Health & Safety Specialist

North Florida Child Development, Inc.; Wewahitchka (FL); On-site; USD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

NFCD is seeking a Senior Health Services lead to oversee comprehensive health, mental health, nutrition, safety, and transportation services across its centers in Florida. You will train staff, develop integrated service plans, and maintain contacts with community health providers.

This role emphasizes collaboration with parents, staff, and external partners to ensure compliance with Head Start standards and enhance service quality.

Qualifications

• Ability to communicate effectively with families, NFCD staff, consultants, volunteers, and community professionals.
• Strong organizational skills; ability to manage multiple tasks and projects simultaneously.
• Knowledge of childcare regulations, federal/state regulations and policies and procedure compliance.
• Advanced computer literacy including database management, spreadsheets, word processing, internet and email.

Responsibilities

• Ensure health, safety, nutrition and transportation services comply with HS/EHS Performance Standards and local regulations.
• Coordinate program operations across NFCD centers in health, nutrition, safety, and transportation areas.
• Develop and monitor Health Services contracts and partnerships with external providers.
• Provide training and technical assistance to staff and parents on health and safety topics.
• Establish and maintain Health Services Advisory Committee (HSAC) and conduct meetings.
• Prepare monthly plans and reports aligned with NFCD’s Site-Based Management Approach.

Skills

Communication skills

Organizational skills

Regulatory knowledge

Computer literacy

Training & presentation

Community collaboration

Tools

Database management

Spreadsheet

Word processing

Job description

To apply professional expertise and oversight in comprehensive early childhood health services, mental health services, nutrition, transportation, facilities, and safety. Responsible for providing training and technical assistance to Center Staff regarding component service areas.

Essential Functions

• Facilitate comprehensive health services ensuring at a minimum the compliance with HS/EHS Performance Standards 45 CFR, Florida Child Care Standard, and NFCD’s policies.
• Manage the implementation of the comprehensive mental health, health, nutrition, dental, transportation, and safety services.
• Responsible for the provisions of mental health services.
• Monitors mental health section in participants’ files to ensure that files are up to date.
• Monitors the health status of all participants and promote/facilitate the maintenance of scheduled examinations and treatment.
• Promote medical and dental examinations on a schedule deemed appropriate by the attending health care providers as early as possible.
• Coordinates the provision of comprehensive health, dental, and transportation services through the MOUs within NFCD’s geographic service areas.
• Takes the lead and is responsible for monitoring the Health Services Contracts in conjunction with the COO and fiscal, evaluates the quality of the partnership, makes recommendations to the Health Advisory Committee, and to the CEO who in turn approves or not and submits to Governing Boards on an annual basis.
• Responsible for coordinating program operations in all agency centers in the areas of health, nutrition, safety, and transportation services.
• Responsible for monitoring and evaluating comprehensive health service trends and the development implementation of strategies for improving the quality.
• On an annual basis or as needed, establishes/develops and maintains contacts with community service agencies to advocate for the provision of services (i.e., health clinics, physicians, mental health providers, and nutrition services).
• Collaborate with FA/SDT to schedule meetings with parents to develop Medical Action Plans prior to enrollment for those students with chronic illnesses or needs following reviews of health documentation.
• Provide clarification and technical support to all staff in implementing all Health and Safety policies and procedures.
• Champion the importance and value of a diverse, equitable and inclusive agency environment for participants, staff and visitors. Model behaviors which support the overall philosophy and design of the organization.
• Develops monthly plans and reports, as it relates to NFCD’s Site-Based Management Approach.

Other Job Functions

• Supports and comply with all aspects of NFCD’s operating policies and procedures, HS/EHS Performance Standards 45 CFR, Florida Child Care Standards, and OEL Standards.
• Develop and update the policies and procedures for the component areas of health, dental, nutrition, transportation, facilities, safety services, and expectant mothers.
• Establish and maintain a Health Services Advisory Committee (HSAC) and conduct HSAC meetings.
• Monitor for compliance all enrolled health sections in participants’ files to ensure that files are up to date.
• Provides regular on-site monitoring at all NFCD locations to monitor the environment, safety, transportation, health, and expectant mothers.
• Participate in the annual program self-assessment and the follow-up in reporting compliance with the Head Start Performance Standards.
• Trains and provides parents on information on the benefits of breast-feeding to all pregnant and nursing mothers.
• Develops, reviews, and revises, the annual comprehensive integrated service plans based on the Performance Standards and objectives established by the agency to include HS/EHS.
• Provide family training and technical assistance in the areas of comprehensive health and mental health services, monthly.
• Maintain accurate and complete records of services and contacts in accordance with agency’s recording system.
• Deliver training to staff, parents and volunteers in these specific areas: CPR/First Aid certification, OSHA Blood Borne Pathogen Standards, Occupational Health and Safety, Child Safety, Disaster Response and Transportation Safety.
• Maintain relationships and collaboration with the medical and dental communities and other community health agencies and partners.
• Participate on community health related projects, work groups, and initiatives.
• Review and analyze data from child database, including quarterly tracking of individual family and classrooms to ensure nutrition and health needs are being met.
• Ensure that Health Services inventory and materials are tracked and accounted for.
• Provide guidance to managers and be active in the safety committee regarding the assessment and follow-up of safety concerns and hazards.
• First level of response to all staff for inquiries about the Health and Safety department.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Management Level & Responsibilities

• Supervisor

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

Required

• The ability to communicate effectively with families, NFCD staff, consultants, volunteers, and community professionals.
• Must have strong organizational skills. Ability to effectively organize multiple tasks and projects simultaneously.
• Requires knowledge and experience in information processes and systems along with the knowledge of childcare regulations, federal and state regulations and policies and procedure compliance.
• Advance computer literacy including but not limited to: database management, spreadsheet, word processing, internet and email.
• Ability to determine and prioritize demanding workload while being flexible to emergent/unplanned needs and situations.
• Excellent diagnostic and problem solving skills.
• Ability to utilize various agency resources including technology to appropriately answer questions and provide guidance to staff and parents.
• Ability to train and provide presentations to large and small groups.
• Ability to collaborate with and have working knowledge of local community resources related to health/safety services.
• Ability to communicate (verbal and written) effectively and appropriately with others.
• Participatory management style, experience with work teams and proven skills in problem solving and conflict resolution.
• Strong organization and time management skills, ability to meet tight deadlines.

Preferred

• Strong working knowledge of Head Start Act, Head Start Performance Standards, Early Learning Division and Childcare Division regulations.
• Understanding of childcare programs, early child education, social services issues, community action programs, and serving low-income communities.
• Advanced computer literacy including but not limited to: database management, spreadsheet, word processing, internet and email.
• Ability to understand, interpret and implement policies and procedures.
• Sustained concentration and attention to detail and accuracy.
• Ability to work independently as well as in a team environment.
• Provide ongoing training and professional development to support staff in fulfilling their roles and responsibilities.
• Determining and prioritizing own work load.

Level of Physical Effort

• Minimal physical effort typically found in clerical work. Primarily sedentary, may occasionally lift and carry light objects. Walking and/or standing as needed and minimal.

Physical Working Environment

• Minimal exposure to hazards typically found in general office environments where there is rarely to no exposure to injury or accident.
• Exposure to routine office noise and equipment.

Background

• Must be able to pass a background check.
• Must be able to pass a drug screen.
• Must be able to provide references for the previous 5 years work experience.

Additional

Contingency:

• Employment with NFCD is contingent upon an annual appropriation by the Legislature, federal funding, and successful implementation of job requirements, as measured by performance-based evaluations. In the event the federal, state, and/or local funds upon which employment is dependent are withdrawn or redirected, employment may be terminated and NFCD shall have no further liability to the employee beyond that already incurred prior to the termination date. NFCD is an at-will company.