Head Start Office Assistant

Darlington-County-Community-Action-Agency; Pine Acres (SC); On-site; USD 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

Darlington-County Community Action Agency seeks an Administrative Assistant to support daily operations at our Pine Acres center. You will assist with classroom activities, bus monitoring, and documentation tasks that keep meals, attendance, and sign-in sheets accurate.

You'll help maintain licensing files, operate office equipment, and communicate with staff, families, and vendors. The role emphasizes teamwork, confidentiality, and adapting to changing priorities daily.

Qualifications

• Associate degree in human relations or related field preferred.
• A minimum of three years of experience in an administrative setting, which includes working with children and families, is preferred.
• Ability to pass background checks and health screening.
• Possess a valid South Carolina driver's license.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office.
• Must be able to adapt quickly and positively to changing demands, stressful situations, and multiple priorities.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent critical thinking, organization, and analytical skills.

Responsibilities

• Assist in maintaining the center's daily operational needs (e.g., classroom assistance and bus monitoring).
• Assist in the direction of student arrivals and departures.
• Provide classroom support as needed.
• Maintain accurate and current documentation of records (e.g., meal count, time and attendance, child sign-in/out sheets, in-kind, etc.).
• Assist in maintaining the center licensing files.
• Operate office equipment (e.g., telephone, copier, fax, laminator, etc.).
• Communicate with staff, parents, children, volunteers, and vendors.
• Assist in the development of the program's written goals and objectives.
• Other related duties as assigned.

Skills

Communication

Organization

Adaptability

Multitasking

Attention to detail

MS Office

Education

Associate degree in human relations or related field

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Essential Job Responsibilities and Performance Indicators:

• Assist in maintaining the daily operational needs of the center. (e.g., classroom assistance and bus monitoring).
• Assist in the direction of student arrivals and departures.
• Provide classroom support as needed
• Maintain accurate and current documentation of records (e.g., meal count, time and attendance, child sign-in/out sheets, in-kind, etc.).
• Assist in maintaining the center licensing files.
• Operate office equipment (e.g., telephone, copier, fax, laminator, etc.).
• Communicate with staff, parents, children, volunteers, and vendors.
• Assist in the development of the program's written goals and objectives.
• Other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications / Skills and Experience:

• Associate degree in human relations or related field preferred.
• A minimum of three years of experience in an administrative setting, which includes working with children and families, is preferred.
• Ability to pass background checks and health screening.
• Possess a valid South Carolina driver's license.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office
• Must be able to adapt quickly and positively to changing demands, stressful situations, and multiple priorities
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent critical thinking, organization, and analytical skills.

Professional and Ethical Standards:

• Maintain confidentiality following agency policy and legal requirements.
• Maintain a system to ensure that all children's and families' records and information are secured and kept confidential at all times.
• Attend mandatory training and meetings and seek out staff development opportunities.
• Work as a team member with all staff and maintain a positive work ethic.
• Be honest, reliable, and dependable.
• Be knowledgeable about and sensitive to an individual's values, beliefs, traditions, cultural influences, makeup, and circumstances.
• Demonstrate familiarity with employment policies, performance standards, work plans, and agency goals and objectives.
• Demonstrate commitment to mission, values, and policies in the performance of daily duties.
• Fulfill the role as a mandated reporter as stated in the Child Abuse & Neglect Policy.
• Assist in the development of the program's annual written goals and objectives.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here represent those that an employee must meet to perform the essential functions of this job successfully.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear individuals in person and over the phone.
• The employee frequently must stand, walk, use hands to handle or feel, and reach with hands and arms.
• Lift and move heavy and/or bulky objects and/or children weighing up to 50 lbs.
• Maintain a clean office area, which may require the use of a broom, mop, and vacuum, cleaning fluids, etc.
• Ability to physically interact with children (walk and run quickly, kneel, or sit on the floor, bend, lift, walk over rough or uneven grounds, and exposure to diverse weather conditions)
• Ability to assist in setting up classrooms/office areas, which may include, but are not limited to, moving tables, chairs, shelves, etc.)
• Assist with the safety of children through the seeing, hearing, touching, and smelling senses.