Early Childhood Dev Coach

Save The Children; Opelousas (LA); On-site; USD 44,000 - 48,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid time off

Health care

HSA

FSA

Life insurance

Parental benefits

Retirement plan

Wellness program

Employee Assistance Program

Learning & Growth opportunities

Job summary

Save the Children is seeking an Early Childhood and Development Coach to work with the Manager, Education and Inclusion to strengthen Head Start and Early Head Start programs. The role emphasizes coaching, staff development, and ensuring high-quality early education aligned with best practices.

The position requires collaboration with program leadership, staff training, and ongoing assessment of child and program progress.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education or equivalent coursework with teaching experience.
• Minimum two years of relevant experience in early childhood settings.
• Proven supervision and training capabilities.
• Strong communication and relationship-building with children, families and staff.
• Knowledge of Head Start Program Performance Standards.

Responsibilities

• Provide coaching and technical assistance to Head Start/Early Head Start staff.
• Monitor progress of children and staff to meet program objectives.
• Conduct observations (CLASS) and provide feedback and modeling.
• Coordinate with Program Director and managers to resolve issues.
• Ensure compliance with Head Start standards and safety policies.

Skills

Supervision and training experience

Excellent communication

English proficiency

Interpersonal skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education

Equivalent coursework in ECE

Job description

Position Title: Early Childhood and Development Coach

Employee Type: Full-time Regular

Supervisor Title: Manager, Education and Inclusion

Division: Head Start, U.S. Programs

Save the Children

For over 100 years, Save the Children has been fighting for the rights of children. The right to a healthy start in life. To have access to education. To be in a safe environment, protected from harm. We work in some of the world’s hardest-to-reach places – over 100 countries, including the U.S. No matter what your role is, when you join Save the Children, you’re creating positive, irreversible change for children, and the future we all share.

The Role

The Early Childhood and Development Coach works in tandem with the Manager, Education and Inclusion to provide early childhood technical assistance, management, oversight and support to Head Start and/or Early Head Start programs to ensure effective coordination, implementation and monitoring of education services. This includes the effective implementation of a research-based curriculum, while incorporating recognized “best practices” in the fields of Early Childhood and Special Education, as well as providing educational resources for staff and parents.

You will provide training and technical assistance to the classroom staff to ensure high-quality programming. This position also monitors child and teacher's progress and performance to ensure they are achieving program objectives. You'll consult with the Program Director and other Managers, as needed, to resolve complex issues and to ensure compliance with Head Start Program Performance Standards.

As a front-line representative of Save the Children, Center Directors are required to ensure the safety and security of children and families that he/she comes into contact with, adhering to the agency’s values of Accountability, Ambition, Collaborations, Creativity and Integrity.

What You’ll Be Doing (Essential Duties)

*not inclusive of all role responsibilities. May be subject to change

• Work closely with the Manager, Education and Inclusion and Program Director to assess all education staff and identify strengths and areas of needed support, as well as which staff would benefit most from intensive coaching.
• Ensure effective teacher practices and program performance goals align with program’s school readiness objectives, curricula and other approaches to professional development.
• Execute intensive coaching, including opportunities for education staff to be observed and then receive feedback and modeling of effective teacher practices directly related to program performance goals.
• Provide opportunities for education staff who are not identified as needing intensive coaching to receive other forms of research-based professional development aligned with program performance goals.
• Establish policies that ensure assessment results are not used to solely determine punitive actions for staff identified as needing support, without providing time and resources for staff to improve
• Ensure ongoing communication with and between the Program Director, Manager, Education & Inclusion and any other relevant staff.
• Ensure adequate supplies and equipment are available in classrooms and centers, and that schedules and activities are age and developmentally appropriate.
• Attend home visits, parent conferences and Individualized Education Program (IEP) or Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) meetings when requested or as needed.
• Visit all classrooms on a regular basis (4-6 hours per month per site) to conduct observations (including CLASS); provide training and technical assistance, coaching and mentoring.
• Provide training and technical assistance to build capacity by working directly with Head Start/Early Head Start staff, parents and community partners to ensure high-quality programs.
• Develop and incorporate the Program for Infant Toddler Caregivers (PITC) into the curriculum and parent/child activities; ensure that staff consistently incorporate PITC information into their classrooms and home visits; provide strategies to support young English language learners and their families.
• Oversee site tracking of child screenings and assessments, child data collection and participating in local evaluation activities.
• Provide ongoing training in policies, procedures and program requirements, as well as communication and problem-solving skills to staff.
• This position must have the ability to work in a constant state of alertness and safe manner and furthermore protect the safety of children by implementing active supervision techniques to ensure no child is left alone or unsupervised at any time.
• Complete other tasks as assigned or needed.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent, and equivalent coursework in early childhood education with early education teaching experience, plus at least two years of relevant experience.
• Proven experience working with infants and toddlers and/or preschool aged children.
• Demonstrated experience in supervision and training
• Proven successful experience developing consistent, stable and supportive relationships with very young children.
• Proven training and experience in adult learning and in using assessment data to drive coaching strategies aligned with program performance goals.
• Demonstrated experience with developmentally appropriate practices, child safeguarding and methods for communicating effectively with infants and toddlers and/or preschoolers, as well as parents and other staff.
• Demonstrated knowledge of Head Start Program Performance Standards.
• Proven experience with program planning and supervisory techniques and practices.
• Professional proficiency in spoken and written English
• Demonstrated ability to successfully communicate and collaborate with individuals and teams at all levels—whether internal or external—in the provision of high-quality services to children and families
• Demonstrated successful interpersonal, communication and organizational skills; great problem solving and time management skills.
• Demonstrated ability to follow established and communicated directions and take initiative
• Proven ability to keep all required information strictly confidential.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bilingual preferred (English/Spanish or English and other languages used by children and families).
• If in North Carolina, holding a Birth-Kindergarten (B-K) Licensure preferred.

Additional Qualifications

• Physical Requirements related to essential functions: Ability to perform medium to heavy physical work exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, up to 20 pounds frequently and up to 5-10 pounds constantly, performing such activities as sitting, crawling, stooping, kneeling, crouching, reaching, standing, walking, pushing, pulling, lifting and grasping. This also includes some duties that require repetitive action and motion skills, keyboarding, and computer use.
• Clear pre-employment background check requirements, including local, state, and national criminal records check, sex offender registries, employment, and education verifications (including child abuse registry check if required by state regulations) and pass all state and local health requirements required post job offer and prior to employment.
• This position may require the incumbent to operate a motor vehicle to fulfill certain essential functions of the job. The incumbent should maintain a valid driver’s license and remain in compliance with any Save the Children policies pertaining to the safe operation of motor vehicles.
• Current and former Head Start/Early Head Start parents will receive preference for employment vacancies for which they are qualified.

Compensation

The salary range for this position is $43,957 - $47,664. Actual base salary may vary based upon, but not limited to, experience, credentials, base salary of internal peers and other relevant qualifications specific to the role.

About Us

We are looking to build an inclusive team at Save the Children. We offer a range of outstanding benefits to support this goal:

• Paid time off: 10 days winter break and 5 days spring break, 5 personal days, 11 holidays plus 2 floating holidays per year.
• Health: Competitive health care, dental and vision coverage for you and your family. Employer paid short term disability and long-term disability benefits.
• Health Savings Accounts (HSA): Option to select HSA if enrolled into a High-Deductible Health Plan in which the company matches a portion of the contribution.
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA): Option to enroll in health care and dependent care options.
• Life: Agency paid life and accidental death and dismemberment benefits (AD&D).
• Family: Parental/adoption, fertility benefits
• Employee Rewards Program: Annual merit increases and/or additional incentives for eligible employees
• Retirement: Retirement savings plan with employer contributions (after one year)
• Wellness: Health benefits and support through Calm and company-hosted events
• Employee Assistance Program : Free and confidential assessments, short-term counseling, referrals, and follow-up services
• Learning & Growth: Access to internal and external learning & development opportunities and mentorships. Certification and tuition assistance.

Save the Children is committed to conducting its programs and operations in a manner that is safe for the children it serves and helping protect the children with whom we are in contact. All Save the Children representatives are explicitly prohibited from engaging in any activity that may result in any kind of child abuse.

Save the Children is committed to minimizing safety and security risks for our valued employees, ensuring all are given training, support and information to reduce their risk exposure while maximizing the impact of our programs for children and families. Our shared duty, both agency and individual, is to seek and maintain safe working conditions for all.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.