Executive, Children's Services

Job Summary

Morning Star Community Services (MSCS) is committed to building strong, trusting relationships between children, families and our community, and to creating an environment of warmth and safety for everyone we work with. At our After-School Care Services (SCS) centres, we care for Primary School-going children and protect their dignity through the principles of Social Emotional Learning (SEL), embedded in the programmes we run.

The Executive, with the Children's Services division, leads the day-to-day running of one student care centre, combining hands-on classroom and caregiving responsibility with oversight of centre administration. In many ways, this role is the team leader of the centre; s/he guides and coaches the team directly. S/he creates a secure and nurturing environment for children by building trusting, respectful relationships with them, and enriches their learning of values through co-designed, developmentally and culturally appropriate curricula that integrate innovative teaching and learning practices.

S/he guides and coaches the team in the centre, and manages relationships with key stakeholders, including parents, community partners, and programme sponsors - to ensure smooth centre operations and the delivery of meaningful, engaging activities for students. S/he is also part of a team responsible for programme creation and execution for the whole division.

The incumbent is expected to work 10am–7pm, Mon to Fri, and 9am–1pm on Saturdays. S/he is largely expected to work in an indoor environment, although S/he is required to travel to and from various student care facilities for meetings.

Key responsibility areas

Classroom & Caregiving

• Apply appropriate care-giving approaches to provide warm, nurturing engagement in children's daily routines.

• Respond promptly, appropriately and consistently to children's needs, cues and signals; use activities as opportunities to enhance engagement and participation.

• Implement health, safety, nutritional and hygiene standards and procedures, and take appropriate action to protect children in care.

• Respond to and report illnesses, accidents and emergencies; report suspected emotional distress, abuse or neglect in line with the centre's Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), working with MSCS internal specialists to protect and support affected children.

• Apply classroom management strategies that support curriculum delivery while enabling observation and documentation of children's learning.

• Manage children's behaviour with support from transdisciplinary or collaborative teams where needed.

• Maintain collaboration with families and caregivers on the care requirements and development of their children; prepare functional needs assessments and work with in-house MSCS professionals on developmental interventions where required.

• Demonstrate awareness of cultural and other differences to ensure students, caregivers and team members are treated with respect, dignity and fairness.

• Guide and coach the team, including Facilitators and relief staff, in the delivery of MSCS's care and classroom methodologies, acting as team leader for the centre.

Centre Admin & Operations Excellence

• Take ownership of the centre's administrative efficiency, including enrolment matters, meeting prospective parents, and organising fee collection and customer service.

• Prepare and submit reports for management; other operational requirements of the centre.

• Manage the centre’s budget and expenses, purchase requests, working with management to ensure centre’s costs are well managed.

• Ensure all administrative documentation of the centre is accurate, complete and presented in a professional manner.

• Build and maintain positive relationships with parents/caregivers, team members and other stakeholders, using tact, diplomacy and courtesy.

• Act as the first point of escalation for queries and requests from team members, escalating to senior management where necessary.

• Promote family involvement and engagement through regular interactions and MSCS parent-child events.

Programme Creation (Enrichment & SEL)

• Co-design and implement developmentally and culturally appropriate curricula that enrich children's learning of values, integrating innovative teaching and learning practices grounded in Social Emotional Learning (SEL) principles.

• Work closely with Children's Services core team for programme execution within the centre.

• Prepare and disseminate communication materials to centres for broadcast to parents, ensuring engaging and meaningful activities are well publicised.

Requirements

Experience & Requirements

• A strong interest in children's programmes, activities and direct care.

• At least 3–5 years of experience in a similar role(e.g. Team leader or Senior teacher in student/childcare).

• Experience in the social service sector preferred.

• Good command of English and writing skills.

• Knowledge of design and social media marketing will be an advantage.

Qualifications

• Minimally a Diploma; candidates with hands-on child-care or classroom experience

Other Requirements

• Strong interpersonal skills; able to communicate well and build consensus across various levels of stakeholders.

• Adaptable to change; curious, resourceful and creative.

• Able to engage children, and to detect and interpret others' emotions to manage interpersonal relationships effectively.

• Meticulous and organised, with a service-oriented mindset committed to meeting the needs of internal and external stakeholders.

• Able to identify and solve problems using given guidelines.

• Able to work collaboratively and contribute effectively as part of a team.