Family Services and ERSEA Coordinator

Title: Family Services and ERSEA Coordinator

Reports to: Family & Community Partnerships Manager

Department: Children & Family Services

Location: Contra Costa County

Schedule: Monday through Friday

Travel: Local travel may be required

Salary: $75,000-$83,000 DOE

Employee Status: Regular, Full-time, Exempt

Union: N/A

Supervises: Family Advocates

Benefits:

Two weeks of paid vacation a year, sick time, 14 holidays, up to five floating holidays based on employee status, medical and dental benefits on the first of the month following 30 days of employment, life insurance policy at no cost to employee (with the option of increasing policy amount), flexible spending account for medical and dependent care costs, commuter benefits, 403(b) with employer match, and other benefits. We foster a joyful workplace and offer opportunities for professional development and growth.

Agency Summary

The Unity Council is a non-profit Social Equity Development Corporation with a 60-year history in the Fruitvale neighborhood of Oakland. Our mission is to promote social equity and improve quality of life by building vibrant communities where everyone can work, learn, and thrive.

Our programs aim to provide the community with the tools, knowledge, and resources to transform their lives and ultimately achieve their long-term educational, career, and financial goals. These holistic programs and services reach more than 11,000 individuals and families annually in five languages. Programs include early childhood education, youth mentorship and leadership development, employment services, career readiness training, housing and financial stability, senior citizen services, affordable housing and neighborhood development, and arts and cultural events. Our work expands beyond the Fruitvale district and now reaches across Oakland and into Contra Costa County. The Unity Council employs a diverse workforce of more than 350 people who reflect the linguistic, cultural, and ethnic identity of the communities we serve.

Program Summary

The Children and Family Services programs include Head Start, Early Head Start, State Pre-Kindergarten, and Home-Based Services. Over 900 children, birth through kindergarten entry, including expectant parents and their families, receive child development and comprehensive family services through the Unity Council. The programs are diverse, multilingual, developmentally appropriate, culturally responsive, and individualized for each child, family services are provided at direct operated centers, partner sites, and home-based programs throughout Alameda and Contra Costa Counties.

Position Summary

General Responsibilities

• Supervise, train and evaluate a team of Family Advocate’s for assigned locations on all aspects of Family Services and ERSEA requirements, systems, policies and procedures for CDE, CDSS and HS/EHS programs.
• Responsible for oversight of Family Services and ERSEA through the supervision of Family Advocates, maintaining compliance in ERSEA, and ensuring services and requirements are accurately kept and tracked in Child Plus database for assigned centers.
• Responsible for the quality and timeliness of work, meeting project deadlines, submitting monthly paperwork and reports and achieving optimal results with little need for oversight.

• Attend recruitment events, forums, external training, and community events to promote and inform the public and private sectors regarding services provided.
• Ensure that the assigned service areas comply with all applicable Head Start Performance Standards, CDSS, and CDE regulations.
• Perform other duties as required.

Family Services Responsibilities

• Follow up on attendance when it falls below expectations.
• Attend family case conferences as needed.
• Help maintain and distribute case load in absence of family advocates.
• Oversee, review, and evaluate the case management work of the Family Advocates to ensure that the program is: identifying family strengths and needs, helping to meet those needs, providing resources and referrals in accordance with the Family Needs Assessment and Individualized Family Partnership Agreement, and that appropriate follow-up is made.
• Partner with Site Directors, School Readiness Coordinators, Mental Health and Disabilities Coordinator, Health and Nutrition Coordinator to ensure parent involvement in each service area and that program meet the needs of children and their families.

• Implement the Parent, Family, and Community Engagement Framework, and ensures family goals are aligned with it.
• Promote family engagement through parent meetings, policy council and hosting workshops and events for parents and caregivers.
• Coordinate and participate in monthly parent meetings, activities and workshops at each assigned center and work with Center Directors on the preparation of meetings.
• Recruit parents for Policy Council, and attend as requested.

• Establishes and maintains partnerships with a variety of community services agencies that provide family services to facilitate access to additional resources to address identified family needs.
• Analyze family engagement data and progress towards Family Engagement Goals.
• Provide support to staff addressing complicated family cases, including the use of existing partnerships or identifying new partners to respond to family needs.
• Participates in the monthly parent committee meetings.

ERSEA Responsibilities

• Implement and monitor systems to process enrollment applications, including determination of eligibility criteria for all Head Start and State funded programs.
• Work with Family Advocates in the initial collection of eligibility documentation and make eligibility determination for Head Start, Early Head Start, CCTR and CSPP.
• Verify complete compliance with eligibility for all potential new families and sign off on enrollment package.
• Enroll children in HS/EHS in Child Plus and NOHO, and maintains files, databases, and systems ensuring security of data
• Prepare and distribute timely reports and tracking regarding ERSEA updates.
• Monitor enrollment and attendance on a daily basis throughout all programs in order to ensure full enrollment year-round, vacancies are being filled within 30 days, and attendance meets the established threshold. Submit monthly report to Head Start Director.
• Assist in the development of recruitment and enrollment materials, forms, and reports.
• Conduct and support recruitment activities and maintain documentation. Prepare and distribute to management team, timely reports and tracking regarding ERSEA updates.

Qualifications

• BA/BS degree or higher degree in Sociology, Psychology, Social Welfare, or related field.
• Two or more years of experience working with children and families in a child development, health or social services organization, including supervisory experience. Strongly prefer experience in a multi-site program and knowledge of childcare practices and licensing regulations.
• Knowledge of relevant family community resources.
• Knowledge of general eligibility and recruitment processes.
• Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.
• Possession of a valid California drivers' license; current personal vehicle insurance, or safe driving record sufficient to ensure insurability through Agency policy.
• The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 40 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, and ability to adjust focus. Physical ability to sit with children on their level, lift infants, toddlers, and occasionally preschoolers. Commitment to utilize safe lifting techniques for lifting children, supplies and furnishings.
• Bilingual preferred.

Pre-Employment Requirements

• Background Check/Fingerprints
• Pre-Employment Physical
• MMR and Tdap Vaccine
• Tb Test
• Mandated Reporter
• CPR/First Aid

This description is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of duties, responsibilities or requirements for the position. This position may change or assume additional duties at any time.

***Please submit transcripts, cover letter, and resume.****

The Unity Council is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Women, minorities, and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply.