ERSEA Field Support Specialist

Sheltering Arms Early Education and Family Centers; Atlanta (GA); On-site; USD 52,000 - 76,000; Full time

Job summary

Sheltering Arms Early Education and Family Centers is seeking an ERSEA Field Support Specialist to guide enrollment workflows, coach FSCs, and ensure accurate eligibility and documentation across sites. The role emphasizes collaboration and adherence to Head Start/EHS/Pre‑K standards while promoting equity.

The incumbent partners with center teams to navigate enrollment requirements, support timely intake, audits, and backfill vacancies, while maintaining confidentiality and data integrity

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree preferred in social work, early childhood education, child and family development, public administration, or related field.
• Two years of ERSEA, Family Support, or HS/Pre‑K enrollment experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Work side‑by‑side with Family Support Coordinators through intake and enrollment steps.
• Assist FSCs and Center Management in meeting enrollment timelines and family communications.
• Help centers navigate documentation needs, missing items, and barriers delaying enrollment.
• Provide reminders and hands‑on coaching in a collaborative, non‑punitive manner.
• Review eligibility applications for accuracy and completeness; approve determinations after verification.
• Conduct regular eligibility audits and share constructive feedback.
• Create recruitment support with templates and outreach resources; analyze ZIP‑code needs and waitlists.
• Prepare and run enrollment reports; ensure alignment with program policies and equity expectations.

Skills

Communication

Relationship building

ERSEA knowledge

Coaching & facilitation

Data review & documentation

Equity & trauma‑informed

Education

Bachelor’s degree preferred

Tools

ChildPlus

ProCare

Job description

• Identify risk areas (e.g., missing income verification, incorrect coding, over‑income patterns).

OFFICIAL TITLE:

ERSEA Field Support Specialist

SUPERVISOR:

Sr. Director of Family Services & Enrollment

SALARY RANGE:

In accordance with Sheltering Arms Salary Schedules

TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT:

Full time, full year

Summary Description

The ERSEA Field Support Specialist plays a vital role in ensuring families experience a smooth, supported, and equitable enrollment process. This position partners closely with center teams to guide Family Support Coordinators (FSCs) through the enrollment workflow—providing step‑by‑step support, reminders, coaching, and compliance guidance. The Support Partner ensures files are accurate and complete, identifies risks early, and helps centers correct issues quickly and effectively. The tone of this role is collaborative rather than directive—honoring FSC expertise while ensuring consistent quality and adherence to Head Start/Early Head Start/Pre‑K/Tuition requirements across all Sheltering Arms sites.

Performance Responsibilities

Support the Enrollment Experience for Centers

• Work side‑by‑side with FSCs through each step of the intake and enrollment process.
• Assist Family Support Coaches and Center Management in meeting enrollment timelines and maintaining communication with families.
• Help centers navigate documentation needs, missing items, and barriers that delay enrollment.
• Provide reminders, supports, and hands‑on guidance in a collaborative, non‑punitive manner.
  

Eligibility — Compliance & Hands‑On Guidance

• Review eligibility applications and documentation for accuracy and completeness.
• Approve eligibility determinations after verification of all required documentation.
• Conduct regular eligibility audits and share feedback constructively.
• Identify risk areas (e.g., missing income verification, incorrect coding, over‑income patterns).
• Coach FSCs in eligibility interviews and proper documentation.
  

Recruitment — Collaborative, Data‑Informed Support

• Provide centers with recruitment materials, templates, and outreach resources.
• Analyze ZIP‑code needs, waitlist trends, and community gaps to inform recruitment.
• Support recruitment events, modeling effective outreach practices.
• Ensure recruitment activities reflect program (EHS/HS/Pre‑K/Tuition) eligibility and equity expectations.
  

Selection — Fidelity, Transparency, & Coaching

• Prepare and run selection reports; assist FSCs in understanding outcomes.
• Ensure all scoring follows the approved Selection Criteria Matrix.
• Conduct compliance checks to identify scoring inconsistencies.
• Coach FSCs on accurate scoring and documentation.
  

Enrollment — File Quality & Back‑and‑Forth Problem Solving

• Conduct pre‑enrollment audits to ensure files are complete before the start date.
• Conduct post‑enrollment audits and assist with corrections.
• Verify each file meets program (EHS/HS/Pre‑K/Tuition) standards across health, residency, and income documentation.
• Maintain accurate waitlists and support centers with timely backfilling of vacancies.
• Track enrollment bottlenecks and collaborate on solutions.
  

Attendance — Monitoring & Coaching

• Run monthly attendance reports and identify chronic absenteeism patterns.
• Monitor ADA compliance and support centers to maintain at least 85%
• Provide supportive coaching to FSCs around attendance follow‑ups.
• Ensure appropriate documentation of interventions and communications.
• Help FSCs understand compliance thresholds and expectations.
  

Cross‑Functional Responsibilities

• Conduct internal ERSEA audits and assist with preparation for federal reviews.
• Ensure ERSEA processes and templates align with program (EHS/HS/Pre‑K/Tuition) regulations.
• Provide ERSEA refreshers and support onboarding for new FSCs.
• Validate ERSEA data in ChildPlus and ProCare and support corrections.
• Rotate across centers to maintain presence, build trust, and ensure consistent enrollment support.
• Maintain appropriate confidentiality in all matters concerning families and staff.
  

KNOWLEDGE, ABILITIES, AND SKILLS:

• Strong oral and written communication skills; ability to coach with patience and clarity.
• Ability to build trusting relationships with FSCs and center leadership.
• Knowledge of ERSEA standards, HS/EHS Performance Standards, and family enrollment best practices.
• Skill in teaching, supporting, and facilitating ERSEA sessions.
• Proficiency with ChildPlus and ProCare; accuracy in data review and documentation.
• Commitment to equity, inclusion, family‑centered practice, and trauma‑informed approaches.
  

EDUCATION, TRAINING, AND EXPERIENCE:

Bachelor’s degree preferred in social work, early childhood education, child and family development, public administration, or a related field. Two years of experience in ERSEA, Family Support, or HS/EHS and Pre‑K enrollment roles preferred. Equivalent combinations of education and experience may be considered.

Evaluation

Performance of this job will be evaluated consistent with Sheltering Arms evaluation policy. This description does not imply these are the only duties to be performed. The employee will follow all other related instructions as assigned by leadership. Sheltering Arms reserves the right to update, revise, or change this job description at any time.