Support Services Specialist

It's a great feeling to work for a company that does so much good for others around the world!Academic Req: Required - High School diploma or GED, and Child Development Associate Credential (CDA) or state awarded certificate that meets or exceeds the requirements for a CDA credential, or at onboarding enrolled in a CDA credential program to be completed within 18 months of the time of hire.Work Experience: Required - One year of related work experience.Critical Action Items & Measurable Deliverables:1. Protect the physical and mental health and safety of our children and no child is left alone or unsupervised while under our care. (HSPPS §1302.90)2. Implement nutrition services that are culturally and developmentally appropriate, meet the nutritional needs of and accommodate the feeding requirements of each child, including children with special dietary needs and children with disabilities. (HSPPS §1302.44)3. Ensure facilities, equipment, and materials are kept clean and safe for children's use in accordance with federal policies and agency protocols. (HSPPS §1302.47)4. Implement hygiene practices that at a minimum ensure (i) Appropriate toileting, hand washing, and diapering procedures are followed; (ii) Safe food preparation; and, (iii) Exposure to blood and body fluids are handled consistent with standards of the Occupational Safety Health Administration. (HSPPS §1302.47)5. Follow appropriate practices to keep children safe during all activities, including reporting at a minimum suspected or known child abuse and neglect, appropriate supervision of children at all times, and all standards of conduct. (HSPPS §1302.47, §1302.90)6. Support and participate in staff development, including completion of minimum training requirements as specified in state and federal standards (HSPPS §1302.91, §1302.92), continuing professional development, and staff wellness initiatives.7. Respond to classroom requests for support in a timely manner, which is also compliant with Office of Head Start and agency regulations, policies, and protocols.8. Establish regular communication with teachers to ensure they are well-informed about their students' behavior, and progress.9. Monitor classroom to make certain it is free from physical and environmental hazards.10. Report all incidents within the timeframes designated in program policy and protocol.Other Responsibilities:1. Conduct daily cleaning of facilities, including but not limited to classrooms, offices, bathrooms, and common areas and playgrounds.2. Conduct and maintain inventory control of all cleaning supplies, including ordering and receiving supplies.3. Perform or arrange seasonal deep cleaning and maintenance of building interior and exterior (i.e. floor waxing, carpet cleaning, pressure wash building).4. Implement hyper-sanitation protocols when directed.5. Ensure that safety and health procedures are followed in accordance with federal and agency policy and protocols.6. Prepare and serve classroom meals and assist with family-style meal activities as directed.7. Wash dishes, pots, pans and utensils using approved sanitation methods.8. Conduct routine inspections and regular up-keep of interior and exterior areas to ensure areas are free of safety hazards, trash, weeds, and other foreign materials.9. Conduct daily inspection/grounds keeping of outside areas, including lawns, landscaped beds, playgrounds, and parking areas to keep centers clean and safe between regular contracted site services.10. Notify supervisor of any safety or health issues or concerns.11. Assist with moving and/or transporting office and classroom furniture, fixtures, supplies and equipment as requested.12. Launder clothing and linens in support of classroom activities as requested.13. Assist with classroom supervision as needed.14. Assist with set up/tear down for classroom and center activities, training, meetings, recruitment fairs, and special events.15. Assist with repair and maintenance of buildings, storage facilities, machinery and equipment.16. Perform other job duties as assigned.Requirements:1. Demonstrate ability to respond sensitively and competently to the service population's cultural and socioeconomic characteristics.2. Communicate in writing and verbally in English and Spanish (preferred).3. Demonstrate ability to maintain emotional control, and professional composure at all times.4. Demonstrate a working knowledge of all INK policies and procedures.5. Ability to organize and prioritize duties and responsibilities in a fast-paced environment.6. Possess a valid driver's license.7. Complete and pass health examination.8. Confirm work eligibility status.9. Successfully pass driving history check.10. Clear criminal background check.11. Required to lift up to 60 pounds.12. Required to stand, sit on the floor, bend, squat, kneel, lift children, and engage with children. 13. Exposure to communicable diseases, and other hazards such as cigarette smoke, pets, at risk neighborhoods, etc. 14. Travel up to 50% by car, bus, airplane, or train may also be required associated with attendance at conferences, meetings and other duties carried out at distant locations in and out of state and in some cases where some overnight travel may be required. 15. Some evenings and weekend work may occasionally be required for events such as home visits, parent teacher conferences, Parent Committee meetings, community, and social events such as field trips.16. Plan and implement learning experiences that strengthen the intellectual and physical competencies of infants and toddlers, supporting their readiness for school through literacy, phonemic print, and numeracy awareness. Use of enriched language to further their understanding of increasingly complex and varied vocabulary. Exposure to various books demonstrates developmentally appropriate book handling skills, and supports emerging problem-solving abilities.17. Implement education lesson plans and individualization for infants & toddlers in accordance with his/her needs, based on a method of observing and recording their interests and developmental progress.18. Support social and emotional development and provide positive guidance and discipline.19. Maintain a commitment to professionalism and continue personal professional development so that decisions are based on knowledge of early childhood theories and practices.20. Participate in family-style mealtimes with the children as a curriculum activity to model good nutrition and proper social skills.21. Ensure a purposeful program responsive to the children's needs.22. In cooperation with parent(s), observe, screen, assess, evaluate, monitor and document infants and toddler's development, health, dental and social-emotional health using appropriate child screenings, assessments and evaluations adhering to the timeliness outlined in the Head Start Performance Standards, Head Start Act, DFPS Child Care licensing regulations, and other applicable regulations and practices including IDEA & Part C/Early On.23. Refer families to local service agencies when additional services/support are needed.24. Document and report suspected instances of child abuse as required by law.25. Develop knowledge of and participate in the eligibility, recruitment, selection, enrollment, and attendance processes.Other Responsibilities:1. Accurately submit paperwork and progress reports to the supervisor as required.2. Maintain a complete record-keeping system on each child's developmental progress, behavior and health.3. Parental concerns, referrals and contacts made for special needs.4. Gather and maintain individual, family and classroom data for documentation, ongoing assessment, evaluation, and record-keeping for successful individual and program planning.5. Understand, generate and document In-Kind and other allowable costs applied toward the non-federal share requirements.6. Maintain an individual system to assure the program's needs for parent involvement in each classroom are maintained.7. Establish positive and productive relationships with families focusing on a relationship of trust and rapport with the parents of the children.8. Participate in the orientation of parents to Early Head Start throughout the year.9. Facilitate, provide child-care, and support monthly Parent Committee meetings at the center.10. Schedule and arrange meetings and document parent-teacher conferences and home visits as required.11. Involve parents in the educational activities of the program:a. To emphasize their role as the primary caregiver of the child's education and development.b. To support parents with increasing their knowledge, understanding and skills in basic child development.12. Identify and arrange for parents to participate as volunteers in the classroom and work as substitutes as well as other volunteer activities.13. Collect monthly In-Kind records from parents and submit reports to their supervisor.14. Positively promote Early Head Start in the community.15. Supervise classroom volunteers, including parents as assigned.16. Work closely with community agencies, as appropriate, for shared activities, recruitment, and transition.Requirements:1. Ability to work in diverse environments.2. Extensive knowledge and skills in the field of early childhood development.3. Extensive computer knowledge of Word & Excel, also the ability to access e-mail and the willingness to learn new programs as needed.4. Ability to supervise classroom, staff, and volunteers.5. Knowledge of the state and federal regulations pertaining to child abuse and neglect and DFPS Child Care licensing requirements.6. Knowledge of local resources and families' cultures.7. Ability to be responsive to the needs of children and to work well with staff, children, and parents/families.8. Ability to plan, organize and implement classroom activities.9. Ability to maintain confidentiality.10. Ability to maintain accurate records, which reflect the program requirements and progress of children.11. Ability to demonstrate knowledge, skills, and a positive attitude in the field of early childhood education.12. Ability to exhibit patience and tact when communicating with children, families, staff, management, referral sources and the public.13. Ability to project professionalism in conducting daily activities.14. Ability to read and follow Performance Standards, Program Policies & Procedures, DFPS Child Care Licensing regulations and emails daily.15. Knowledge of basic food preparation, serving and sanitation procedures.16. Knowledge of current car seat safety regulations and laws for use when transporting children and families in approved agency vehicles.17. Ability to lift 60 pounds.18. Ability to stand, sit on the floor, bend, squat, kneel, lift children, and engage in physical play in various learning environments.19. Understanding that this position may be exposed to communicable diseases and other hazards such as cigarette smoke, pets, at-risk neighborhoods, etc.20. Ability to handle moderate to loud noise levels in the work environment.21. Ability and consent for up to 50% travel by car, bus, airplane, or train to attend conferences, meetings, and other duties carried out at distant locations in and out of state, and in some cases where overnight travel may be required.22. Ability to work occasional evening or weekend, as required for events, such as home visits, parent-teacher conferences, parent committee meetings, community events, and social events such as field trips.23. Possess a valid driver's license24. Complete and pass a health examination25. Confirm work eligibility status26. Successfully pass a driving history check27. Clear criminal background checkINK is committed to following immunization recommendations produced by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC). As such, our company policy requires that all employees must receive an annual Influenza vaccination or obtain an approved exemption as a medical or religious accommodation. This is a condition of employment, and all new hires will be responsible for providing proof.English (United States)If you like to work with people that believe they can make a difference in the world, this is the company for you!EEO StatementIn accordance with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and other applicable federal and state laws (e.g., the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), it is our policy to provide equal employment opportunity and treat all employees equally regardless of race, religion, national origin, color, sex, or any other classification made unlawful or prohibited by federal, state and/or local laws, such as age, citizenship status, veteran or military status, or disability. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including hiring, promotion, demotion, compensation, training, working conditions, transfer, job assignments, benefits, layoff, and termination.Applicants must be authorized to work for ANY employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa at this time.#LI-Education#LI-Not Applicable#LI-Full-time