Child Development Specialist - Early Head Start - Bilingual Required

Join our Early Head Start Team! The Child Development Specialist works with community child care providers to create an environment that will promote the growth and development of Early Head Start children (toddlers/infants) and their families. They will maintain on-going contact with child care providers to integrate educational goals and developmentally appropriate practices into the child care settings. Must meet the requirements of Federal Head Start Performance Standards, and local, state and/or agency policies and procedures.

Candidates must submit applications by 8/20/24 to be considered for first-round interviews.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Education or related field.
• Two years' experience combining infant and toddler experience, community collaborations, and family services.
• Experience in an educational setting and adult training/education desired.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS

• Driver qualifications required for this position. Driver license, auto insurance and satisfactory drive record for the past 3 years are required.
• Successful registration with the Central Background Registry of the Child Care Division.
• Candidate must pass pre-employment physical examination, renewable every two years.
• Candidate must pass pre-employment and random drug screenings.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Head Start Experience preferred.
• Demonstrated proficiencies in Microsoft Office (including Outlook), videoconferencing platforms, and web tools.
• Demonstrates tact, diplomacy and empathy when communicating with clients, staff and community partners.
• Bilingual English/Spanish skills are required for this position.
  • To qualify as bilingual, staff must pass a bilingual exam demonstrating fluent speaking, reading, and writing in English and Spanish. Required bilingual staff will receive a pay differential based on language test results.

**ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. Employee will also perform other reasonably related business duties as assigned by immediate supervisor and other management as required.

Child Care Provider Visits

• Visits each child care program a minimum of twice per month.
• Verifies compliance with contract requirements or agency policy depending on the nature of the relationship.
• Facilitates ongoing communication between child care providers, and Head Start and Early Head Start families. .
• Supports child care centers and family child care programs in setting up the physical environment to meet the changing developmental needs of infants and toddlers.
• Integrates all required Head Start components into the learning environment.
• Provides coaching and support using program coaching model.

Child Care Support and Training

• Works with child care providers to ensure that they have knowledge and skill necessary to develop consistent, stable and supportive relationships with young children and their families, and sufficient knowledge to implement the Head Start Performance Standards and other applicable regulations.
• Ensures that family child care providers meet State licensing requirements and possess a license or other document certifying that those requirements have been met.
• Provides mentorship opportunities and develop training to address areas needed for growth and areas needed to ensure that Performance Standards are met.
• Attends meetings, trainings and appropriate professional development activities.
• Participates in regularly scheduled team meetings to plan for and deliver collaborative services across all components.

Office Duties

• Completes monitoring reports of visits with Providers.
• Prepares HV and Conference packets.
• Facilitates Trainings.
• Effectively uses ChildPlus and