Registration and Intake Specialist

Smartstartofmeck; Charlotte (NC); On-site; USD 32,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

Smart Start of Mecklenburg County in Charlotte, NC is seeking a Registration and Intake Specialist to coordinate enrollment and placement for MECK Pre-K families. The role supports families, childcare centers, and the MECK Pre-K team to ensure accurate enrollment, documentation, and placement decisions.

The position focuses on intake, attendance, and data management to support MECK Pre-K policies, with occasional evening/weekend hours and local travel as needed.

Qualifications

• High school diploma required; 2–4-year degree preferred but not required.
• Three years of successful experience in a professional setting providing administrative support to agencies serving young children and families preferred.
• Equivalent education and experience may be considered.

Responsibilities

• Greets families at the front desk, provides enrollment information, and assists with applications for enrollment.
• Gathers all required documentation from families and determines eligibility according to policy.
• Coordinates and schedules developmental screenings and assists with screening events.

Job description

Title of Position: Registration and Intake Specialist

Position Type: Full Time, Non-Exempt

Department: MECK Pre-K

Reports To: Enrollment & Placement Director

Organization Overview

Smart Start of Mecklenburg County (Smart Start or SSMC) is a Charlotte-based non-profit that funds local programs for children ages birth to five and their families. The organization is a catalyst for improving the lives of the 85,000+ young children in our community, with a focus on health, family, early education, and literacy. We mobilize resources and forge partnerships to support evidence-based policies, practices, and programs to ensure all children enter kindergarten healthy and ready to succeed.

Smart Start has a budget of over $35 million comprised of funding from the state of North Carolina, Mecklenburg County, and private donations and grants. SSMC funds approximately 25 programs annually serving over 25,000 young children and their families and administers Mecklenburg County's MECK Pre-K program, which provides free Pre-K to children in the community. SSMC also operates programs and campaigns internally, including Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, Guiding Parents to Services, Ready4K, and The Basics Mecklenburg and Parent Powered. The organization is also the leader in research, data, convening and collaborating on issues related to children Prenatal-to-five in the Greater Charlotte area.

Position Summary

The MECK Pre-K Registration and Intake Specialist works with families, childcare center administrators, Community Outreach Coordinator, and MECK Pre-K Assistant Director to coordinate and support the enrollment and placement process for MECK Pre-K students aligned with county requirements. This position is a resource for MECK Pre-K sites and families to ensure that program services meet the MECK Pre-K policies, specifically the implementation of placement and attendance that support the success of all children.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Intake, Enrollment, and Placement Services

• Inspires, models, and sets a high standard of excellent practice by supporting MECK Pre-K families and staff in implementing intake, enrollment &placement services according to MECK Pre-K Program policies and procedures.
• Greets families at the front desk, provides enrollment information, and assists with applications for enrollment.
• Gathers all required documentation from families and determined eligibility according to MECK Pre-K Program policies.
• Works with MECK Pre-K leadership team to coordinate and schedule Developmental Screenings. Assists with screening events.
• Determines placement of eligible students based on established priorities (prior enrollment at centers, family preference, geographical areas/zip codes).
• Informs families and sites about placement decisions; responds to all questions related to enrollment and placement.
• Transmits all relevant child information to sites after children have been placed.
• Processes all transfer requests and withdrawals throughout the school year.
• Responds to ongoing requests from families, MECK Pre-K staff, and sites related to students' status (enrollment, waitlist, pending, moved, etc.)
• Reviews intake process annually and recommends modifications (procedures, forms, etc.), based on challenges/trends observed, to the MECK Pre-K Assistant Director.

Data & Reporting

• Monitor weekly attendance: verify attendance reports, implement strategies to improve attendance, and analyze data to identify student absentee patterns.
• Develops and maintains Ascend database – enters all child enrollment & placement data.
• Works with MECK Pre-K Assistant Director and staff to assess the needs for data reports and updates/revises database accordingly.
• Generates/creates reports for MECK Pre-K Assistant Director, staff, sites, and relevant stakeholders as needed.
• Maintains digital filing systems; runs reports on schedules set by MECK Pre-K leadership team (daily, weekly, monthly, etc.)

Internal & External Communication

• Creates and sends basic e-mail messages about MECK Pre-K to families: Welcome, placement, and expectations.
• Participates in appropriate professional groups, committees, and meetings.
• Establishes and maintains a cooperative working relationship with families, site administrators, and community keeping lines of communication open between childcare centers and the MECK Pre-K office.
• Works on special projects related to the MECK Pre-K Program as requested by the Chief Early Education Officer, MECK Pre‑K Assistant Director, or Leadership Team. This may include representing the Program at meetings related to program implementation matters, and other duties as assigned.

Education, Experience, and Other Job Functions

Education and Experience Required for Position

• High school diploma required; 2–4-year degree preferred but not required
• Three years of successful experience in a professional setting providing administrative support services to agencies serving young children and families preferred.
• Additional two years of increasingly responsible and progressive administrative leadership experience in programs, serving children and/or families is desired.
• Equivalent education and experience may be considered.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle or feel; and reach with hands and arms. Specific vision abilities required for the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work

This is a full-time exempt position. Occasional evening and weekend work may be required as job duties demand.

Location & Travel

This position is based in Charlotte, NC with a minor amount of travel. Travel is primarily local during the business day, although some out-of-the-area and overnight travel may be expected.

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Smart Start of Mecklenburg County ensures that employment activities are conducted without discrimination against any person on the basis of sex, race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, or disability.