Founded in 1998 by Natacha V. Beim, Core Education & Fine Arts (CEFA) is one of Canada’s most recognized, premier private early childhood education networks. CEFA was created with a vision to redefine early learning by combining academic excellence with creativity and social-emotional development.

Today, CEFA operates more than 40 schools across British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario, with plans for continued expansion. Its programs serve children from ages one to five, offering a full-day curriculum that goes far beyond traditional daycare or preschool models. The CEFA approach is rooted in research on brain development and early learning. Its proprietary curriculum is designed to nurture intellectual, emotional, and physical growth during the most formative years of a child’s life. CEFA schools are recognized for their innovative, proprietary curriculum, which integrates early academics, fine arts, physical education, emotional development, and cultural enrichment.

The program is built around four foundational pillars:

Children engage in hands-on science experiments, early engineering challenges, and coding activities to develop problem-solving and critical thinking skills. Literacy and language instruction begins with phonetics and gradually introduces writing and reading fundamentals, often incorporating bilingual learning to enhance cognitive flexibility. Fine arts are woven into daily routines through music, drama, dance, and visual arts, fostering creativity and emotional intelligence. Mindfulness and citizenship activities—such as yoga, cultural studies, and outdoor exploration—help children develop empathy, resilience, and a sense of responsibility toward their community and environment.

CEFA’s teaching philosophy blends structured, teacher-led instruction with child-led exploration, drawing inspiration from Montessori and Reggio Emilia methodologies. Educators are licensed Early Childhood Educators who receive additional specialized training through CEFA University, ensuring consistency and quality across all locations. Classrooms are organized by age groups, allowing for tailored learning experiences and small-group interaction. Teachers regularly observe and document each child’s progress, sharing updates with families to create a collaborative learning environment.

Beyond academics, CEFA emphasizes holistic development. Each center provides fresh, nutritious meals prepared by on-site chefs and incorporates daily outdoor play to promote physical health and a connection with nature. The program also prioritizes social-emotional learning, encouraging children to express themselves, work collaboratively, and develop confidence in their abilities. Families are considered partners in the learning process, with regular communication and opportunities to engage in their child’s educational journey.

Our mission is to create a generation of inspired thinkers, lifelong learners, and socially responsible leaders. Through a franchise model, CEFA partners with passionate entrepreneurs to deliver world-class early learning in their communities. With a strong reputation for quality, safety, and innovation, CEFA is now poised for significant expansion in the United States, building upon its established presence in Canada.

• Make a Difference- We make a difference in children’s lives and inspire and educate children to the same throughout their lives

• Inspire- We inspire magic and joy

• Lead- We lead by example

• Respect- We have a deep respect for children, evident in all we do

• Self-Improvement- We believe in continuous self-improvement

Position: Chief Operating Officer & Country Head (CEFA U.S.)

Location: Remote within the United States

Reporting Relationship: President, CEFA, Arno Krug

Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Operating Officer, United States & Country Head serves as CEFA's most senior executive in the United States and is accountable for launching, operating, and scaling CEFA's U.S. business This role is responsible for translating CEFA's vision, strategy, and brand standards into disciplined execution across U.S. market while ensuring strong franchise performance, regulatory compliance, and operational excellence.

The COO & Country Head will lead CEFA's entry into the U.S. market and oversee all U.S. operations, including franchise support, school openings, unit-level performance, and market adaptation. Building on CEFA's position as Canada's premier early learning institution, this leader will ensure CEFA's proprietary curriculum, culture, and standards are consistently delivered while being thoughtfully adapted to U.S. regulatory, cultural, and market conditions.

The role carries full operational accountability for CEFA's U.S. business, including P&L performance, franchisee success, and execution against CEO-approved strategic priorities. The COO & Country Head will work in close partnership with CEFA's Canadian leadership and centralized back-office teams, leveraging shared services to enable efficient scale while maintaining clear ownership of U.S.-facing execution and outcomes. As CEFA's senior representative in the United States, the COO & Country Head will serve as the primary operational partner to U.S. franchisees and external stakeholders, ensuring CEFA establishes a strong, compliant, and scalable presence that supports long-term system growth and franchisee profitability.

The Chief Operating Officer, United States & Country Head, is responsible for overseeing the entire United States business of CEFA. This role has been delegated the responsibility to make day-to-day operational, staffing, and execution decisions required to successfully launch and scale CEFA in alignment with CEO-approved strategy, budgets, and brand standards.

The COO & Country Head is accountable for U.S. financial performance, franchisee outcomes, operational quality, regulatory compliance, and brand integrity, and serves as the primary escalation point for all U.S. operational matters.

• Develop and execute CEFA's U.S. market strategy and growth strategy in alignment with the CEO-defined priorities and CEFA's long-term vision.

• Lead the end-to-end launch of CEFA's initial U.S. schools, including pilot execution, early performance stabilization, and refinement of a repeatable U.S. expansion model.

• Conduct market analysis to identify priority regions, competitive dynamics, and franchise growth opportunities.

• Adapt and position CEFA's brand for the U.S. market, preserving the integrity of CEFA's proprietary curriculum, culture, and values.

• Oversee U.S. marketing and communications strategies tailored to American families and franchise partners.

• Build sustainable U.S. revenue streams through franchise performance, growth initiatives, and strategic partnerships.

• Monitor U.S. financial performance, including unit-level economics, and make sure it aligns with growth and profitability objectives.

• Establish CEFA as a scalable, execution-ready organization in the United States by building U.S.-specific operational capabilities while leveraging CEFA's established systems, manuals, and centralized Canadian back-office infrastructure.

• CEFA's Canadian shared services will support core back-office functions, including finance, payroll, banking coordination, legal documentation, HR administration, systems, and policy frameworks. The COO & Country Head will serve as the primary U.S. business owner and interface with these teams, ensuring U.S. operational requirements are clearly defined, prioritized, and effectively executed.

• The COO & Country Head retains full accountability for U.S.-facing execution, including school openings, staffing models, franchisee performance, parent experience, local compliance, and consistent delivery of CEFA's curriculum and standards across all U.S. locations.

• Own and continuously improve U.S. franchise partners unit economics, including ramp-up timelines, labor models, tuition pricing frameworks, and long-term franchisee profitability.

• Act as the primary operational partner and escalation point for U.S. franchise partners, driving performance improvement, satisfaction, and long-term retention.

• Recruit, develop, and lead a high-performing U.S.-based team to support execution, growth, and franchise success.

• Foster a positive, collaborative, and values-driven CEFA culture across U.S. operations.

• Serve as CEFA's senior representative in the United States, building trusted relationships with franchisees, families, educators, regulators, landlords, and community partners.

• Ensure U.S. franchise partners are well-supported, financially successful, and deeply aligned with CEFA's brand and values.

• Act as a spokesperson for CEFA in U.S. media and public forums, promoting thought leadership in early childhood education.

• Build partnerships with universities, teacher training programs, and mission-aligned organizations to strengthen CEFA's talent pipeline and community impact.

• Identify opportunities to enhance CEFA's curriculum and programming for U.S. cultural and regulatory contexts.

• Monitor industry trends and emerging best practices to ensure CEFA remains at the forefront of early childhood education.

• Partner with CEFA leadership to introduce digital tools and systems that enhance operational efficiency, parent engagement, and competitive differentiation.

• Implement systems to track student outcomes, franchise performance, and customer satisfaction, driving continuous improvement.

• Serve as the executive owner of regulatory, licensing, and operational compliance for CEFA's United States business.

• Ensure all U.S. operations comply with federal, state, and local regulations governing early childhood education and franchise systems, including the FTC Franchise Rule, childcare licensing requirements, employment laws, and health and safety standards.

• Oversee U.S. licensing, permitting, and inspection processes for new and operating schools, in collaboration with CEFA's Canadian legal and compliance teams.

• Proactively monitor regulatory changes and adjust U.S. operational practices to protect CEFA's brand, licenses, and growth trajectory.

The successful candidate will be a seasoned, entrepreneurial operator with the ability to build and scale a high-quality, regulated service business in a new market. They will combine strategic vision with disciplined execution and bring a collaborative leadership style aligned with CEFA's mission and values.

Candidates should have the following qualifications and characteristics:

• 15–20+ years of progressive leadership experience in franchise, multi-site, or regulated service organizations, ideally within early learning, education, or mission-aligned sectors.

• Demonstrated success launching and scaling operations in new markets, including building repeatable operating models from early-stage pilots.

• Proven ability to drive unit-level P&L performance and franchisee profitability.

• Strong understanding of U.S. regulatory and licensing requirements for childcare and franchise systems.

• Experience operating as a country leader or senior operator within a founder-led or privately held organization.

• Exceptional communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to inspire confidence among franchisees, partners, and internal teams.

• Strong financial and operational acumen, with experience managing budgets, forecasts, and multi-site performance.

• Technology-savvy, with experience leveraging systems and digital tools to support operational scale and customer engagement.

• Commitment to CEFA's mission, values, and dedication to high-quality early childhood education.

• Successful launch and stabilization of CEFA's initial U.S. schools.

• Strong unit-level franchise economics and franchisee satisfaction.

• Full regulatory and licensing compliance across operating states.

• A scalable U.S. operating model aligned with CEFA’s standards and values.

• A high-performing U.S. leadership and field support team.

The estimated base compensation will be $225,000 - $250,000 along with bonus and equity.

CEFA is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment. Employment decisions at CEFA are made without regard to race, color, religion or creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, marital or family status, disability, genetic information, veteran or military status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, provincial, or local law.

CEFA values diversity and inclusion and is committed to maintaining a respectful, inclusive, and equitable workplace.

Accessibility & Accommodations

CEFA is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and for religious practices, in accordance with applicable law. Applicants who require accommodations during the recruitment or hiring process are encouraged to contact us to arrange appropriate accommodations.