Colorado Nonprofit Association

Community Engagement Specialist (FFN)

WHAT WE DO

Denver’s Early Childhood Council works to ensure our community’s youngest children and families have a strong local system that supports children’s healthy development, school readiness, and family well-being and stability.

We work with childcare professionals, health and mental health care providers, local school districts, local leaders, and other partners to enhance the quality and availability of childcare and early education opportunities for Denver children.

One of 35 regional Early Childhood Councils in Colorado, we serve as Denver’s early childhood hub. Denver’s Early Childhood Council connects childcare professionals to training, funding, and other support so that they can focus on what they do best: provide high-quality care and learning environments for our youngest children.

THE OPPORTUNITY

The Community Engagement Specialist (FFN) works closely with the Business Services Team to support the outreach and development of trainings and coaching that supports a diverse community of early childhood educators. The Community Engagement Specialist’s primary role is to support individuals who provide care for children in formal and informal care settings across Denver, with a focus on promoting various career pathways including pre-licensing training and other professional development/funding resources to increase the quality of care and advancement opportunities.

WHAT YOU WILL BE DOING

• Maintain a solid understanding of the Colorado Child Care Licensing process and Early Childhood Teacher qualifications
• Provide onsite, phone, and email support, training, and coaching to diverse communities, including FFN providers
• Create, facilitate, and support the FFN Peer Network
• Deliver pre-licensing trainings to FFN (Family Friend and Neighbor) and FCCH (Family Child Care Home) providers
• Maintain relationships with early care and education partners to support a cohesive system that individuals can navigate
• Develop culturally competent programming related to early childhood development, health and safety, and business/leadership development to support caregivers in achieving career goals
• Support individuals with technical assistance in various languages as needed, including activities such as training registration, assistance with the licensing process, and career coaching and planning
• Assist in data collection around FFN activities, needs, and potential areas for advocacy
• Support team members by contributing to regular data reports and maintaining data integrity within tracking forms, spreadsheets, and databases
• Enter and maintain information in various data platforms for internal and external reporting
• Attend trainings, webinars, and community meetings as needed to understand systematic issues that might impact FFN providers

WHAT YOU WILL BRING TO OUR ORGANIZATION

Required:

• 3+ years of relevant experience working within the FFN space
• State Trainer credential and coaching credential
• Experience partnering with other organizations and leading projects with communities
• Demonstrated cultural competency
• Excellent client engagement with a strong focus on customer service
• Ability to effectively prioritize tasks and manage workload independently and as part of a team
• Effective problem-solving skills, including successful conflict resolution
• Excellent writing skills with the ability to proofread for grammar, spelling, and punctuation
• Ability to maintain strict confidentiality in work matters
• Ability to accurately track activities according to various grant funding requirements
• Flexibility to work outside regular hours for some evening and weekend training events; use of a personal vehicle is required
• Ability to attend trainings, webinars, and community meetings as needed to stay informed of systematic issues impacting FFN providers

Strongly Preferred:

• Experience working with diverse populations and communities
• Proven experience with delivering trainings and coaching to FFN (Family Friend and Neighbor) networks
• Aptitude and comfort level working with data management systems and technology
• Multi-lingual
• Strong understanding of ECE system including Colorado Shines, ECERS, ITERS, and components of high-quality early childhood settings and care best practices