Smart - Child Development Consultant

General Information

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 $30 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, and The Basics Mecklenburg.

The organization is also the leader in research, data, convening and collaborating on issues related to children 0‑5 in the Greater Charlotte area.

The MECK Pre‑K (MPK) Child Development Consultant works with the MPK Assistant Director and the Mecklenburg County social worker assigned to MPK to deliver supportive services to the children, families, teachers, and site providers of MPK in ways aligned with county and state standards and policies. This position is a resource for MPK sites and families, providing appropriate communications, materials, consultations, and referrals to ensure that program services meet MPK policies and requirements for best practices.

Specifically, the role ensures the implementation of meaningful family‑provider‑program partnerships and provides support for teachers needing extra help understanding and serving individual children in the classroom, leading to the success of all children and their families. The MPK Child Development Consultant may also collaborate with community agencies and State Consultants (CMS, DSS, NC Pre‑K, Prevent Child Abuse NC) to ensure consistent support and implementation of services aligned with State policies.

• Works with MPK Leadership Team to develop and enforce a County level parent/family engagement and support policy.
• Operates as a team member, including meeting and conferring regularly, with Registration and Intake Specialists and Success Coaches to ensure swift and comprehensive service to children, families, teachers, and site providers
• Inspires, models, and sets a high standard of excellence in practice by supporting MPK families and center staff in implementing child & family‑centered services according to State and MPK Program policies and procedures.
• Eliminates barriers (e.g. language, disabilities) so that all parents and families may be engaged with MPK during their child's enrollment and meet engagement requirements
• Establishes and maintains a cooperative working relationship with MPK families, center leaders, and community partners, ensuring open lines of communication and timely exchange of information.
• Provides support through coaching and technical assistance to the MPK teaching teams and assists teachers and site providers in promoting social‑emotional development and family support.
• Curates, distributes, maintains, and regularly updates resources (equipment, print, and web‑based information, etc.) for parents and center staff on topics impacting social‑emotional development and family support
• Serves as liaison between the MPK program, teachers/site providers, families, and Mecklenburg County social worker to facilitate the process of referrals and procuring needed services for children and families
• Observes, assists, and trains MPK teachers in positive classroom guidance to increase the frequency of desirable behaviors and decrease the frequency of undesirable behaviors in both social and academic settings.
• Shares positive guidance techniques with…