deliveries, organize supplies, and ensure materials are properly stored and distributed.
- Assist with snack preparation and other kitchen responsibilities as needed.
- Maintain kitchen organization, including dishwashing, cleaning, and putting away supplies.
- Monitor inventory levels and proactively reorder supplies before they run out.
- Coordinate and follow up on repairs and maintenance needs.
- Perform basic miscellaneous repairs or coordinate appropriate vendors when needed.
- Help ensure school equipment and facilities remain safe, functional, and properly maintained.
- Assist with seasonal decorating, school events, and preparation for holidays and special activities.
- Help maintain an organized, clean, professional, and welcoming school environment.
Administrative Support
- Answer incoming phone calls and assist families and prospective families professionally and warmly.
- Support school leadership with general administrative responsibilities.
- Follow up with prospective families after school tours.
- Assist with enrollment paperwork and family onboarding.
- Help ensure child files are complete, organized, and maintained according to licensing requirements.
- Track outstanding forms and follow up with families as needed.
- Assist with staff files, school records, documentation, and other compliance-related administrative tasks.
- Maintain strong organization of school documents and operational records.
- Assist with scheduling vendors, appointments, deliveries, and other operational needs.
Family & Staff Support
- Build positive and professional relationships with enrolled families.
- Work closely with teachers and school leadership to support classroom and operational needs.
- Communicate respectfully and professionally with families, staff, vendors, and visitors.
- Help welcome and onboard new families into the MKU community.
- Provide assistance throughout the school as operational needs arise.
- Be comfortable interacting with young children and helping create a warm, positive school environment.
Licensing & Compliance Support
- Assist school leadership in maintaining compliance with Illinois childcare licensing requirements and school policies.
- Help ensure required documents, records, supplies, postings, and operational items are maintained appropriately.
- Support preparation for licensing visits, inspections, audits, and other compliance reviews.
- Identify operational or facility concerns and promptly communicate them to school leadership.
- Maintain confidentiality regarding children, families, employees, and school information.
Qualifications
- Previous administrative, office management, childcare, school, or operations experience preferred.
- Experience working in a childcare, preschool, Montessori, educational, or family-focused environment strongly preferred.
- Must be highly organized and able to multitask and prioritize competing responsibilities throughout the day.
- Strong attention to detail and follow-through.
- Comfortable working closely with children, families, teachers, and school leadership.
- Must genuinely enjoy being around young children and contributing to a positive school environment.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills.
- Professional, friendly, dependable, and solutions-oriented.
- Comfortable performing both administrative duties and hands-on operational tasks.
- Ability to work independently while also functioning as part of a collaborative team.
- Comfortable learning and using school management, communication, and office software.
- Must be able to meet all Illinois childcare licensing requirements, including successfully completing required background checks and fingerprinting.
- Director-qualified under Illinois childcare licensing standards preferred.
- Knowledge of Illinois childcare licensing requirements, including Rule 407 standards, is a plus.
Ideal Candidate
The ideal candidate is someone who notices what needs to be done and takes initiative to complete it. This person can move comfortably between answering a parent phone call, helping organize a child’s enrollment file, receiving a food delivery, following up with a repair vendor, assisting with classroom supplies, and preparing the school for an upcoming event.
Successful candidates will be organized, adaptable, resourceful, approachable, and comfortable working in the dynamic environment of an early childhood school.
Physical & Work Environment Requirements
This position involves a combination of office work and active responsibilities throughout the school. Candidates should be comfortable walking throughout the building, lifting and organizing supplies, assisting with deliveries, performing light kitchen and operational duties, and working around young children throughout the day.
About Montessori Kids Universe of Bannockburn
Montessori Kids Universe of Bannockburn provides a nurturing, engaging educational environment focused on Montessori principles, independence, exploration, and whole-child development. Our team works collaboratively to provide families with a safe, welcoming, organized, and high-quality early childhood experience.