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Kindergarten Principal (m/f/d) - starting 01.01.2027

Köln
Full-time
Permanent employee
4,700 - 5,400 € per month

We are looking for new colleagues to expand our international team:

As part of a forward-looking succession plan, we are looking for you as the new Principal for our long-established location in the beautiful Stadtwald district of Cologne Junkersdorf. Starting January 2027, you will take on the following responsibilities:

  • Professional and organizational leadership of a team of approximately 15 employees.

  • Overall responsibility for the care of 50 children and for maintaining high pedagogical quality.

  • Commitment to the philosophy of rainbowtrekkers and the 10 educational principles of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW).

  • Acting as a role model in respectful and appreciative interactions with children, parents, and team members.

  • Building and maintaining a trusting and open partnership with parents.

  • Close collaboration with the management team of the other centers and at provider level on conceptual and structural matters.

What you should bring with you

  • A recognized qualification as a qualified early childhood educator.

  • At least three years of professional experience in a daycare center.

  • Ideally, leadership experience (as a principal, deputy principal, or group leader) – not mandatory.

  • German and English language skills at a minimum B2 level, with the willingness to further qualify to C1 level in the future.

  • Strong communication and self-reflection skills.

  • A sociable, positive, and creative personality.

  • Interest in modern, forward-looking educational concepts and enjoyment in further developing them in everyday practice.

  • Willingness to work agilely within flat hierarchies and closely with the team.

We offer you an attractive working environment:

  • Work in well-staffed small teams – and yes, we really do have a 100% qualified staff ratio. No wonder the children love us!

  • A multiprofessional, international team! Take a look at what they have to say about rainbowtrekkers here.

  • Transparent salary (comparable to the German public sector pay scale – TVöD), plus a mobility allowance (job ticket or fuel voucher) for a relaxed commute, a company pension scheme, and a small subsidy for Urban Sports Club – so that not only the children, but also you, are well taken care of.

  • Company bike leasing – escape traffic jams and train delays!

  • Up to 34 vacation days, plus Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve, and Carnival Monday (Rosenmontag) off to celebrate.

  • Upgrade your skill level! We offer financial support for language courses and other training and professional development opportunities.

  • Professional handover and onboarding provided by the current principal.

  • Become part of the attached family center, with numerous events and projects extending beyond the daycare!

To be considered for this position, please send your application by April 3, 2026, at the latest.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact me in advance. Leonie Schaffrinna, Personalleitung (recruitment@rainbowtrekkers.de, +49-221-466 830-92).

About us

Raised in Germany. Ready for the World.

rainbowtrekkers Kita gGmbH is an independent provider of multilingual early childhood education centers in Cologne. With heart and high quality standards, our team of more than 50 dedicated staff members helps children grow strong roots and open wings. Across three centers, we care for 160 children aged 1 to 6, who spend their days with us full of laughter, curiosity, and—every now and then—colorful finger paint.

The name rainbowtrekkers brings together two ideas that shape our work: “Rainbow” stands for diversity—children, families, and staff from many cultures, languages, and walks of life. “Trekkers” comes from the English word trekking and symbolizes movement and development. We see education as a shared journey on which children explore the world and grow step by step. Sometimes hopping, sometimes dancing, sometimes taking a little detour—but always learning and laughing together. We provide a sense of security, nurture curiosity, and accompany children from their very first discoveries out into the wider world. In our multilingual everyday life, language becomes a key, diversity is a natural part of who we are, and children are empowered for the future.