Description
The Early Childhood Education Specialist supports the implementation of early childhood and family-focused programming that promotes school readiness, family engagement, access to services, and positive outcomes for young children.
Program Implementation and Client Services
- Implement early childhood education programming that promotes childcare access, school readiness, and family well-being.
- Assist families with accessing childcare assistance and enrolling in childcare services while identifying and addressing barriers to participation.
- Connect families with early learning opportunities, including Head Start, Early Head Start, preschool programs, and age-appropriate English Language Learning (ELL) services.
- Facilitate orientations and educational activities related to local resources, school systems, child welfare laws, parenting, and community integration.
- Support positive parent-child interactions and empower families through peer support, social groups, and parent education activities.
Partnership and Community Engagement
- Collaborate with childcare providers, educators, and community partners to support school readiness, English language learning, and family engagement.
- Provide cultural competency training and culturally responsive resources to childcare providers.
- Participate in outreach and recruitment activities to increase awareness of program services.
Documentation, Compliance, and Team Collaboration
- Verify participant eligibility and maintain accurate intake documentation, service plans, and client records.
- Collect client feedback and contribute to continuous program improvement.
- Ensure compliance with grant requirements, reporting standards, and agency policies, including client confidentiality.
- Collaborate with colleagues across departments to provide coordinated, strengths-based services to clients.
- Participate in meetings, trainings, and other duties as assigned.
Job Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in early childhood education, education, social work, psychology, or a related field preferred.
- Minimum two years of experience in early childhood education, human services, or a related field preferred.
- Demonstrated ability to work effectively in multicultural environments and build positive relationships with families, community partners, and colleagues.
- Strong communication, organization, problem-solving, time management, and multitasking skills, with the ability to work independently and as part of a team.
- Fluent in English; bilingual ability in a language spoken by the local refugee population preferred.
- Valid driver's license, reliable transportation, active insurance, and eligibility to obtain a Level 1 fingerprint clearance card.
Working Environment
- This position operates in a combination of office, remote, and community-based settings throughout the service area.
- Evening and weekend work may be required to meet client needs.
Compensation:
- $20.97/hr
Benefits:
- Comprehensive and competitive benefits package, including 10 paid sick leave, 10 U.S. holidays, 20-25 generous paid time off based on role and tenure, medical insurance starting at $163/month, dental starting at $6.50/month, and vision starting at $5/month, flexible spending accounts (healthcare, dependent care, and commuter), a 403(b) retirement savings plan with employer match (immediate vesting) along with a non-elective employer contribution based on age and years of service (3-year vesting), disability and life insurance, and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) offering confidential counseling and support services for employees and their families.