Parent Education/Early Childhood Specialist

WILSON COUNTY PARTNERSHIP FOR CHILDREN

Parent Educator/Early Childhood Specialist

PRIMARY PURPOSE:

The Parent Educator/Early Childhood Specialist is responsible for assisting the Child Care Resource & Referral Coordinator, Lead Technical Assistance Coordinator, NC Pre-K Coordinator, and the Child Care Subsidy Coordinator. In addition, the Parent Educator/Early Childhood Specialist will assist with the Nutrition and Physical activity when needed along with all professional development activities. The Parent Educator/Early Childhood Specialist provides services to link together parents, childcare providers, and the community in an effort to improve the quality, availability, and affordability of childcare services. The Parent Educator/Early Childhood Specialist will also assist childcare providers with healthy plans that promote physical, motor development, and organize games and challenges that promote physical activity among children from infants to five-year-old as deemed necessary by the Lead TA Coordinator. The Parent Educator/Early Childhood Specialist will assist in adjusting the curricula provided to adapt to children with disabilities or different physical abilities.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Assists childcare professionals in identifying and analyzing education and training needs to improve the quality of early education and childcare. 
2. Attends staff meetings, trainings, and professional development activities as directed.
3. Participates in team meetings with other technical assistance providers and Shape NC staff. 
4. Utilizes various agency resources including technology to appropriately answer questions and provide guidance to staff and childcare providers. 
5. Plans and implements nutrition education training for childcare providers to use in the classroom with children. 
6. Assist when needed with Be Active Kids, Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care. 
7. Provide a series of parenting classes/activities using a defined program of instruction or curriculum to increase parenting knowledge and skills such as Circle of Parents and Triple P. 
8. Provide activities that assist families in supporting children’s development, health, and learning including facilitated parent child playgroups, parent-to-parent support, grandparent support and referrals. 
9. Collaborates with and have working knowledge of local community resources related to parent education and support. 
10. Communicates (verbal and written) effectively and appropriately with others. 
11. Understands, interprets, and implements policies and procedures. 
12. Sustains concentration, attention to detail, and accuracy. 
13. Prioritizes and manages workload and deadlines. 
14. Assist in providing technical assistance to all interested childcare professionals and licensed childcare facilities upon request. 
15. Inputs and maintains data collection; prepares quarterly and other reports as required; and contributes articles on related childcare issues to the Child Care Resource and Referral Quarterly  newsletter. 
16. Performs any other tasks deemed necessary by the Lead TA, NC Pre-K, Child Care Resource & Referral, and Child Care Subsidy Coordinators.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

1. Provides input into department/division objectives/long range plans; assures all goals are met in area of responsibility; provides input into annual work plans, programs, staffing requirements, equipment requirements, and related budgets, as appropriate; acknowledges and abides by all WCPC established policies and procedures.
2. Assures the technical and/or professional expertise of childcare professionals’ participation in all required training programs.
3. Creates and maintains an atmosphere conducive to good employee/management relations. Recognizes the rights of individual employees; addresses problems affecting employee/management relations.
4. Assures the productivity and quality of work for all areas of responsibility. Identifies/recognizes/analyzes problems; selects and implements sound/timely/effective solutions. 
5. Promotes participation, cooperation, and teamwork; adjusts leadership style to individual, group, and/or situation needs.
6. Responds to concerns/complaints (internal and/or external) in a professional/timely manner. Communicates concerns/complaints to immediate supervisor, when appropriate, maintains composure at all times.
7. Prioritizes work, based upon project requirements, to ensure effective utilization of available resources; and anticipates needs. Provides accurate and timely reports in all areas of responsibility. 
8. Assist with database management for Nutrition and Physical activity, CCR&R, NC Pre-K and Child Care Subsidy.
9. Interacts with other departments and/or providers of services; assures information that affects other employees/providers is communicated to the proper recipients.
10. Takes initiative to accomplish goals; demonstrates ability to learn the job; and develops and maintains appropriate skills for the position.
11. Plans and develops physical education and nutrition activities suitable for children at each age level between infants to five-year-old.
12. Designs and develops learning programs to meet children’s physical, intellectual, social, cultural, creative, and emotional needs.
13. Communicates regularly with center directors and childcare providers regarding children’s development needs and learning progress.
14. Provides materials on nutrition and health to all childcare sites in Wilson County.
15. Maintains and updates individual record of children, taking note of the program’s positive and negative results.
16. Develops listening, comprehension, and motor skills in children using approved physical education activities.
17. Provides physical education during recess/outdoor play times that include skills, such as running, jumping, hopping, relay races, soccer, dodge ball, etc.
18. Possesses a genuine interest in educating young children.
19. Possesses a high level of teaching skill and patience.
20. Possesses excellent interpersonal and people management skills.
21. Determines and provides required workshops and trainings for all childcare providers. 
22. Assists Administrative Specialist with cash receipts and bank deposits.
23. Assist Lead TA Coordinator when needed with the completion of a center monitoring form for each on-site visit as it relates to the Nutrition and Physical Activity program that has been reviewed and signed by the center director and discusses any problem areas that need to addressed.
24. Provides information about training, technical assistance and consultation activities, and other data needed for evaluation of the project, utilizing prescribed outputs, short term outputs, intermediate outcomes, and long term outcomes.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

1. Superior organizational skills and capacity to maintain registration records, data and attendance information on workshops, and related records. 
2. Knowledge of early childhood rating scales and early childhood education. Some knowledge applicable to North Carolina and national childcare licensure, registration, accreditation rules and regulations and North Carolina DCDEE regulations.
3. Excellent people skills, including capacity to remain calm and pleasant under pressure and to deal effectively with last-minute registrations and inquiries, superior communication, and presentation skills.
4. Superior social skills to ensure smooth, successful, and appropriate interactions with personnel in the state, in the community, and within the agency. 
5. Ability to calculate summary statistics and present data in usable formats.
6. Capacity to accept and follow through on assigned responsibilities with minimal guidance and supervision.
7. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with Board and/or Committee members, supervisors, peers, childcare professionals, community agencies, and other resources. 
8. Ability to foster an environment that minimizes consequential errors.
9. Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
10. Maintains a high level of confidentiality as it relates to the business of Wilson County Partnership for Children. 
11. Possesses computerized database experience. Works competently with the computer and related software, calculator, telephone, copy machine, and other equipment, as required.

Education and Experience - Minimum Requirements:

1. A.A.S. in early childhood education (BA preferred)and/or public health, physical education/nutrition, or health nutrition, or related field, serving young children and their families.
2. Three to five years’ experience in providing childcare quality enhancement services, or some phase of childcare health education, nutrition, and/or physical activity to childcare centers.
3. Three to five years’ experience in providing technical assistance to other professionals; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
4. Training in Circle of Parents and Triple P.
5. Must have computerized database management experience and personal computer skills, including knowledge of Microsoft Word programs and Excel spread sheets and advanced computer skills, (i.e., creating documents/forms, database/spreadsheet knowledge etc.), internet, and e-mail.
6. Must be able to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
7. Must have own transportation, a valid driver’s license, and vehicle insurance as required by North Carolina law.
8. At least one year of related experience, with emphasis on training and knowledge of community health/nutrition resources.
9. Must have experience in Child Care Resource & Referral, Nutrition and Physical Activity, Professional Development, NC Pre-K, and/or Child Care Subsidy. 
10. Flexible schedule with the ability to work on some weekends.

NOTE:

1. Willingness to be trained in Be Active Kids and GO NAP SACC within the first year of employment.
2. Willingness to become certified in implementation and assessment capabilities for ECERS, (Early Childhood Environment Rating Scales, ITERS (Infant Toddler Environment Rating Scales, SCAERS (School Age Environment Rating Scales-using other funding sources), PAS (Program Administration Scales, and FCCERS (Family Child Care Environment Rating Scales,) via 2 weeks training in each of the indicated scales. Willingness to become a certified ITS-SIDS Trainer and a certified.

Physical Requirements:

1. Occasional bending, stooping, and lifting up to 25 lbs. 
2. Required to perform normal office activities such as using computers and other office equipment.
3. The ability to periodically work under time pressure.
4. Light arranging and carrying of office materials, including books, totes, and information booth set-up.

EMPLOYER’S RIGHTS:  This job description is general and illustrative of the kind of duties required of this position. It is not exhaustive and does not contain a detailed description of all the duties that may be assigned to the incumbent occupying this position.