LICENSING SPECIALIST - CHILD CARE - 60024281 1

Florida; Tallahassee (FL); On-site; USD 35,000 - 111,000; Full time

Job summary

Florida Department of Children and Families seeks a Licensing Specialist - Child Care to protect children in licensed homes and facilities. You will investigate licensing violations, explain processes to operators, and maintain case files with careful attention to safety and policy.

Qualifications emphasize conflict resolution, ethics, and strong reporting abilities. Responsibilities include monitoring operators, handling allegations, and ensuring compliance with state rules.

Qualifications

• Ability to manage and resolve conflicts constructively
• Demonstrates high ethical standards and professional conduct
• Ability to assess safety and policy compliance in child care settings
• Ability to handle stressful situations calmly and effectively
• Strong time management and organizational skills
• Customer service oriented with strong communication
• Proficient in interviewing and observation techniques
• Skilled in writing clear investigative reports

Responsibilities

• Monitor, regulate, investigate and license child care operations
• Respond to allegations of licensing standard violations
• Open, maintain, and close files for child care operations
• Explain licensing processes to operators and families
• Report abuse indications to Florida Abuse Hotline
• Conduct risk and safety investigations as required
• Plan, organize, and coordinate work assignments
• Apply relevant laws, rules, and procedures in daily work

Skills

Conflict management

Ethical conduct

Safety judgment

Time management

Customer service

Interpersonal communication

Analytical thinking

Documentation

Listening skills

Report writing

Job description

Requisition No: 884991

Agency: Children and Families

Working Title: LICENSING SPECIALIST - CHILD CARE - 60024281 1

Pay Plan: Career Service

Position Number: 60024281

Salary: 34,760.00- 111,188.78

Posting Closing Date: 10/23/2026

Total Compensation Estimator Tool

This is professional work protecting children in Child Care homes and Facilities, working with Child Care Operators, and conducting investigations of alleged Licensing violations, in the Department of Children and Families.

It is the policy of the Florida Department of Children and Families that any applicant being considered for employment must successfully complete a State and National criminal history check as a condition of employment before beginning employment, and, if applicable, also be screened in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 435, F.S., and Chapter 408, F.S. No applicant may begin employment until the background screening results are received, reviewed for any disqualifying offences, and approved by the Agency. Background screening shall include, but not be limited to, fingerprinting for State and Federal criminal records checks through the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and may include local criminal history checks through local law enforcement agencies.

Examples Of Work Performed

• Makes contacts with Child Care Operators to Monitor, Regulate, Investigate and Licensed
• Responds to allegations of Licensing standard violation
• Opens, maintains and closes files related to Child Care operations
• Explains child care licensing processes to prospective operators & current operators
• Explains rights and responsibilities to operators and families they service
• Reports indication of abuse, neglect and/or abandonment to Florida Abuse Hotline
• Performs related work as required

Note: The examples of work as listed are not all-inclusive. The omission of specific statements does not preclude management from assigning specific duties not listed herein if such duties are a logical assignment to the position. Examples of work performed are not to be used for allocation purposes.

Knowledge, Skills And Abilities

Ability to manage and resolve conflicts, grievance, confrontations or disagreements in a constructive manner to minimize negative personal impact

Displays high standards of ethical conduct

Ability to identifies problems, determine safety in the child care setting and use sound judgment to generate and evaluate adequacy of safety in the child acre setting to make recommendations

Ability to maintain composure and perform effectively under stressful conditions

Ability to leverage the information available even if all the facts are not provided to make the best decision possible. In addition, having the ability to adjust one’s actions in relation to other’s actions

Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services including needs assessment techniques, quality service standards, alternative delivery systems and customer satisfaction evaluation techniques

Ability to manage one’s own time

Knowledge of professional ethics relating to Social Services, Child protection and Counseling

Knowledge of interviewing and observation techniques

Ability to conduct risk and safety investigations

Ability to plan, organize and coordinate work assignments

Ability to understand and apply relevant laws, rules, regulations, policies and procedures

Ability to actively listen to others

Ability to communicate effectively

Ability to maintain well-executed case files

Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others

Ability to utilize computer systems

Ability to write clear and accurate investigative reports

Note: The knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA’s) above represent those needed to perform the duties of this class. Additional KSA’s may be applicable for individual positions in the employing agency.

Examples of child care related experience includes:

work in a community based agency, social services, child care or day care, child welfare agency, law enforcement working with child safety, school teacher or counselor, and others as deemed appropriate

Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center (1-866-663-4735). Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.

The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act.

VETERANS’ PREFERENCE

Pursuant to Chapter 295, Florida Statutes, candidates eligible for Veterans’ Preference will receive preference in employment for Career Service vacancies and are encouraged to apply. Certain service members may be eligible to receive waivers for postsecondary educational requirements. Candidates claiming Veterans’ Preference must attach supporting documentation with each submission that includes character of service (for example, DD Form 214 Member Copy #4) along with any other documentation as required by Rule 55A-7, Florida Administrative Code. Veterans’ Preference documentation requirements are available by clicking here . All documentation is due by the close of the vacancy announcement.