Employment Opportunities

Regional Community Consultant, Child Care Quality Improvement Support Project

Position posted November 23, 2022

About the position…

POSITION SUMMARY: The Regional Community Consultant supports best practices in early childhood programs by teaching, coaching, and providing advanced knowledge to child care providers and early childhood administrators in areas of child development and developmentally appropriate practices which promote optimal learning experiences for young children. The Regional Community Consultant will also play a leadership role in establishing shared service strategies in participating communities. This project is an enhancement of other similar efforts, with opportunities to influence services benefitting child care providers throughout the region.

Two new full-time professional (exempt) positions will be filled in order to serve child care providers throughout the region. Typical work hours are 8 am – 5 pm Monday through Friday; however, occasional evening or weekend hours will be required. Services will be offered both virtually (by phone, email and Zoom) and in person, with regular local travel and occasional overnight travel required. The Regional Community Consultant reports directly to a Provider Services Manager and accountable to the Executive Director.

A bachelor’s degree in early childhood education, child development, human services, or a closely related field is required, combined with experience in a regulated early childhood program.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS of the position:

Provide technical assistance and coaching to child care providers and administrators around child care program quality and developmentally appropriate practices that promote optimal learning experiences for young children ages birth to 12.
Offer approved professional development coursework as requested for project participants and other child care providers, teachers and/or administrators.
Support the creation and implementation of a shared services model, customized for the needs of the providers in the community.
Follow all project-specific procedures and guidelines.
Maintain accurate records and generate reports of all activities.
Assist with program evaluation.
Represent the agency in a positive and professional manner.
Work effectively with all members of the provider services team and the overall agency, maintaining a commitment to high-quality customer service.

Educational requirement for the position:

A minimum of an associate degree in early childhood education or a closely related field with five (5) years of relevant experience in an early childhood education setting OR a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education or a closely related field with two (2) years of experience in an early childhood setting.

Demonstrated knowledge of the different types of child care programs (i.e. child care centers, family child care, school-age programs, part-day preschools, Head Start, etc.), and possess a broad understanding of best practice in the early childhood field.

The ideal candidates for this position will:

Have excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, including the ability to speak effectively to groups and facilitate large and smaller group meetings. Bilingual skills a “plus.”
Have proven leadership and management skills, including effective time management skills and the ability to balance multiple projects.
Have demonstrated administrative and computer skills, including proficiency with Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and Outlook.
Have stellar organizational skills, including the ability to adapt to changing situations and priorities.
Have a positive attitude, with the ability to work both independently and collaboratively.
Work well with the public and with a diverse client population, by phone and in person.
Have a positive work history, including a good attendance record.
Maintain a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.

Salary & benefits:

The salary range for these positions are $38,000-$60,000, determined based on the candidate’s educational qualifications and experience. ERC offers a generous benefit package which includes paid time off, paid holidays, cafeteria benefit plan, retirement plan with employer match, life insurance and group health insurance.

Qualified, interested candidates are encouraged to submit a resume and cover letter to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

FULL-TIME RESOURCE SPECIALIST

Position posted November 23, 2022

About the position…

This is a full-time (40 hours per week) position, reporting to the Family Services Manager. This position requires a high school diploma or GED, strong organizational and administrative skills, high proficiency with all Microsoft office programs, excellent written and verbal communication skills, stellar customer service skills, and a positive work history. This position is based at organization’s main office located at 1100 SW Wanamaker, Suite 201, Topeka, Kansas. Work hours are 8 am to 5 pm Monday through Friday, with a one-hour unpaid lunch period.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS of the position:

Offer child care and community referrals to individuals and/or families following established guidelines and standards, by phone and email.
Conduct provider vacancy checks and parent follow up contacts by phone and email.
Accurately record and report of all activities.
Work effectively with all members of the referral services team and the overall agency.
Represent the agency in a positive and professional manner.
Work effectively with staff and volunteers, maintaining a commitment to high-quality customer service.

The successful candidate for this position will:

Have excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
Have strong organizational and administrative skills.
Have computer proficiency with Microsoft office programs
Have effective time management skills and the ability to effectively balance multiple projects.
Have a positive attitude and be willing to work as a member of our team.
Enjoy working with people, by phone and in person.
Have a positive work history, including a good attendance record.
Pass a KBI/DCF registry background check.

Salary & benefits:

The established salary range for this position is $14-$19.00 per hour. ERC offers a generous benefit package for full-time employees including paid holidays, paid time off (PTO) plan, group health insurance, life insurance and a retirement plan with employer match.

Qualified, interested candidates are encouraged to submit a resume and cover letter by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Professional Development Specialist, Part-Time

Posting date: September 20, 2022

About the position…

We are adding to our team to expand our capacity to offer more in-person health and safety professional development opportunities to child care providers and teachers working in licensed facilities throughout our 33-county service delivery region in eastern Kansas. (See service area map here: https://east.ks.childcareaware.org/about-us/about-child-care-aware-of-eastern-kansas.

We will hire three Professional Development Specialists to meet our program goals, ideally one in southeast Kansas, one in northeast Kansas, and one in the central part of our service area.

These are part-time positions, working 16 hours every two-week pay period, with a flexible schedule that includes primarily evening and Saturday hours. These are hourly, non-exempt positions under the daily supervision of a Provider Services Manager, and accountable to the Executive Director. The Professional Development Specialists will work from a home-based office.

A Bachelor’s degree in early childhood education, child development, or closely related field is required. Additionally, candidates must have a minimum of three years of experience working with young children with at least one year of experience in a child care setting. Some experience working with adults (e.g. training, coaching, mentioning or leading and providing support to caregivers/teachers) and a demonstrated knowledge of the different types of child care programs (i.e. child care centers, family child care, school-age programs, part-day preschools, Head Start, etc.), is also required.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS of the position:

Offer KDHE approved in-service and pre-service professional development opportunities, for child care providers and teachers on approved topics related to health and safety.
Provide technical assistance and coaching to child care providers and teachers as follow up to professional development sessions around health and safety topics.
Follow all project-specific procedures and guidelines.
Maintain accurate records and generate reports of all activities.
Represent the agency in a positive and professional manner.
Work effectively with all members of the provider services team, the overall agency and the project, maintaining a commitment to high-quality customer service.
Other, as assigned.

The ideal candidates for this position will:

Have excellent communication skills, both written and verbal. Bilingual skills a “plus.”
Have demonstrated computer skill proficiency.
Have effective time management skills and the ability to effectively balance multiple projects.
Have the ability to adapt to changing situations and priorities.
Have a positive attitude, with the ability to work both independently and collaboratively.
Work well with the public and with a diverse client population, by phone and in person.
Have a positive work history, including a good attendance record.
Maintain a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.
Demonstrate knowledge of Caring for Our Children and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) resources (preferred).

Salary: The typical starting salary range for this position is $18-$23 per hour, based on education and experience.

Qualified, interested candidates are encouraged to submit a resume and cover letter to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

About the agency…

ERC Resource & Referral is a not-for-profit agency serving 33 counties in eastern Kansas. We provide meaningful, effective, high-quality programs and services to those who interface with our agency. We work with child care providers and teachers by offering professional development, coaching, and access to resources that help them improve the quality of care offered. We also serve as the Kansas Parent Resource Center, helping families locate and choose child care that meets their family’s needs. We value teamwork, equity and diversity and strive to hire highly qualified people who share our passion for the agency’s mission:

ERC Resource & Referral, doing business as Child Care Aware^® of Eastern Kansas, supports the healthy development of young children by improving access to high-quality child care options and educational resources for families and early childhood professionals.