Come bring your love for children to Playworks! While working as an Early Childhood Specialist you will facilitates the referral process for children and families that are attending Playworks through community based & support resources. Enjoy weekly pay, career growth opportunities, and health benefits. Whatever your career goals may be, let SMSC help get you there!
Job Overview: The Early Childhood Family Support Specialist position. This position will build positive and inclusive developmentally appropriate environments, support the social -emotional health and development of children that attend Playworks. This position will work effectively, responsively and collaboratively with children and families with challenging behaviors and individual developmental differences. The position is to enhance relationships involved in the care setting, create nurturing and emotionally responsive environments, strengthen staff effectiveness in interactions with our children and families and build strong family alliances with Playworks.
Outstanding Benefits & Awesome Perks: At the SMSC, we are invested in our Team Members, as demonstrated by the competitive benefits we offer. Team Members may be eligible for benefits including medical, dental, and vision insurance, 401(k) retirement plan, and a generous PTO package, which includes outreach hours for volunteer work through our #SMSCgives outreach program. Plus, take advantage of perks like discounts on childcare, fuel, bus passes and fitness membership, free uniforms and free uniform cleaning, and tuition reimbursement.
Who We Are: The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community contributes both time and financial resources across the region, state, and country. The SMSC has donated more than $400 million to organizations and causes, provided $500 million in economic development loans to other tribes, and contributed millions more to support regional governments and infrastructure. The SMSC's Native Green initiative annually diverts hundreds of tons of waste from landfills, has implemented compostable containers throughout our properties, and restored hundreds of acres of prairie land. Team members are eligible to participate in SMSC Gives, a community outreach initiative that organizes various opportunities in the local community. To empower its team members to take part in the Dakota tradition of giving, the SMSC provides paid hours to team members to volunteer at events. Learn more at shakopeedakota.org.
Job Requirements:Reflects MINIMUM EDUCATION, TRAINING, CERTIFICATION and EXPERIENCE required in order to meet the expectations of this job:

• Must be 18 years old.
• Minimum requirements include degree in Early Childhood Education, Early Childhood Special Education, Social Work, Psychology, or related field. Master degree preferred.
• Minimum of five years’ experience in working with young children in a classroom setting and or in-home providing consultation, support, mentoring and training to individuals as well as small and large groups of adults.
• Knowledge in the areas of early childhood developmentally appropriate practices, knowledge of concepts of early child development and mental health disorders.
• Ability to integrate mental health services and philosophies in group settings.
• Experience with assessment of young children's social & emotional functioning.
• Experience supporting children & adults affected by poverty, trauma & multitude of other stressful, adverse experiences.
• Requires excellent skills in communication, observation, interviewing and assessment.
• Ability to work with adults and children and knowledge of learning styles.
• Knowledge of and adherence to ethical standards of profession.
• Demonstrate a sincere desire to aid all students, employees, and the community, and display compassion, kindness and tolerance.
• Professional, self-motivated & self-directed.
• Experience with the Conscious Discipline.
• CPR/First Aid certification required.
• Pass background check, work physical & drug test.
• Valid Class D driver’s license maybe required with good driving record.
• This position is subject to testing for drugs (THC included) & alcohol in accordance with the Federal Department of Transportation Regulations as well as the SMSC’s Drug / THC and Alcohol Policy.