Position Summary

Ensure program compliance in the areas of Health and Safety as outlined in the Head Start Program Performance Standards. This position is responsible for conducting environmental health assessments and developing systems for environmental health and safety procedures at sub-recipient agencies and their partner sites.

Education & Certification Requirements

(To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.) Travel required.

• Associate Degree in Early Childhood Education, Health Science, or related field; minimum of 1-year relevant work experience in Head Start required.

Experience & Training Requirements

• Familiarity with health and safety systems that align as outlined in the Head Start Program Performance Standards.
• Must be organized and detail oriented.
• Ability to build and maintain relationships of mutual accountability.
• Strong analytical, problem solving, interpersonal, communication (written and verbal,) project management, and time management skills with exceptional attention to detail.
• Ability to process and protect confidential information in a professional manner.

• Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively in a team environment.
• Must be proficient in Microsoft Office Suite.
• Must be comfortable using digital platforms to create printed materials for program use.
• Ability to communicate effectively and appropriately with others.
• Ability to prioritize tasks and manage workload well.
• Must be able to travel to multiple schools in diverse communities.
• Must be able to read and write English proficiently; bilingual preferred.
• Must regularly operate a word-processing system and therefore must be able to read, produce and transmit data on such a system.

Desired Outcomes

• Ability to communicate clear expectations when conducting monthly visits (and/or additional visits as needed) to all subrecipient agencies and external partner sites.
• Ability to identify and accurately report internal and external hazards to support child safety policies and monitoring compliance.
• Ability to submit required monitoring documents by assigned due dates.

Essential Job Requirements & Duties
(These include but are not limited to the following. The company reserves the right to add to, delete, change, or modify the essential duties and responsibilities at any time.)

• Conducts monthly visits (and as needed) to all subrecipient agencies and community partner sites, to monitor the facilities and to ensure there are health and safety systems in place that align as outlined in the Head Start Program Performance Standards.
• Conducts monthly visits (and as needed) to all subrecipient agencies and community partner sites, to monitor the facilities and to ensure there are health and safety systems in place that align as outlined in the Head Start Program Performance Standards.
• Ensures the facilities maintain appropriate city and state licenses.
• Works collaboratively with the external partnerships team to coordinate site visits that minimize disruption at subrecipient and community partners locations.
• Ensures all indoor and outdoor environments accessible to children are free from pests, pollutants, and toxic materials, including but not limited to program classrooms, common areas, hallways, playgrounds, restrooms, food service, and food preparation areas.
• Adheres to established internal monitoring systems that support effective oversight of environmental health and safety.
• Works with the health team to develop continuous quality improvement plans (CIP) to mitigate any areas of concern.
• Conducts additional visits to verify the completion of all actions noted in the CIP.
• Monitors documentation of transportation, bus safety drills, and educational field trips.
• Conducts seasonal playground checks to ensure that all outdoor play areas are safe for use.
• Monitors Lead in Water and Radon testing to ensure they are current and that there is a mitigation plan in place in the even lead or radon are detected.
• Ensure Subrecipient and external partner sites have a current pest control contract and evidence of monthly visits.
• Ensure the Subrecipient and external partner sites show records of monthly fire drills, biannual tornado drills and other emergency prepared drills.
• Ensure Subrecipient and external partner sites complete health and safety checklists of the classroom environment before the children come into the classroom or go to the playground.
• Ensure a maintenance checklist is posted.
• Completes OHS Certification of Health & Safety Screening at all service sites.
• Maintains up-to-date records of health, safety, and nutrition concerns and/or activities.
• Assists with the development and delivery of training on Environmental Health and Safety standards for healthy practices and routines, providing safe and supportive environments for children, safe physical environments, and safe transportation services.
• Provides technical assistance in the Environmental Health and Safety content area, as needed.
• Ensures all Head Start and Early Head Start Home based programming socialization spaces are safe and well maintained.
• Other duties as assigned.

Physical Requirements:(The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform.)
The employee frequently is required to stand, walk, reach with hands and arms, and stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 40 pounds.

Employment Conditions:
This job description is to ensure that essential functions and basic duties have been included. It is intended to provide guidelines for job expectations and the employee’s ability to perform the duties as described. This job description is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all functions, responsibilities, skills, and abilities. Additional functions and requirements may be assigned as deemed appropriate commensurate to the position. This document does not represent a contract of employment, and Chicago Commons reserves the right to change this job description and /or assign tasks deemed appropriate.

Working Conditions: (The unavoidable, externally imposed conditions under which the work must be performed, and which create hardship for the incumbent including the frequency and duration of occurrence of physical demands, environmental conditions, demands on one’s senses and mental demands.) N/A

Chicago Commons is an equal opportunity employer. We consider all applicants for employment without regard to race, religion, color, age, sex, national origin, citizenship, ancestry, marital or parental status, sexual orientation including gender identity, gender expression, military discharge status, physical or mental disability, or any other status or characteristic protected by law. In addition, Chicago Commons provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and applicable state and local laws. Qualified applicants will be required to complete a successful background and drug screening process upon hire.