EMPLOYMENT

Position Description

Job Title: Early Childhood Specialist

Reports To: Child Care Resources Coordinator

Status: Exempt / Full-time Position (37.5 hours)

Starting Salary Range: $39,000-$48,000

At Buncombe Partnership for Children, we believe that diversity and inclusion among our teammates is critical to the success of providing family-centered, culturally competent services in all communities. We seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool.

SUMMARY

The Early Childhood Specialist (ECS) provides technical assistance (coaching and consultation), training, and professional development to early childhood education providers in centers and family child care homes. The ECS works with early childhood education providers to support quality of care for children, as they enhance indoor and outdoor classrooms, and as they work toward comprehensive program development.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

Early Childhood Specialist will:

• Creating a climate of support, encouragement, and empowerment for administrators, early educators, children, and families in the Buncombe County ECE community.
• Using evidence-based strategies to assist early care and education (ECE) staff in self-assessment, increasing the use of developmentally appropriate practices, developing technical assistance plans, monitoring progress, and developing plans for continuous quality improvement.
• Evaluate early education classrooms using relevant tools such as Environment Rating Scales (ITERS-R, ECERS-R, FCCERS-R, CLASS, Simple Interactions, CSEFEL, and Go NAP SACC).
• Providing support for ECE program directors and administrators including but not limited to professional development, TA and coaching, assessment and planning using PAS, BAS, and other tools.
• Working with the CCR team to create a wide variety of professional development opportunities that are responsive to emerging issues and needs, both locally and in the wider ECE field.
• Informing and connecting the ECE community to resources that include, but are not limited to, other Smart Start activities, DCDEE Child Care Licensing, The WAGE$ Project, T.E.A.C.H., professional development opportunities, Child Care Subsidy, NC Pre-K, Mountain Child Care Connections, and available grants.
• Keeping current in the field through professional development and use current research in daily work with BPFC staff and community partners to build systems to recruit and retain the ECE teaching workforce in Buncombe County.
• Supporting new and prospective NC Pre-K sites with focused resources with an end goal of increasing the number of NC PreK slots in the county.
• Timely and accurate record keeping and data reporting that reflects technical assistance activities with teachers and directors.
• Assisting CCR leadership with data collection and analysis.
• Being available for occasional weeknight and weekend trainings.
• Participating on local and regional committees as assigned.
  

QUALIFICATIONS

The ideal person is someone who thrives in a fast-paced, creative, community-responsive environment. Our jobs are different day to day based on the needs of the child care community we support. Some days you may have planned to catch up on email and attend meetings, and then you get a call from a child care director asking for emergency support, and you need to reshuffle your meetings and office time to get to that center. Your colleague may be unavailable due to an unexpected change of plans, and you may be asked to facilitate a training, meeting, or visit a center or family child care home. Teachers or directors you have scheduled to visit may be out for the day or pulled to another room. These are some common scenarios that require your flexibility, responsiveness, and creative thinking.

Education and Experience

Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education or a related field from an accredited four-year college or university required. Minimum three years’ experience in an early childhood environment

experience with technical assistance, coaching or mentoring is preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge of adult learning styles and classroom best practices.
• Familiarity with the North Carolina Early Childhood Education Higher Education system.
• Ability to present and maintain a positive attitude in stressful situations.
• Ability to work independently and as a member of a team.
• Must be proficient in Microsoft Office and be willing to learn additional software applications.
• Be comfortable, effectively communicate with, and enjoy building relationships with teachers and directors with different levels of experience and from a wide range of backgrounds.
• Communicate ideas effectively verbally and in writing.
• Be willing to learn new skills, systems, and techniques; be flexible in their application
• Level 11 Early Educator Certification from NCECPDI is required. https://ncicdp.org/certification-licensure/eec-overview. Exceptions may be made if you are willing to complete the required classes with tuition assistance from the Partnership in an agreed upon timeframe.
• Training or experience with Pre-K, Toddler, and/or Infant CLASS is preferred; training or experience with ECERS-R, ITERS-R, and FCCERS is preferred; training or experience with PAS, BAS, and/or CSEFEL is preferred.
• Individuals with prior experience with NCPK preferred/encouraged to apply; work may include supporting prospective, new, and existing NCPK classrooms
• Spanish language skills preferred.
• A motor vehicle operator’s license is recommended. Employee is responsible for their own daily transportation to a variety of off-site work locations with mileage reimbursed.

Other Job Demands – To successfully perform this job, you must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. For example, if you are leading a training, you may need to pick up and organize materials. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential duties and responsibilities of this position.   

WHAT BPFC OFFERS

Competitive salary and full benefits package including health and dental insurance (100% employer paid), short-term & long-term disability and life insurance, 12 vacation days to start, 18 sick days and a Simplified Employee Pension (employer contribution of 8.5% of salary to employees’ retirement account after 1 year.

• Flexible work schedule with a combination of in-office and home office work.
• Laptop computer, workstation, access to meeting space at the BPFC office, and access to a printer and copier.
• Monthly cell phone stipend of $50.
• Dynamic and fun work environment with a diverse team of staff, board, and partner organizations.
• The opportunity to make a real difference for young children, their families and early educators and an organization that is full of potential!

BUNCOMBE PARTNERSHP FOR CHILDREN POLICY STATEMENT

BPFC is committed to building a foundation of opportunity and success for every child age birth through five. To make this vision a reality, we seek to identify and remove systemic barriers that hold some children back and to recognize and value diversity. We recognize and honor diversity in race, ethnicity, culture, class, age, abilities, gender, sexual orientation, political affiliation, and places where people live. We seek to reflect this diversity in all aspects of our work, including the composition of our membership, board, committees, staff, and volunteers. Further, BPFC seeks to be a culturally competent organization that works for equity of access to opportunities and resources that allow all young children to realize their full potential.

As an organization, BPFC uses the following definitions to guide our commitment to equity:  

Diversity refers to the variety of similarities and differences among people, including but not limited to: sex, gender identity, ethnicity, race, native or indigenous origin, age, generation, sexual orientation, culture, religion, belief system, marital status, parental status, socio-economic difference, appearance, language and accent, disability, mental health, education, geography, nationality, work style, work experience, job role and function, thinking style, and personality type. Inclusion of various diversity dimensions may vary by geography or organization.

Equity is defined as “the state, quality or ideal of being just, impartial and fair.” The concept of equity is synonymous with fairness and justice. It is helpful to think of equity as not simply a desired state of affairs or a lofty value. To be achieved and sustained, equity needs to be thought of as a structural and systemic concept.

Inclusion is the action or state of including or of being included within a group or structure. An inclusive environment ensures equitable access to resources and opportunities for all. More than simply diversity and numerical representation, inclusion involves authentic and empowered participation and a true sense of belonging. It also enables individuals and groups to feel safe, respected, engaged, motivated, and valued, for who they are and for their contributions toward organizational and societal goals.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

BPFC is committed to providing equal opportunity for all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression, family makeup, age, or disability in accordance with federal, state or local law. Each person is evaluated on the basis of personal skill and merit. BPFC’s policy regarding equal employment opportunity applies to all aspects of employment, including recruitment, hiring, job assignments, promotions, working conditions, scheduling, benefits, wage and salary administration, disciplinary action and termination.

To Apply:

Please submit a cover letter highlighting your experience and qualifications and your resume to employment@buncombepfc.org and address Jenny Vial, Child Care Resources Director. Please no calls or walk-ins about this position.