Early Childhood Quality Specialist

Serves as a main point of contact for child care providers within Boone, Jo Daviess, Stephenson &
Winnebago Counties interested in participating in ExceleRate Illinois Quality Recognition & Improvement
System (QRIS). The Quality Specialist works as part of the Child Care Resource and Referral team to
improve the quality of early child care by providing on-site consultation, technical assistance and training to
assist providers in achieving or maintaining an ExceleRate Circle of Quality.
Salary: This position is an hourly non-exempt position $20-$24/hr.
Minimum Job Requirements
▪ Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in:
Early Childhood Education/Child Development OR
One of the following related fields: Child Psychology/Behavioral Sciences, Family Consumer
Sciences, Social Work, Elementary Education, Child Welfare, Family Services, Psychology,
Sociology, Human Development, including a minimum of 18 hours in Early Childhood coursework.
▪ Minimum two (2) years of paid experience in a child care setting as a family child care provider,
center- based administrator, center-based teacher/teacher assistant or Illinois Preschool for All
teacher
▪ Must become Gateways to Opportunities Registry member within two (2) months of employment.
▪ Obtain and document a minimum of fifteen (15) hours of professional development annually.
▪ Completion of CSD and Field Safety training
▪ Technical proficiency with a personal computer and various software packages
▪ Strong problem-solving and analytical skills
▪ Ability to work as a team member as well as independently.
▪ Comfortable with networking and establishing collaborations.
▪ Strong knowledge of community resources
▪ Well established mentoring techniques with excellent presentation and training aptitude
▪ Ability to type at least 30 words per minute.
▪ Current Illinois driver’s license and valid vehicle insurance
▪ Ability to lift 30 pounds, sit, stand, bend, and twist.
Summary of Essential Job Functions
• Provide consultation, technical assistance and training to providers who are involved with
ExceleRate Illinois QRIS or have expressed an interest in QRIS and need support at different
stages in the process.
• Offer resources and information to child care providers in person, via phone and/or email.
• Assist in facilitating cohorts by providing training, technical assistance, reflective practice, and
consultation.
• Work in partnership with providers and other specialists to jointly assess and identify a program’s
needs and concerns.
• Maintain documentation of the contract related activities through a specified data recording system.
• Upon hire, Specialist receives detailed training on specific classroom and program assessment
tools, in which a score threshold is required. Specialists will use this knowledge in assisting child
care providers with self-assessment and developing continuous quality improvement plans.
• Attend work days, meetings, events, etc required for the position, which may include an occasional
evening or weekend.
• Become an Approved Trainer for the Gateways to Opportunity Registry within twelve (12) months of
completing required job training.
• Excellent written and oral communication and tactful interpersonal skills required.
• Travel within a specific geographic area required, with occasional statewide travel necessary. For
this reason, valid driver’s license and insurance required.
• Work with consultant team members in providing resources, referrals and guidance to providers
related to improving quality.
• Attend required/regular training and meetings for Quality Specialists.
• Adhere to and track Action Plan, detailing job functions and expectations pursuant to IDHS contract
and under direct guidance of immediate Supervisor.
• Participate in community activities including community events, media campaigns, promotional
materials, and community presentations.
• Participate in staff meetings, working to uphold the mission of the CCR&R and YWCA Northwestern
Illinois
• Communicate with impartiality and respect all parents’/guardians’ child care choices.
• Speak to the purpose and services of all YWCA programming.
• Respond with sensitivity to families’ socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, and religious backgrounds,
individual needs and capabilities.
▪ Reflect agency image in appropriate manner, behavior and dress.
▪ Maintain a high level of confidentiality.
▪ Perform other duties as assigned.

If interested please send your resume to (peter.smith@ywcanwil.org)