Infant and Toddler Specialist

Infant and Toddler Specialist – Early Head Start – Fayetteville NC

Status:
Open until filled

Employment Type:

Full-time/Non-exempt
Starting Pay: $55,000 annually
Amount of

Travel Required:

50%

The Early Head Start Infant and Toddler Specialist will play a pivotal role in delivering exceptional support and guidance to Early Head Start programs serving children from birth to 36 months. The specialist will collaborate closely with teaching staff to ensure infants and toddlers receive high‑quality care and education tailored to their unique developmental needs, implementing best practices that foster a nurturing environment and promote optimal growth and learning.

The specialist will:

• Promote a high‑quality, responsive, developmentally, culturally, and linguistically appropriate learning environment for infants and toddlers.
• Support the quality of care and education through reviewing children’s educational records, ongoing assessments, and site visits.
• Model and coach staff on effective classroom management, routines, lesson plans, and interaction strategies.
• Assist teachers with referral of child concerns and support inclusion and accessibility needs.
• Participate in program self‑assessment and EHS‑CCP team activities.

• Carry out tasks related to the care and education of children birth to 36 months as prescribed in the Head Start Performance Standards.
• Support EHS program teaching staff through practice‑based coaching protocols.
• Monitor children’s care, education, and development.
• Monitor classrooms through focused observations and reporting.

• Ensure compliance with Head Start Performance Standards and other regulations.
• Inform child‑care program teachers and staff about the Head Start Program Performance Standards and support their implementation through effective technical assistance strategies.
  • Monitor and report the extent to which teachers and staff are able to effectively implement the HSPPS.
• Support the quality of care and education for each EHS child through:
  • Regular reviews of children’s educational records and portfolios, including developmental screen results.
  • Regular reviews of TS GOLD ongoing child assessments.
  • Site visits and classroom observations, both formal and informal.
  • Assessment and feedback on classroom management, routines, lesson plans, and indoor/outdoor environments.
  • Modeling and coaching on responsive, developmentally appropriate interactions with children.
  • Promote effective communication, language, and literacy skills.
  • Assist teachers with identification and referral of child concerns to Education, Mental Health, and Disabilities & Inclusion Coordinators.
• Assist child‑care and partner program teachers, when necessary, with the use of appropriate curricula, ongoing child assessments, routines, classroom management, and learning environments.
• Support the EHS program‑wide activities as a participant and contributor to:
  • EHS‑CCP Education Team for program planning and self‑assessment.
  • Monitoring of HSPPS and safety requirements in Caring for Our Children.
  • Collaborate with EHS‑CCP staff to support teachers and families with behavioral, medical, or educational needs.
• Participate in regular case management/staffing meetings as requested.
• Ensure timely, effective communication between service areas.
• Participate on program self‑assessment team for annual assessment of service areas as requested.

• Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education, Child Development, or related field with at least 3 years’ experience working specifically with infants and toddlers.
• Experience working with infants and toddlers in a Head Start or similar program.
• Profound knowledge of child development birth to 36 months and early childhood education best practices.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Flexibility and adaptability to changing program needs.

It is the employee’s responsibility to obtain and keep current all certifications, licenses, health cards, etc., at all times. Must possess and maintain a current North Carolina driver’s license…