Early Childhood Mental Health Specialist

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Early Childhood Mental Health Specialist is a key member of the Education Team at New Horizon Academy (NHA) and Kinderberry Hill Child Development Centers (KBH). This role supports children, families, and staff by fostering nurturing, developmentally appropriate environments and providing expert guidance in classroom behavior guidance and social-emotional development. Through on-site coaching, individualized support, training, and collaboration, the specialist ensures positive outcomes for children aged 6 weeks to 10 years.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Builds rapport with early childhood teaching staff, center directors, and families.
• Visits our childcare centers and classrooms to provide coaching, conducts observations of teaching staff and children, and attends team meetings.
• Distinguishes between developmentally appropriate and culturally based behaviors and underlying needs in young children, ages 6 weeks to 10 years.
• Uses principles of relationship-based work, reflective supervision, and systems theory to coach and provide intervention for adults on behalf of children.
• Uses Conscious Discipline Powers and Skills, principles of trauma-informed care, infant and early childhood mental health, child development, and attachment theory to provide social-emotional coaching, mental health consultation, and intervention for adults on behalf of children.
• Writes Individual Child Care Program Plans, in addition to providing verbal and written recommendations, as a supportive measure for accommodating the needs and improving outcomes for individual children.
• Leads team meetings to review supportive strategies and enact plans to achieve outcomes for individual children.
• Links centers, individual teaching staff, and individual families with outside therapeutic resources matched to specific needs.
• Develops and delivers trainings and continuing education workshops to teaching staff.
• Facilitates company-wide implementation of Conscious Discipline.
• Collaborates with District Curriculum Coordinators, District Managers, Licensing Specialists, and Mentor Teachers on behalf of center management, teaching staff, children, and families.
• Provides improvement and sustainability coaching for Center Management focused on relationship-based leadership strategies and emotional intelligence.
• Networks, develops relationships, and collaborates with outside providers to support continuum of care for individual children and their families.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education, Social Work, Psychology, Child Psychology, Early Childhood Special Education, or a related mental health field.
• At least 5 years of professional experience working with young children and their caregivers (teachers, parents, or guardians), along with specialized training in supporting children with developmental, behavioral, or emotional challenges.
• Experience using relationship-based techniques in coaching or consulting roles.
• Knowledge of the early childhood profession.
• Ability to communicate difficult messages with care and compassion.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work inclusively with diverse populations.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including experience presenting training.
• Strong organizational and time management skills.
• Ability to follow through and work independently.
• Must pass the Applicant Background Study required by the Department of Human Services and provide documentation of U.S. citizenship or work eligibility.
• Valid driver’s license and ability to travel within the Twin Cities area and to out-of-state locations.

Preferred:

• Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education, Social Work, Psychology, Child Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Early Childhood Special Education, or a related mental health field.
• Willingness to obtain endorsement through the Minnesota Association for Children’s Mental Health.

COMPENSATION and BENEFITS:

• Annual base salary will start at $62,000
• Bonus potential: Up to $1,000/year (paid out quarterly)
• Company sponsored medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance.
• 401(K) plan, with company match.
• Paid time off
• Mileage Reimbursement
• Best-in-Class Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Generous childcare discounts at any New Horizon Academy and Kinderberry Hill locations across the U.S.