Fast Facts

The Statewide Coordinator will oversee the implementation of the Safe Babies™ approach in Arkansas, collaborating with judicial and child welfare leaders to support and train community coordinators across several counties.

Responsibilities: Key responsibilities include assessing site capacity, providing training and technical assistance, and collaborating with various stakeholders to improve early childhood systems integrated into public health.

Skills: Candidates must possess strong interpersonal skills, public speaking abilities, knowledge of child welfare policies, and excellent organizational skills to manage multiple responsibilities effectively.

Qualifications: Preferred candidates will have an undergraduate degree in child development or social work, with a Master's degree favored, along with experience in child welfare systems and program development.

Location: This position is located in Arkansas and requires coordination with local and state partners.

Compensation: $70000 - $75000 / Annually

The Statewide Coordinator will work in collaboration with judicial and child welfare leadership, state and community partners to plan and implement, the Safe Babies™ approach across the state of Arkansas. This individual provides direct support to Community Coordinators in Pulaski, Benton, Jefferson, and Sebastian Counties through training, consultation, and supervision. The Statewide Coordinator will coordinate with partners at the local and state levels to ensure alignment with best practice, identify training needs and resources, and navigate day-to-day implementation challenges. This position works closely with the ZERO TO THREE Training and Technical Assistance Specialist as well as with representatives from across the state to build capacity and sustainability of court teams. 

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• Assesses local site capacity for implementation and alignment within the state.
• Provides training on the Safe Babies approach to local and state entities.
• Conducts site visits to observe and provide Training and Technical Assistance (T/TA) to support Family Team Meetings, court hearings, and Active Community Team alignment with the Safe Babies approach.
• Provides T/TA to sites in actively engaging and involving families in the local initiative.
• Identifies and responds to trends across the sites (e.g., implementation challenges, needs of families) and elevates learnings (needs, challenges and innovations) from local sites to the State Advisory Group and other state level initiatives to inform policy, advocacy, and system building efforts.
• Co-facilitates, with the Project Director, reflective review and updates to the Safe Babies process map at the state and site level.
• Supports the planning and provision of training on the Safe Babies best practices and risk factors for maltreatment (including poverty, domestic violence, mental illness, substance abuse, parental history of childhood trauma, developmental and intellectual disabilities) to the courts and other entities supporting families who are at risk for child welfare system involvement.
• In collaboration with the Project Director, develops and maintains a State Advisory Group poised to effect system change efforts and co-facilitates group meetings.
• Collaborates with partners across systems, programs, and state or tribal entities to improve early childhood systems integration, through the development of policies and/or procedures that benefit P-3 (prenatal to 3 years old) families at risk of Child Welfare involvement.
• Coordinates with key partners to provide professional development to a cross-sector workforce to support maternal child health and public health needs for P-3 families at the local and state level.
• Partners with the Data and Evaluation lead to establish and maintain effective feedback loops between the State Team and local Site Implementation Teams to support knowledge transfer about systems coordination and integration, inequities, gaps, and solutions from local to state to national level.
• Collaborates with local Community Coordinators, and Data and Evaluation Lead, to create and distribute quarterly and annual reports.
• Manages facilitator consultant contracts in partnership with ZERO TO THREE.

ESSENTIAL SKILLS & EXPERIENCE

• 5 years of experience in court or child welfare administration and/or program development, including one year in a supervisory or leadership role.
• Working knowledge of child welfare systems, state and federal policies related to abuse/neglect of young children, infant/toddler social-emotional development, infant and early childhood mental health, and impact of abuse and neglect.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build relationships and relate effectively to people of varied professions, personal backgrounds, and culture.
• Excellent public speaking, group facilitation and writing skills.
• Knowledge of juvenile and family court procedures.
• Background in infant/early childhood development or related field.
• Experience with systems change and community/statewide collaboration.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage competing responsibilities simultaneously.

Additional Preferred Skills & Experience 

• Knowledge of infant/toddler social-emotional development and impact of abuse and neglect.
• Experience working with juvenile and family court professionals.

EDUCATION

Undergraduate degree in child development, social work, or related field, Master’s Degree preferred.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

This position's salary is estimated to be low $70,000s to mid $70,000s depending on experience, geo-location, budget, and other comparable and similarly scoped internal positions. In addition to salary, ZERO TO THREE offers a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, HRA, retirement contributions, generous leave benefits and more.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

While performing the responsibilities of the job, the employee is frequently required to use finger dexterity and sufficient hand dexterity to use a computer keyboard and be capable of reading a computer screen. Also, they may need to remain seated for extended periods, can perform repetitive motions, and reach for objects. An employee is frequently required to hold a writing instrument, communicate verbally, and hear well enough to detect nuances and receive detailed information. They may be required to grasp objects, push, and pull objects, bend, stand, walk, squat, or kneel. Vision abilities required by this job include close vision for data preparation or analysis, and expansive reading. May need to lift up to 30 pounds.