Director of Operational Excellence and Performance

Location: Remote, Frequent travel required 

Job Type: Full-Time

Schedule: Flexibility required to accommodate multiple time zones 

At BrightPath we believe every child deserves the best start in life. That starts with exceptional people. As one of North America's fastest-growing providers of early childhood education, we're expanding through new center openings and strategic acquisitions while investing in the people who make our mission possible. We know we couldn't do what we do without talented, passionate professionals, which is why we invest in our teams, create meaningful career pathways, and empower our employees to grow and lead.

The Director of Operational Excellence and Performance is a senior operational leader responsible for evaluating business performance, identifying the root causes of operational challenges, and partnering with leaders to implement sustainable improvements across centers, districts, and regions.

This role serves as a trusted advisor, coach, and mentor to Regional Vice Presidents, Area Directors, and Center Directors. The Director strengthens leadership accountability, operational consistency, organizational capability, and overall business performance through a combination of executive-level advising, data-driven analysis, field engagement, and hands-on performance improvement.

Key Responsibilities: 

• Conduct comprehensive operational assessments and root cause analyses to identify performance gaps, risks, and opportunities for improvement.
• Partner with field leaders to develop, implement, and sustain performance improvement plans with clearly defined goals, actions, owners, timelines, and measures of success.
• Coach and mentor Regional Vice Presidents, Area Directors, and Center Directors to strengthen leadership effectiveness, accountability, and operational performance.
• Analyze operational and financial data to identify trends, evaluate performance drivers, and translate findings into clear, actionable recommendations.
• Develop and communicate insights through executive reports, presentations, dashboards, scorecards, charts, and other visual tools.
• Drive improvement across key performance measures, including enrollment, retention, profitability, quality, safety, and compliance.
• Support the integration of newly acquired schools into the organization’s culture, systems, processes, operating standards, and performance expectations.
• Promote consistent performance management, quality assurance, safety, compliance, and operational practices across the organization.
• Identify and support the implementation of scalable systems, processes, and best practices that enable organizational growth.
• Monitor the effectiveness and sustainability of performance improvement initiatives, adjusting strategies as needed to achieve intended results.
• Build strong relationships quickly and provide clear, candid, and constructive feedback at all levels of the organization.
• Partner with executive and functional leaders to ensure operational improvement efforts are aligned with organizational priorities.

Qualifications: 

• Bachelor’s degree in business, operations, organizational leadership, early childhood education, or a related field; advanced degree preferred.
• Previous Vice President-level operational leadership experience required, including direct accountability for multi-site operational performance across multiple markets or regions.
• Experience reporting directly to the highest-ranking executive of an organization—such as a CEO, President, or equivalent enterprise leader—required.
• Significant multi-site operational leadership experience; childcare, early childhood education, or experience in another highly regulated multi-site service environment strongly preferred.
• Strong business and financial acumen, with demonstrated ability to analyze data, identify performance drivers, and connect operational actions to financial results.
• Proven track record of successfully improving underperforming markets, regions, or multi-site operations.
• Demonstrated success coaching, developing, and influencing senior and field-based leaders.
• Strong executive presence, relationship-building skills, and ability to influence across all levels of an organization.
• Exceptional written, verbal, visual, and presentation communication skills.
• Experience with performance improvement, acquisition integration, organizational change, or continuous improvement preferred.
• Ability and willingness to travel regularly to centers, markets, and regional locations.

The ideal candidate is a strategic, hands-on operational leader who can quickly assess complex situations, identify underlying issues, build trust, and help leaders achieve measurable and sustainable improvements.

This individual must be comfortable moving between executive-level strategy, detailed data analysis, and center-level operational realities. The successful candidate balances coaching and support with clear accountability, communicates candidly and constructively, and helps create a culture of consistent execution, continuous improvement, and sustained performance excellence.

Why Join BrightPath?

At BrightPath, you'll have the opportunity to make a meaningful impact while helping build the workforce that supports thousands of children and families every day.

We offer:

• Competitive compensation, including bonus eligbility
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) with company match
• Paid time off and company holidays
• Professional development and leadership growth opportunities
• Collaborative, supportive leadership team
• Opportunity to influence recruiting strategy across a growing North American organization