Sen. Specialist, Parent, Family, Community Engagement (PFCE) and Governance

Family Engagement Services/Governance Implementation (35%)

• Oversees systemic approaches to family engagement across all programs, rooted in the Office of Head Start’s PFCE Framework and consistent with the HSPPS and recognized best practices.
• Ensures that local Policy Councils are actively involved in approving program activities outlined in Section 642(c)(2)(D) of the Head Start Act
• Ensures participation of local PFCE Managers in program planning activities, including self-assessment processes, T/TA opportunities, and the development and/or revision of program policies and procedures.
• Ensures programs integrate parent engagement/family support services with disability-, health-, nutrition-, and education services
• Assists programs with the preparation of PFCE goals and objectives for program grant applications
• Leads the development of a recruitment strategic framework designed to identify eligible children and families of greatest need; inform them of the availability of program services; and maintain full enrollment at all programs
• Works with the Head Start Governing Board liaison to prepare reports and other governance-related material for the Head Start Board
• Cultivates a culture of child safeguarding across programs, guiding and monitoring the implementation of active supervision techniques to ensure that there are no incidences of child maltreatment including children being left alone, unsupervised, and/or abused in any way.

Staff Capacity-Building (30%)

• Builds the capacities of program level PFCE Managers of each Save the Children Head Start program to support the successful implementation of family/community engagement services and local program governance through reflective and relationship-based practices and guidance that include weekly/bi-weekly meetings and remote and onsite training and technical assistance.
• Coaches program-level counterparts on reflective supervision techniques for use with their direct-reports
• Works with program level PFCE Managers to ensure that families are engaged in their preferred language or by utilizing skilled interpreters when needed.
• Makes determinations about the professional development needs of family engagement staff across programs and coordinates the implementation of appropriate and effective training/coaching experiences that are responsive to the needs of program staff and, as appropriate, contracted partners.
• Builds the capacities of program level PFCE Managers to engage in community outreach to local businesses, social service agencies, and other non-profits to educate them about the Head Start program, the needs of Head Start families, and opportunities for partnerships and collaborations
• Builds the capacities of program level PFCE Managers to use community assessment data and families’ feedback to tailor services to meet their evolving needs

Program Monitoring (30%)

• Monitors family engagement program data – performing trend analysis within and across programs – to ensure regulatory compliance and consistency of high quality service delivery. Provides regular reports to Head Start Program leadership that capture data about programs’ enrollment and children’s attendance; progress on family-goal setting; and the quality and scope of family support services administered.
• In partnership with program level counterparts, monitors to ensure that the procedures for determining, verifying, and documenting eligibility of children and families are faithfully adhered to.
• In partnership with program level counterparts, monitors the overall impact of family/community engagement support services across programs (including the services provided by contractors) to ensure compliance with Head Start regulations and Save the Children program goals; makes recommendations for improvements, when needed.
• Monitors to ensure that family support staff regularly collaborate with parents as partners in: 1. Program activities and 2. Developing goals and strategies responsive to their expressed needs and ambitions that build on their strengths. This includes monitoring to ensure parents receive home visits from family support staff, as needed.
• Monitors In-Kind (non-federal share match) progress across programs
• Reviews and analyzes program data sources in order to develop ideas for program improvement where applicable.

Other duties as assigned (5%)

• As part of the Head Start Program Leadership Team, participates in program wide activities that include, but are not limited to, program planning, self-assessment, community assessment, preparing funding applications, developing and/or revising policies, procedures, forms and plans.