Early Care Education Specialist (2949)

Founded in 1907 in Houston’s Second Ward (today’s East End), BakerRipley is the largest community development nonprofit in Texas, delivering holistic, community-based programs and services that bring resources, education, and connection to more than half a million people each year. BakerRipley works with Neighbors in approximately 60 service locations to help them discover the strengths and skills necessary to become productive and self-sufficient, so that they can fulfill their aspirations to earn, learn, belong, and be well. Through our work in socioeconomic mobility, health and wellness, and education, BakerRipley is addressing the inequities that prevent our Neighbors from navigating a pathway to achieve their dreams.

The Early Care and Education Specialist is a relationship builder and valued member of the Texas Rising Star program, responsible for developing close working relationships with childcare providers. Specialists manage relationships with service providers through effective delivery of training, technical assistance, resource assessment, and distribution of developmentally appropriate materials and equipment. The Specialist conducts on-site and virtual technical assistance, mentoring, and training visits to providers interested in Texas Rising Star certification.

Other duties include, but not limited to:

• Prepares and maintains updated paperwork for all records withing the time frames specified by the Texas Workforce Commission an Board area directives, policies, and procedures.
• Conducts monitoring of providers to ensure compliance with contractual regulations and provides technical assistance as needed.
• Conducts follow up visits on Service Improvement Agreements (SIAs).
• Follows unit procedures and guidelines and participates in meeting and other events to increase understanding of the Workforce System.
• Works with management staff, account representatives, and intake/eligibility specialists to resolve any provider complaints or issues.
• Collaborates with other Child Care Services Staff to enhance program operations.
• Performs other duties as may be assigned.

REQUIRED: Bachelor's degree from an accredited four-year college or university in early childhood education, child development, special education, child psychology, educational psychology, elementary education, or family consumer science; OR Bachelor's degree from an accredited four college or university with at least 18 credit hours in early childhood education, child development, special education, child psychology, educational psychology, elementary education, or family consumer science with at least 12 credit hours in child development; OR Associate's degree in early childhood education, child development, child psychology, educational psychology, elementary education, or family consumer science with two years of experience as a director in an early childhood program, with preference given for required experiences with a provider that is accredited or Texas Rising Star Certified.

In addition to educational requirements, 1 year full-time early childhood classroom experience in a childcare, Early Head Start, Head Start or prekindergarten through third grad school program.