First Steps Early Childhood Coordinator

Position Title:  Early Childhood Coordinator

Position Structure:    Exempt

Employee Type:                Full-time Temporary                

Supervisor Title:  Program Manager, Regional Advisor, Early Childhood Programs, Education, Protection & Resilience, and Lee County First Steps Executive Director

Department: Early Steps to School Success                         

Work Location: Bishopville, South Carolina                        

Child Safety:   ?Level 1- No Contact    ?Level 2- Limited Contact    ?Level 3- Contact

Days of Work: 240

Salary Range: $31,000.00- $33,547.00

Benefits: Full Benefits Available

Position Type: Non-Exempt, Temporary FTE

Work Days and Hours: Monday- Friday; (Office Hours 9:00 AM until 5:00 PM), Hours will vary based upon needs; Occasional Evenings and Weekend Hours; Flexible Days and Hours as approved by Executive Director

Work Schedule: The position is a Temporary Full-time, full-year position (240 days), funded for 37.5 hours per week. Time sheets must be kept.  

Education: Preferred Minimum Bachelor’s Degree Education or in relevant subject area

Supervisory Responsibility: Yes

Direct Report: Program Manager, Regional Advisor, Early Childhood Programs, Education, Protection & Resilience, and Lee County First Steps Executive Director

Submit Resume and 3 References: lee1ststeps@gmail.com

Summary

The Early Childhood Coordinator is the on-the-ground Save the Children staff member providing training, technical assistance, and management support to program partners implementation and results for children. The Early Childhood Coordinator will focus on prenatal through age five programming. Under the supervision of the Program Manager and the Executive Director and working as a member of the local team and in collaboration with the state program team, the Early Childhood Coordinator oversees and supports program implementation, monitoring, and evaluation at assigned partner sites. Specific duties and responsibilities are outlined below.

The Early Childhood Coordinator oversees the implementation of Early Steps to School Success™. 

Early Childhood Coordinator Description:

• Recruits pregnant families and children ages birth to five into the program.
• Develops and schedules program activities, including home visiting, parent/child groups,

transition to school activities, the book bag exchange and/or distribution and other programmatic activities.

• Provides regular home visits to families (twice monthly) using an STC approved home visiting curriculum. Home visits are provided in a variety of ways including in-person, outdoor in-person, and virtual using video chats or phone.
• Organizes and conducts regular (minimum of one per month) parent/child groups, in the elementary school when possible and feasible.
• Conducts child screenings and makes referrals to community providers for follow-up assessment as needed.
• Coordinates with STC staff, program partners, local schools and other community agencies in implementing Early Steps to School Success.
• Participates in training and technical assistance activities including STC sponsored group trainings, technical assistance site visits, monthly audio conference calls and web-based resource sharing and training activities.
• Participate in the evaluation of Early Steps to School Success, including data collection, interviewing and videotaping activities.

Child Safeguarding

In this role it is critical to foster an environment that is safe for the children with whom Save the Children is in contact. The duties to ensure this include:

• Collaboration with Save the Children’s Program Specialist to foster an understanding of our child safeguarding policies through ongoing training and technical assistance.
• Ensuring consistent reporting of child safeguarding risks and incidents; strong methodology in the field for managing risks and following reporting protocols; supplying proper documentation in support of incident reports as needed; and collecting data on child safeguarding risks and efforts to mitigate risks in the program environment.
• Making intentional, regular efforts to remain up-to-date on key local and state child-welfare policies and reporting protocols.
• Following all key local and state child-welfare policies and reporting protocols, as provided by the Program Specialist. 
• Completing all Save the Children required Child Safeguarding trainings.
• Supporting all efforts by the school district and Save the Children to ensure data protection by collecting consent, maintaining consent for designated time period, storing all data in a secure location, protecting any shared data through encryption and/or by sharing in a secure location.

Fiscal Considerations

Must be paid as a staff employee with taxes withheld to be paid to the appropriate federal and state government agencies as described in the government regulations

Desired Qualifications:

• Highly motivated, flexible and non-judgmental individual who is eager to learn
• High school diploma, GED Equivalency, Associate degree in related field, Bachelor’s degree (Preferred), or equivalent experience
• Preferred Bachelor’s Degree in Education or Human Services. Minimum Associate’s Degree with emphasis in Early Education, or related field, supplemented by minimum of five years of equivalent combination of education, training and experience that provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities.
• Experience working with pregnant women, children ages birth to five, and families in rural areas
• Home visiting experience
• Experience leading parent groups
• Demonstrated early childhood knowledge, including infant/toddler knowledge
• Energetic, motivated and creative
• Ability to work independently
• Available and reliable vehicle for visiting families (mileage reimbursed)
• Competency with computers including previous experience with Windows programming and use of the Internet
• Willingness to travel regionally.
• Willingness to collect data and participate in the program evaluation

Save the Children is committed to conducting its programs and operations in a manner that is safe for the children it serves and helping protect the children with whom Save the Children is in contact. All Save the Children representatives are explicitly prohibited from engaging in any activity that may result in any kind of child abuse. In addition, it is Save the Children’s policy to create and proactively maintain an environment that aims to prevent and deter any actions and omissions, whether deliberate or inadvertent, that place children at the risk of any kind of child abuse. All our representatives are expected to conduct themselves in a manner consistent with this commitment and obligation. Any violations of this policy will be treated as a serious issue.

JOB SPECIFICATIONS

Education and Experience:

Preferred Bachelor’s Degree in Education or Human Services. Minimum Associate’s Degree with emphasis in Early Education, or related field, supplemented by minimum of five years of equivalent combination of education, training and experience that provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities. Must possess a valid state driver’s license.

Knowledge:

Advanced knowledge of Business English, spelling, punctuation, mathematical computation and possession of an excellent vocabulary.  Thorough knowledge of departmental policies, procedures, and operations.  Thorough knowledge of the principles of office management and of modern office procedures, systems and equipment such as typewriters, calculators, word processors.  Thorough knowledge of spreadsheet analysis, and database design/operations.  Strong knowledge of word processing, e-mail, spreadsheets, electronic file management, the internet, and reporting and presentation software. Knowledge of the records and reports which must be prepared and maintained.  Knowledge of bookkeeping and accounting practices.  Ability to maintain confidentiality of information of a sensitive and confidential nature. 

Skills/Effort:

Ability to analyze varied functions, processes and tasks for the preparation of varied and complex records and reports.  Ability to maintain high standards of accuracy in exercising duties.  Ability to anticipate work to be completed and initiate proper and acceptable direction for completion of work with little to no supervision and instruction.  Ability to work independently on responsible and confidential assignments and secretarial tasks.  Ability to type clear copy at the minimum required rate.  Skill in the use of general office equipment such as calculators, word processors, typewriters, computers, switchboards, etc.  Ability to make arithmetical computation and tabulations with speed and accuracy.  Ability to create electronic reports and presentations, use the internet efficiently, communicate electronically via e-mail, and manage electronic data and files in an organized manner. Excellent verbal communication, organization, time management and telephone skills.  

Working Conditions:

Office environment with little exposure to environmental conditions. Physical demands are restricted to general office activities requiring movement/lifting items weighing up to ten pounds. Routine local travel required; occasional overnight travel required. Requires ability to work under a degree of stress related to duties that require considerable attention and meeting deadlines. Duties of the job require frequent use of a computer monitor and related equipment.

Responsibility:

No direct budgetary or supervisory responsibility.

Lee County First Steps provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, ancestry, sexual orientation, national origin, age, handicap, disability, marital status, or status as a veteran. Lee County First Steps complies with all applicable laws.

DISCLAIMER STATEMENT:

This job description is not intended as a complete listing of job duties. The incumbent is responsible for the performance of other related duties as assigned/required.

Salary : $31,000 - $33,547