Early Childhood Environmental Safety Monitor

Position Summary

Ensure program compliance in the areas of Health and Safety as outlined in the Head Start Program Performance Standards. This position is responsible for conducting environmental health assessments and developing systems for environmental health and safety procedures at sub-recipient agencies and their partner sites.

Education & Certification Requirements

(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.) Travel required.

· Associate Degree in Early Childhood Education, Health Science, or related field; minimum of 1-year relevant work experience in Head Start required.

Experience & Training Requirements

· Familiarity with health and safety systems that align as outlined in the Head Start Program Performance Standards.

· Must be organized, detail oriented and have the ability to prioritize tasks and manage workload effectively.

· Ability to build and maintain relationships of mutual accountability.

· Strong analytical, problem solving, interpersonal, communication (written and verbal), project management, and time management skills with exceptional attention to detail.

· Ability to process and protect confidential information in a professional manner.

· Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively in a team environment.

· Must regularly operate a word-processing system and therefore must be able to read, produce and transmit data on such a system.

· Must be able to travel to multiple schools in diverse communities.

· Must be able to read and write English proficiently; bilingual preferred.

Desired Outcomes

· Ability to communicate clear expectations when conducting monthly visits (and/or additional visits as needed) to all subrecipient agencies and external partner sites.

· Ability to identify and accurately report internal and external hazards to support child safety policies and monitoring compliance.

· Ability to submit required monitoring documents by assigned due dates.

Essential Job Requirements & Duties(These include but are not limited to the following. The company reserves the right to add to, delete, change, or modify the essential duties and responsibilities at any time.)

· Conducts monthly visits (and as needed) to all subrecipient agencies and community partner sites, to provide technical assistance and to monitor the facilities and Home-Based socialization spaces to ensure there are health and safety systems in place that align as outlined in the Head Start Program Performance Standards, local, state and federal standards.

· Ensures the facilities maintain appropriate city and state licenses.

· Works collaboratively with the external partnerships team to coordinate site visits that minimize disruption at subrecipient and community partners locations.

· Adheres to established internal monitoring systems that support effective oversight of environmental health and safety. Will complete OHS Certification of Health and Safety Screening at all service sites and ensure a maintenance checklist is posted.

· Ensures all indoor and outdoor environments accessible to children are free from pests, pollutants, and toxic materials, including but not limited to program classrooms, common areas, hallways, playgrounds, restrooms, food service, and food preparation areas. Health and safety checklists are completed before the children come into the classroom or go to the playground.

· Monitor Lead in Water and Radon testing to ensure they are current and that there is a mitigation plan in place in the even lead or radon are detected. Monitor pest control contract and evidence of monthly visits, monthly records of fire drills biannual tornado drills and other emergency prepared drills.

· Works with the health team to develop continuous quality improvement plans (CIP) to mitigate any areas of concern.

· Conducts additional visits to verify the completion of all actions noted in the CIP.

· Monitors documentation of transportation services, bus safety drills, and educational field trips.

· Maintains up-to-date records of health, safety, and nutrition concerns and/or activities.

· Provides technical assistance and support with the development and delivery of training on Environmental Health and Safety standards for healthy practices and routines, providing safe and supportive environments for children.

· Other duties as assigned.

Physical Requirements:
(The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform.) The employee frequently is required to stand, walk, reach with hands and arms, and stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 40 pounds.

Employment Conditions: This job description is to ensure that essential functions and basic duties have been included. It is intended to provide guidelines for job expectations and the employee’s ability to perform the duties as described. This job description is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all functions, responsibilities, skills, and abilities. Additional functions and requirements may be assigned as deemed appropriate commensurate to the position. This document does not represent a contract of employment, and Chicago Commons reserves the right to change this job description and /or assign tasks deemed appropriate.

Working Conditions:
(The unavoidable, externally imposed conditions under which the work must be performed, and which create hardship for the incumbent including the frequency and duration of occurrence of physical demands, environmental conditions, demands on one’s senses and mental demands.) N/A To learn more about Chicago Commons' benefits package, please click HERE.

Equal Opportunity Employer

This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.
For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.