<p>Job Responsibilities</p> <p>Are you an experienced professional looking for new opportunities to further your career? South Carolina First Steps is seeking a hardworking and dependable candidate just like you to apply! This position will offer great benefits with the state, including 15 days of annual and sick leave per year or more depending on applicable state service.</p> <p>The Responsibilities of the 4K Coach:</p> <p>A cover letter and resume are required by the agency to be considered for this position.</p> <p>This position is responsible for providing ongoing mentoring/monitoring, coaching, and technical assistance to providers approved for the First Steps' prekindergarten program. Serve as a resource for quality improvement and accountability using relationship-based principles and practices to drive improvement. 4K Coaches will collaborate with SC First Steps staff to develop and promote program accountability, monitoring, and professional development structures which meet legislative requirements and advance best practices in early childhood education.</p> <p>This position will work under the direct supervision of a 4K Manager, and the 4K State Director.</p> <ul> <li>Serve as a Coach to conduct regular visits with classrooms and programs to foster high quality research-based early childhood curriculum for kindergarten readiness. Support the development, implementation, and monitoring of goals-based plans required as a condition of participation in First Steps 4K Program. Cultivate relationships for strong strategies to enhance best practices in early childhood education. </li><li>Document all provider visits and feedback, prepare communications, and provide accountability to programs and to the Office of First Steps 4K. Ensure that services implemented are consistent with all goals and measures, while participating as part of the 4K Team. </li><li>Facilitate communication between all SC First Steps program staff and other agency partners, as necessary, to support public-private 4K program guidelines, training, and support structures. Plan, create and implement of trainings and professional development offerings for 4K providers and staff. </li><li>Recruit new providers. Conduct on-site evaluations of 4K new provider applicants with the 4K Team. Plan and implement onboarding for approved providers. Support the recruitment of students for all approved providers. Develop educational grants and administer grants received. </li><li>Serve as liaison between approved providers and local First Steps County Partnerships for the purpose of coordinating parenting services, expanded technical assistance, and collaboration of programs. </li><li>Perform other assigned duties. </li><li>Position will be based out of the SC First Steps Columbia office and entails extensive regional travel. A valid driver's license is required, as well as the ability to drive a state vehicle. Limited after-hours work required. </li></ul> <p>Minimum and Additional Requirements</p> <ul> <li>Bachelor's degree in early childhood education or a related field. </li></ul> <p>Additional Requirements:</p> <ul> <li>Employee must be self-motivated and capable of delivering high quality work. </li><li>Employee must display the ability to work independently while maintaining accountability. </li><li>Employee should have extensive knowledge of child development/early childhood pedagogy. </li><li>Employee should have technical assistance/mentoring skills, knowledge of early childhood classroom quality and child assessment tools. </li><li>Employee should have knowledge of SC Childcare Licensing, 4K Guidelines, and SC First Steps initiatives. </li><li>Employee must be proficient in Microsoft Word and Excel software usage. </li><li>Employee must have strong problem solving, leadership and analytical skills. </li><li>Employee must have excellent oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills. </li><li>Employee must have strong attention to detail; reliable and prompt; exhibit awareness and sensitivity to diversity; able to work in a team environment. </li></ul> <p>Preferred Qualifications</p> <ul> <li>Master's degree preferred. </li><li>Pre-k teaching experience and SC Early Childhood teacher certification. </li></ul> <p>Additional Comments</p> <p>SC First Steps is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, including, but not limited, to lactation), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information.</p> <p>Supplemental questions are considered part of your official application. Any misrepresentation will result in your disqualification from employment. Please complete the state application to include all current and previous work history and education. A resume will not be accepted nor reviewed to determine if an applicant has met the qualifications for the position.</p> <p>SC First Steps offers an exceptional benefits package for full time (FTE) employees:</p> <ul> <li> <p>Health, dental, vision, long-term disability, and life insurance for employees, spouse, and children. Click here for additional information.</p> </li><li> <p>15 days annual (vacation) leave per year</p> </li><li> <p>15 days sick leave per year</p> </li><li> <p>13 paid holidays</p> </li><li> <p>Paid Parental Leave</p> </li><li> <p>S.C. Deferred Compensation Program available (S.C. Deferred Compensation)</p> </li><li> <p>Retirement benefit choices*</p> </li><li> <p>State Retirement Plan (SCRS)</p> </li><li> <p>State Optional Retirement Program (State ORP)</p> </li><li> <p>Enrollment in one of the listed plans is required for all FTE employees; please refer to the contribution section of hyperlinked retirement sites for the current contribution rate of gross pay.</p> </li></ul>