How to hire a child care supervisor

How to hire a child care supervisor, step by step

Here's a step-by-step child care supervisor hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a child care supervisor job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new child care supervisor
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the child care supervisor you need to hire. Certain child care supervisor roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect child care supervisor also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   This list shows salaries for various types of child care supervisors.

   Type of Child Care Supervisor	Description	Hourly rate
   Child Care Supervisor	Social workers help people solve and cope with problems in their everyday lives. One group of social workers—clinical social workers—also diagnose and treat mental, behavioral, and emotional issues.	$13-28
   Youth Development Professional	Youth Development Professionals are specialists in implementing and overseeing programs to help adolescents discover their abilities and interests. They are responsible for coordinating career days and field trips, organizing mentorship sessions, create youth outreach projects, and assisting community organizations in youth provision development... Show more	$9-45
   Youth Advocate	Youth advocates are individuals who responsible for maintaining the human rights of youth while assisting them in developing their skills in all areas of life, such as education, health, employment, and relationships. These advocates are required to discuss youth development and involvement with various leaders in the community... Show more	$12-19

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Direct Supervision
   • Child Care
   • CPR
   • Child Development
   • Child Abuse
   • Front Desk
   • Healthy Environment
   • Crisis Intervention
   • Social Development
   • State Regulations
   • Incident Reports
   • DHS
   • Role Model
   • Developmental Problems

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • keep CPR and first aid up to date.
   • Verify and document that all staff complete background checks and are first aid and CPR certify.
   • Design and organize educational curriculum, field trips, and develop USDA meals plans following stringent nutritional guidelines.
   • Read management and leadership materials and program-relate materials to keep abreast of developments in comprehensive early childhood programs.
   • Prepare, plan, organize, and instruct interactive classes to engage children in bible and life lessons.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your child care supervisor job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A child care supervisor can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, child care supervisors' average salary in mississippi is 61% less than in new jersey.
   • Seniority. Entry-level child care supervisors 51% less than senior-level child care supervisors.
   • Certifications. A child care supervisor with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a child care supervisor's salary.

   Average child care supervisor salary

   $42,125yearly

   $20.25 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level child care supervisor salary

   $29,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 23, 2026

4. Writing a child care supervisor job description

   A child care supervisor job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a child care supervisor job description:

   Child care supervisor job description example

   We are looking for team members who are passionate about challenging and significant work for the good of every patient. We are searching for individuals who are compassionate, serve with a purpose, are dedicated to supporting their team, and who seek excellence every day.
   
   We are looking for a full-time Child Life Supervisor to join our team at Riley! This role will be supervising our outpatient and ED child life team. You will work collaboratively with an already established, 4-person leadership team whose vision is to help our team grow through a strengths-based leadership approach.
   Sound like a perfect match? Apply now - we can't wait to hear from you!
   
   The Child Life Supervisor provides clinical leadership and supervisory guidance to the Child Life and ancillary staff who support child life programming. Serves as a liaison with volunteers, individuals, and groups from the community who wish to participate in or provide a positive patient experience that benefits children and families at Riley Hospital. Coordinates procedures and plans that enhance the health and social support to program participants and for assuring a comprehensive therapeutic program based on developmental theory and evidence-based interventions. Conducts evaluations, records evaluations in patients' medical records, and consults with physicians and staff.
   
   Bachelor's degree in Child Life, Child Development, Therapeutic Recreation, Social Work, or related field required.
   
   * Requires a certification as a Child Life Specialist.
   * Requires 5-7 years of relevant experience.
   * Requires experience working with hospitalized children or children with healthcare needs, experience leading therapeutic sessions with individuals and groups, and experience working with volunteers.
   
   Safeguarding our patients and each other is an important part of how we deliver the best care possible to the communities we serve. As a condition of employment, IU Health requires all new hires to receive various vaccinations, including the influenza and COVID-19 vaccines, barring an approved exemption. New hires will also be provided the option to submit proof of previous vaccination.
   
   We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity and inclusion at IU Health. IU Health does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, national origin, gender identity and/or expression, marital status or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find child care supervisors for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your child care supervisor job on Zippia to find and recruit child care supervisor candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit child care supervisors, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new child care supervisor

   Once you've decided on a perfect child care supervisor candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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