The Illinois Network of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (INCCRRA) is hiring a Regional Family & Community Engagement Specialist for their newly launched department tasked with building a new, regional, statewide early childhood infrastructure, Birth to Five Illinois (https://www.birthtofiveil.com/). The Regional Family & Community Engagement Specialist will play a vital role in establishing the foundation of support for this statewide effort within their region. Key to Birth to Five Illinois' success is a candidate who brings experience working in the community as a conduit for family voice with a belief in the power of bottom-up systems change.

Background on Birth to Five Illinois

Illinois has a goal of becoming the best state in the nation for families raising young children. In December 2019, the Governor appointed and charged the Commission on Equitable Early Childhood Education and Care Funding with making recommendations to for how to provide, "equitable access to high-quality Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) services for all children birth through age five". The recommendations prioritized the establishment of a statewide infrastructure (which has been named Birth to Five Illinois) of regional councils (39) to address the currently existing inequity in our State's financing of early childhood services.

About INCCRRA

INCCRRA is a statewide organization which - in partnership with its 16 local Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) Agencies - is a recognized leader for making high-quality, affordable early care available for children and families in Illinois. INCCRRA will serve as the home for the Birth to Five Illinois Department.

Why You Should Apply:

• Competitive compensation with exceptional benefits.
• Collaborative 'start-up' work environment.
• Opportunity to be a key member of a team charged with implementing lasting changes in policy, financing, and delivery of services in Early Childhood Education and Care.
• Opportunity to work with a diverse team of professionals.

Responsibilities:

This position will support the Regional Council Manager by engaging parent/family leadership, parent/family decision-making, and the co-creation of solutions in the local Early Childhood Early Care landscape.

• Work in collaboration with the Regional Council Manager and the Birth to Five Illinois State Team to ensure parent/family voice is at the center of all decisions.
• Build and support critical connections to expand and align with other partners in the community supporting children and families including housing, pediatricians and health centers, faith-based alliances, and other groups.
• Actively work with parent and community engagement efforts across institutions and sectors to drive alignment and improve coordination with Birth to Five Illinois activities and objectives.

• Facilitate consistent feedback mechanisms between parents, families, the community, and the entire Birth to Five Illinois network.
• Ensure all work is delivered on time, within scope, and within budget; provide regular reports on progress against goals and indicators.
• Submit monthly reports on Birth to Five Family Council activities (i.e., challenges and deliverables) to the State Family and Community Engagement Team.
• Coordinate and facilitate focus groups, individual meetings, and large groups, as needed.
• Implement creative thinking around ways to engage parent/family leadership, parent/family decision-making and the co-creation of solutions.

Preferable Skills & Experiences:

• Knowledgeable in parent and family engagement best practices including active listening, inclusion, and power sharing.
• Deep understanding of structural racism and racial equity.
• Experience in community organizing and relationship building.
• Understanding of how parent/family engagement integrates with the goals of Birth to Five Illinois.
• Ability to inspire confidence and passion in external audiences and to build effective relationships with a range of diverse stakeholders.
• Ability to simplify complex information to communicate it to a general audience.
• Experience working with diverse groups and families, including facilitating coalitions, task forces, and/or committees.
• Ability to work autonomously and take direction as needed.

Required Education & Experience:

• Bachelor's Degree OR at least three years of relevant work experience.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Background in authentic family engagement activities and advocacy.
• Experience working with diverse populations including racial, ethnic, economic, gender non-conforming, and in both urban and rural settings.
• Willingness to work flexible hours, including some evenings and weekends, as needed.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills and the ability to work collaboratively.

Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and social media platforms, such as Facebook and Instagram.