Job Title:
Director, Center Integration
Job Type: Full-Time, Salary
Reports To: VP, Center Integration
About BrightPath Kids / Busy Bees
Busy Bees North America is a fast-growing early childhood education organization operating 270+ centers across the United States and Canada. Busy Bees aims to be the employer of choice in every market where we operate. We know that our people are critical in giving children their best start in life, delivering a rich learning experience in a safe environment.
We Thrive Together - At Busy Bees North America, we show up for each other. We are one team built on collaboration, trust, respect and support. Together we create a place where our team members feel valued and set up for success. We empower and support each other to do our best work. When our team thrives, our children and families thrive.
Position Overview
Under the direction of the Vice President, Center Integration, the Director, Center Integration leads the operational integration, launch, and stabilization of both newly developed and acquired Busy Bees North America (BBNA) centers. This role partners closely with field leadership, corporate support functions, and project teams to ensure successful transition, operational readiness, enrollment growth, system implementation, and long-term operational success.
The Director, Center Integration is responsible for supporting centers through periods of significant change, including acquisitions, new center openings, and operational transitions. This role drives integration planning and execution, supports leadership teams through onboarding and change management, mitigates operational risks, and ensures alignment with BBNA standards, systems, policies, and performance expectations. The position serves as a critical liaison between center operations, field leadership, and corporate partners through stabilization and handoff to ongoing operations.
Key Responsibilities
Integration Strategy, Planning & Execution
• Lead the operational integration of newly developed and acquired centers from initial planning through stabilization and transition to business-as-usual operations.
• Participate in due diligence activities for acquisitions, including document reviews, operational assessments, and cross-functional discussions to identify opportunities, risks, and integration requirements.
• Partner with Project Management and cross-functional teams to develop, customize, and execute integration plans based on each center's unique operational needs and market dynamics.
• Monitor execution risks, dependencies, and project timelines while ensuring operational continuity throughout the integration process.
• Ensure completion of all integration, pre-opening, and operational readiness checklists.
Center Launch & Operational Readiness
• Lead operational readiness and launch activities for new centers to ensure successful openings, compliance with company standards, and readiness for enrollment growth.
• Oversee implementation and conversion of operational systems, processes, and tools for both new and acquired centers.
• Coordinate with Marketing, Purchasing, Operations, Human Resources, and other support functions to support staffing readiness, community engagement, enrollment strategies, and operational setup.
• Ensure centers are prepared to operate effectively from opening day through stabilization.
Leadership Support & Change Management
• Support onboarding and development of new Center Directors through coaching, mentoring, and hands-on operational guidance.
• Serve as a trusted advisor and resource for Center Directors during integration, launch, and post-transition periods.
• Partner with support teams and operational leaders to identify and address change acceptance challenges and implement effective change management strategies.
• Facilitate communication and alignment among center staff, local leadership, and corporate partners to support successful transitions.
Performance, Enrollment & Financial Results
• Monitor enrollment growth, lead conversion, operational metrics, financial performance, and staffing effectiveness during startup and integration periods.
• Support forecasting, financial planning, talent assessment, workforce planning, and achievement of enrollment and performance goals.
• Maintain accountability for post-acquisition and post-opening operational performance until centers reach defined stabilization and maturity milestones.
• Develop transition and handoff plans to support long-term operational ownership by field leadership.
Operational Support & Problem Resolution
• Provide hands-on post-opening and post-acquisition support to address operational challenges, stakeholder concerns, and performance gaps.
• Act as a liaison between centers and internal business partners to ensure timely resolution of issues.
• Identify and resolve complex, cross-functional operational challenges unique to each center, acquisition, or market.
• Track and report integration, launch, and stabilization progress in partnership with Project Management and executive leadership.
Continuous Improvement
• Evaluate integration and launch outcomes to identify best practices and opportunities for process improvement.
• Recommend enhancements to operational readiness, integration methodologies, onboarding programs, and center transition processes.
• Contribute to the development and standardization of scalable integration frameworks across BBNA.
Additional Functions
• May have non-integration-related responsibilities on a day-to-day basis as assigned by the Vice President, Center Integration.
Qualifications
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
• Ability to travel up to 90% of the time.
• Demonstrated leadership skills with the ability to motivate, influence, and support diverse teams.
• Strong project management, organizational, and execution capabilities.
• Proven ability to allocate resources effectively and execute strategic and operational plans on time and within budget.
• Excellent analytical, operational, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and adapt quickly within a dynamic environment.
• Strong change management and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Exceptional interpersonal, communication, and customer service abilities.
• Ability to build productive relationships across field operations, support functions, and leadership teams.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with peers and cross-functional teams.
• Ability to read, write, and communicate effectively in English
Education & Experience
• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Early Childhood Education, Operations Management, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and progressively responsible experience.
• Minimum seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in operations, integration, project management, business transformation, center leadership, or related functions.
• Experience leading operational integrations, acquisitions, multi-site operations, new business launches, or large-scale organizational change initiatives preferred.
• Demonstrated leadership experience in an education, childcare, retail, hospitality, healthcare, franchise, or similarly multi-unit operating environment preferred.
Specialized Training
None.
Certification/Licensure
None.
Working Style & Expectations
• Highly collaborative and hands-on, partnering across Operations, HR, Marketing, Purchasing, Project Management, and field leadership.
• Comfortable working independently, making decisions, and influencing without direct authority.
• Able to manage multiple integrations and priorities in a fast-paced, changing environment.
• Expected to be a visible, trusted partner to Center Directors, providing coaching, problem-solving, and change-management support.
• Requires significant flexibility and travel up to 90% to support center openings, acquisitions, and stabilization.
What Success Looks Like
• Performance will be assessed using a balanced scorecard approach that measures both strategic impact and operational execution across all New Center, Rebranding Center, and M&A Center initiatives. Key evaluation areas include:
o Achievement of enrollment targets and financial objectives as centers integrate into the BrightPath/Busy Bees fold through New Center, Rebranding Center, and M&A Center maturity which is typically 24 months after inception date.
o Achievement of BBNA strategic, financial and operational goals, including revenue, synergy realization, and cost management.
o Success in meeting or exceeding center financial targets, including integration performance, customer retention and acquisition goals, and profitability.
o Ability to drive consistent multi-site financial performance through strong field leadership training, coaching, and enablement.
o Operational Effectiveness
o Success and timeliness of transition milestones.
Physical Demands & Work Environment
• The primary work-environment requirement identified is travel up to 90% of the time.
• Given the responsibilities, the role operates across center locations and corporate/cross-functional environments, with frequent on-site involvement during openings, acquisitions, transitions, and stabilization. The position requires flexibility to adapt to changing priorities and different center and market needs.
• Ability to sit and stand for long periods of time
• Extensive standing and walking; sitting on the floor and on low (12”) chairs.
• Frequent bending, stooping, and kneeling.
• Ability to lift and carry up to 50 pounds.
• Frequent moving of equipment (Cots, tables, etc.).
Why Join Us?
We are dedicated to giving children the best start in life, and you’ll be part of that purpose every day. We offer:
• An award-winning culture where your contributions matter
• Competitive pay
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision benefits
• 401(k) with company match
• Tuition assistance
• Childcare discounts
• A workplace where you are truly valued
Busy Bees North America is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. All employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit, and business need.