Support Educators, Strengthen Classrooms, and Impact Children's Lives
Are you passionate about early childhood education and helping others succeed? Do you enjoy coaching, mentoring, and supporting educators as they develop their skills and confidence in the classroom?
Join our Head Start team as a Training Specialist and play a key role in strengthening teaching practices, supporting staff development, and ensuring high-quality learning experiences for children and families. In this role, you'll provide training, technical assistance, and individualized coaching to education staff while helping create safe, nurturing, and engaging environments where children can thrive.
Why You'll Love Working Here
- Outstanding Work-Life Balance
- Full-time schedule
- No evenings or weekends required
- Paid holidays and breaks
- Supportive and collaborative work environment
- Exceptional Benefits
- Health, dental, and vision insurance
- FREE life insurance
- 401(k) retirement plan with employer contributions
- Generous Paid Time Off (PTO)
- 14 paid holidays annually
- Paid inclement weather days
- Tuition assistance and professional development opportunities
- Opportunities for leadership growth and career advancement
What You'll Do
As a Training Specialist, you'll support the success of staff and children by:
- Travels between program sites to provide coaching, mentoring, training, and technical assistance to education staff, strengthening teaching practices and supporting high-quality instruction.
- Supporting new staff through onboarding, competency assessments, training plans, and ongoing guidance
- Using role modeling, observation, reflection, and individualized instruction to support professional growth
- Collaborating with Head Start leadership to deliver individual and group training opportunities
- Supporting staff in creating high-quality learning environments that promote children's development across all domains
- Modeling and supporting implementation of Education, Disabilities, Mental Health, and Coaching components of the Head Start and Early Head Start programs
- Assisting with the development of policies, procedures, monitoring tools, and program resources
- Supporting implementation of educational, social-emotional, parenting, and prenatal curricula
- Participating in Trauma Smart and Trauma-Informed Care initiatives as a coach and resource for staff and families
- Collecting and reviewing data to support program planning, monitoring, and continuous improvement efforts
- Building positive relationships with staff, families, community partners, consultants, and service providers
- Participating in program goal setting, strategic planning, and continuous quality improvement initiatives
- Maintaining ongoing communication with staff, supervisors, parents, and providers
- Maintaining confidentiality regarding children, families, and staff
- Participating in ongoing professional development, conferences, trainings, workshops, and coursework
- Reporting suspected child abuse or neglect in accordance with mandated reporter requirements
- Supporting additional duties as assigned
What We're Looking For
- Associate's Degree in Early Childhood Education or a related field required
- Experience teaching children birth through age five highly preferred
- Ability to successfully complete CLASS training within 6 months of hire
- Ability to successfully obtain Interrater Reliability Certification for the current curriculum within 6 months of hire
- Knowledge of Head Start Performance Standards and early childhood best practices preferred
- Experience delivering training, coaching, mentoring, or professional development is beneficial
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Excellent organizational and time management skills
- Computer proficiency, including word processing and data entry
- CPR and First Aid certification required or ability to obtain upon hire
- Ability to analyze needs and provide individualized support and coaching
- Ability to manage conflict effectively and promote teamwork
- Commitment to diversity, inclusion, and culturally responsive practices
- Ability to model leadership, professionalism, and positive workplace relationships
- Commitment to the Vision, Values, Mission, and Goals of Douglass Community Services
The above description is not a comprehensive listing of all job-specific responsibilities, tasks, and duties.
Douglass Community Services is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE) and Drug-Free Workplace.
