Grant & Program Specialist — Early Childhood

County of Santa Barbara; Lompoc (CA); Hybrid; USD 97,000 - 116,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Retirement reciprocity

Time and service credit towards an …

Job summary

The County of Santa Barbara is seeking an Early Childhood Specialist to oversee grant implementation and manage multiple projects focused on improving child development, health, and family strengthening. The role is based in Lompoc with a remote-hybrid schedule and a 9/80 work setup, reporting to executive management and coordinating with other managers to ensure grant deliverables are met.

The ideal candidate will have First 5 SBC program knowledge, strong cross-department communication, and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in child development, early childhood education, human development, or a related field AND two years of professional experience working with a spreadsheet database (Smartsheet or Microsoft Excel) to track and evaluate data.
• Associate's degree in child development, early childhood education, human development, or a related field AND four years of professional experience working with a spreadsheet database (Smartsheet or Microsoft Excel) to track and evaluate data.
• Six years of professional experience working with a spreadsheet database (Smartsheet or Microsoft Excel) for purposes to track and evaluate data.
• A combination of training, education, and/or experience that is equivalent to one of the employment standards listed above and that provides the required competencies.

Responsibilities

• Oversees the external and special project grants awarded by First 5 SBC by serving as special project liaison with contractors and grantees such as Help Me Grow, Nature Exploration Areas, Early Language and Literacy, and others as assigned.
• Prepares and submits reports and data as required, both to internal team and external partners that show our efforts and results.
• Works with County Counsel and Operations Specialists to prepare contract agreements, interpret rules and procedures of grant requirements, and ensure accountability and compliance with our grant and service contract guidelines.
• Makes recommendations for process improvement to continuously improve efficiency and customer service that support our strategic and fiscal plan.
• Consults with other county departments and community-based organizations to promote the work of First 5 SBC and educate others on our programs and strategic intent.
• Participates in meetings and presents data to assist managers and senior administration in making operational and administrative decisions that align with the First 5 strategic and fiscal plan.
• Resolves errors associated with data collection and reporting and ensure transmission files are accurate and complete.
• Provides technical assistance to funded partners on grant requirements.
• Manages requisitions and invoices from submission through receipt for grant specific projects.
• Works with the Community Engagement Specialist to plan for and arrange county-wide and regional trainings/workshops/events associated with grant deliverables.
• Processes evaluations and facilitate discussions with grant partners by setting clear objectives, timelines, and purpose statements.
• Performs other duties as assigned within the scope of the job classification.

Skills

First 5 SBC knowledge

Interdepartmental coordination

Grant reporting basics

Education

Bachelor’s degree in child development or related field

Associate’s degree in child development or related field

Six years data tracking experience

Tools

Smartsheet

Microsoft Excel

Job description

The County of Santa Barbara is seeking an Early Childhood Specialist to oversee grant implementation and manage multiple projects focused on improving child development, health, and family strengthening. The role is based in Lompoc with a remote-hybrid schedule and a 9/80 work setup, reporting to executive management and coordinating with other managers to ensure grant deliverables are met.

The ideal candidate will have First 5 SBC program knowledge, strong cross-department communication, and