Social Emotional Learning Specialist

• Develop and Implement SEL Plans: Mentor teachers and recommend SEL resources.
• Provide Training and Coaching: Train staff in SEL competencies, evaluate programs, and offer professional development opportunities.
• Coordinate SEL Projects and Grants: Manage grant-funded activities, oversee budgets, and ensure compliance.

• 
  Education: Master’s degree (preferred) in Early Childhood, Child Development, or a related field.
• Experience: 5+ years in early childhood education or equivalent experience.
• Skills: Expertise in SEL practices, childcare quality standards, and culturally responsive methods.
• Certifications:
  • TPOT: 1 year (Preferred)
  • Pyramid Model: 1 year (Preferred)
  • ECERS-R: 1 year (Preferred)
  • CLASS: 1 year (Preferred)
  • Early Educator Certification Level 11 or higher (Preferred)
  • Technical Assistance Endorsement (Preferred)
  • Driver's License (Required)

Full Job Description

The Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Specialist coordinates SEL activities in Wake County publicly funded early childhood programs and childcare centers. The SEL Specialist assists and collaborates with the manager on developing and implementing SEL projects, grants, and plans that support children’s healthy social and emotional behaviors as well as improve/maintain high levels of quality childcare in Wake County. The SEL Specialist works to build and deepen a positive learning environment by working with providers on practices that support how children understand and manage emotions, set, and achieve positive goals, establish/maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions. The position also provides training, technical assistance, coaching and modeling of best practices in assigned centers.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

• Coordinate SEL Projects and Grants

• Develop and Implement SEL Plans

• Provide SEL Training, Technical Assistance and Coaching

Coordinate SEL Projects and Grants

• Coordinate grant oversight and other funded activities as assigned by supervisor. Turn in deliverables, such as reporting information and helps with ensuring compliance with grant requirements.
• Provide leadership on projects as assigned by supervisor. Develop guidance and strategies for achieving desired outcomes for childcare centers
• Support grant writing and reporting around SEL projects
• Support development and monitoring of budgets for SEL grants and projects
• Manages SEL contract work such as with childcare centers that might want an assessment completed for paying services
• Facilitate collaboration with other agencies that support the enhancement of childcare center and publicly funded early childhood program quality, especially around social emotional support strategies and interventions

Develop and Implement SEL Plans

• The SEL Specialist will work to support the process by which children and adults develop fundamental emotional and social competencies and experiences
• Recruit and enroll facilities in program
• Be assigned to centers that may present greater challenges; provide T/TA and access resources that will enable these centers to meet goals related to higher quality services
• Work with early childhood program teachers and staff to develop a SEL Plan for each classroom
• Identify and request pertinent community resources to meet the goals of the center’s SEL Plan
• Collaborate with early childhood programs to implement strategies that supports social emotional learning
• Identify and request age appropriate and quality childcare equipment; including furniture, fixtures, educational materials, toys, and outdoor equipment that supports social emotional learning

Provide SEL Training, Technical Assistance and Coaching

• Provide mentoring/coaching to WCSS staff, including obtaining inner-rater reliability on environmental rating scales, Teaching Pyramid Observation Tool (TPOT), Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) and connecting new staff with key community partners and resources
• Train childcare center staff on the use of the five core competencies: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationships skills and responsible decision making that supports children’s healthy development

• Use of early childhood evaluation tools such as Environmental Rating Scale, CLASS or TPOTs to assess the early childhood program’s strengths and needs
• Provide on-site consultation, training and technical assistance concerning developmentally appropriate practices
• Coordinate training and professional opportunities for early childhood programs’ teachers and staff
• Provide, solicit, and participate in training and staff meetings as scheduled

Other Duties

• Maintain accurate and timely documentation of center activities and progress through center plans, anecdotal notes, and reports including but not limited to completing monthly and quarterly WCSS reports, travel reports, receipt of goods reports, annual In-Kind Data report and childcare center Staff Turnover reports in a timely manner.
• Select suppliers, prepare purchase orders, track, receive, and arrange new equipment and materials in child-care centers. Prepare Receipt of Goods reports for all materials and equipment purchased for the centers.
• Represent Wake County Smart Start in community and state meetings as assigned such as presenting information on early childhood mental health.
• May attend assigned center’s Board of Director meetings or other staff and/or facility events.
• Promote the Wake County Smart Start programs and mission statement and represent WCSS in the community.

Qualifications: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education and/or Experience: Master’s degree in Early Childhood, Child Development or related field from a college or university; and five or more year’s related experience and/or training in early childhood work, or equivalent combination of education and experience. Job requires discretion and independent judgement

Knowledge and Abilities:

• Understanding of current theory and practices of group childcare and early childhood education best practices for children
• Knowledge of the Pyramid Model and the Teaching Pyramid Observation Tool (TPOT)
• Knowledge of culturally responsive practices and a commitment to incorporating a racial equity lens in early childhood program implementation and application processes
• Knowledge of childcare regulations, from the North Carolina Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE)
• Administration skills and experience, including North Carolina State practices
• Knowledge of adult learning strategies
• Knowledge of ITERS-R, ECERS-R, CLASS and FCCERS-R assessment tools
• Ability to build counselor and mentor relationships with early childhood programs center staff members.

Computer Skills: PC, word processing and spreadsheet skills. Ability to use email and internet/intranet applications.

Language and Communication Skills: Ability to respond to common inquiries from childcare providers. Ability to collaborate and coordinate with community partners and programs. Ability to write reports and present findings. Ability to effectively present information to small groups, top management, and/or boards of directors.

Certifications, Licenses: Valid driver’s license. Hold a current Early Educator Certification (EEC) level 11 or higher on the Early Care and Educations (ECE) scale. Hold a current Technical Assistance Endorsement (TAE)

Safety, Security and Confidentiality: This position requires keeping complete confidentiality of all children’s information and protecting the confidentiality all childcare center files and records.

Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, talk, or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand and walk. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, and ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

An individual in this position will be exposed to conditions typical of traveling office staff. Traveling to childcare centers approximately 80% of time.