SEEKERS Specialist

Position Purpose

The purpose of the Head Start SEEKERS Specialist is to build a partnership with currently enrolled and two year past HS/EHS parents and guardians, community partners and agency staff to ensure SEEKERS graduates have the skills for entering the early childhood workforce.

Essential Job Responsibilities: Performance Indicators

1. Develops and maintains positive, supportive relationships with SEEKERS, Head Start staff and community partners for the purpose of supporting the SEEKERS growth through the training and employment process.
2. Serves as a Point of Contact. The SEEKERS Specialist is a personal contact for the agency SEEKERS program. Helps orient people to the program. For example, the SEEKERS Specialist connects with parents/guardians interested in the program, in other settings may meet with SEEKERS and advise them on individual issues. Reinitiating contact with SEEKER mentor teachers, community partners or Regional Managers that need follow-up is another key responsibility. Participates in bi-monthly SEEKERS Advisory Board meetings.
3. Participate in SEEKERS Community Outreach and Recruiting Meetings. Promoting the SEEKERS program is a key task for the SEEKERS Specialist. Performing recruiting related functions such as making presentations, contacting interested individuals, partnering with Family Support Coordinators, Regional Assistants and Regional Managers to recruit parents/guardians from Regional areas. This position needs strong public speaking skills to present at public and private meetings such as at Policy Council and the SEEKERS graduation event.
4. Managing Community Partner Relations. Interfacing with community partners and openly representing the SEEKERS program among public officials, businesses, other agencies, and the general public is another responsibility of the SEEKERS Specialist. Overall, the SEEKERS Specialist goal is to increase public awareness of Head Start of Lane County’s SEEKERS activities in favorable ways.
5. Conflict resolution. The SEEKERS Specialist is often responsible for identifying the root cause of disputes and using problem solving skills to encourage resolution.
6. Interpersonal Skills. A critical duty of the SEEKERS Specialist is building trusting and effective partnerships to facilitate engagement and outreach. To do this, the SEEKERS Specialist must be able to quickly relate with many different types of people. Provide SEEKERS with coaching and mentoring support and encourage successful teaching strategies and goal setting.
7. Administrative Skills. It is common for the SEEKERS Specialist to perform administrative such as creating and coordinating the spreadsheets of SEEKERS classroom placements. Create forms for Head Teachers to evaluate SEEKERS training in their classrooms.
8. Provides constructive feedback and support for the purpose of increasing SEEKERS confidence and competence. This may include modeling, co-teaching, observing, providing reading materials or other resources as needed.
9. Attends and assists with weekly SEEKERS professional development and leads meeting for Program Special Project Manager as needed.
10. Provides follow up support to SEEKERS following any form of training for the purpose of increasing implementation of information and transfer of skill into practice. Also, supports recent SEEKERS graduates as they transition into the role as Head Start employees.
11. Writing skills. Supports recent SEEKERS graduates to create cover letters, resume, complete employment application’s and navigate the Head Start web page. Provide interview tips.
12. Report regularly to the Program Special Project Manager.
13. Attend meetings, training and appropriate professional development activities.
14. Other duties as requested.

Minimum Requirements

• A minimum of a high school diploma.
• Prefer two years’ experience in pre-school setting. Experience in meeting the needs of children including at risk, special needs and culturally diverse populations.
• Must have experience working with adult learners.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Intermediate to advanced computer skills, internet and e-mail.
• Bi-lingual English/Spanish skills preferred.
• Must have a valid Oregon Driver’s License and proof of insurance and must provide own vehicle for site visits.
• Within 30 days of employment must be Pediatric CPR & First Aid certified and have a current Food Handler’s Card.
• Health Appraisal Questionnaire is required at hire and will be updated every two years.
• At time of hire must be currently enrolled in Child Care Division-Central Background Registry and must renew every five years.
• Within 60 days of employment, must provide valid proof of enrollment into the Oregon Registry Step’s Program. Application forms will be issued at time of hire.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Frequent significant decision and problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to work as a team member collaborating with staff, parents and community resources.
• Ability to apply Early Childhood Development theory in daily activities, and adapt to the individual needs of SEEKERS participants
• Ability to respond appropriately to an emergency or a crisis situation.
• Regular driving for observations and meetings sometimes in outlying areas.
• Regular kneeling, stooping, bending, and sitting on the floor to attend to classroom needs.
• Occasional lifting up to 50 lbs.

Position Information

• 46 weeks per year position/non exempt
• Supervised by Program Special Projects Manager

Job Description created 7/5/2019

Policy Council approved 9/2019

Updated: August 2021

This job description was last updated on 08/11/2021. Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time. This job description is subject to change at any time.

Head Start of Lane County is an EEO Employer.
Head Start of Lane County is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. All employment decisions, including the recruiting, hiring, placement, training availability, promotion, compensation, evaluation, disciplinary actions, and termination of employment (if necessary) are made without regard to the employee’s race, color, creed, religion, sex, pregnancy or childbirth, personal appearance, family responsibilities, sexual orientation, gender identity, political affiliation, source of income, place of residence, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, age, marital status, military veteran status, unfavorable discharge from military service, physical or mental disability, or on any other basis prohibited by applicable law.