Behavioral and Developmental Support Specialist

Position Overview

The Behavioral and Developmental Support Specialist provides direct, individualized support services to children enrolled in Head Start who are suspected of or diagnosed with developmental delays, behavioral challenges, or special needs. This position works collaboratively with the Mental Health Coordinator, Disabilities/Child Development Coordinator, classroom teachers, and family support staff to ensure children receive inclusive, high-quality educational experiences aligned with their Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) and individualized action plans.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Data Conception: Requires the ability to compare and/or judge the readily observable, functional, structural, or composite characteristics (whether similar to or divergent from obvious standards) of data, people, or things.
• Interpersonal Communication: Requires the ability to speak and/or signal people to convey or exchange information.
• Intellectual Functioning: Requires the ability to apply rational systems to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists; to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagrammatic, or schedule form.
• Maintains standardized records and documentation concerning the progress of students.

Qualifications

• Education: At minimum an Associate degree in Psychology, Special Education, Early Childhood Education, or Social Work with 2 years of supervised experience with special needs children or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience: 1 to 3 years of mental health and/or developmental disabilities experience. A minimum of 2 years of experience with special needs children.

Key Competencies

• Analytical Skills
• Attention to Detail
• Observation and Documentation
• Knowledge of early childhood social, emotional, and developmental competencies.
• Ability to recognize social, emotional, and developmental deficits in young children
• Strategy and technique implementation

Conditions of Employment

• Background checks with state and Federal law enforcement agencies are required.
• Selected applicants must submit to a pre-employment substance abuse screening test and receive a negative result for the use of drugs and alcohol as specified in agency policies.
• Must submit and receive negative results for random testing of same.
• The employee must have a valid North Carolina Driver's License.
• Must be able to pass a post-offer physical examination.

Benefits Package

• Competitive pay
• No-cost Health, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, and Short-Term Disability (Employee only)
• Retirement plan with 100% employer matching
• Paid Vacation/Sick/Personal leave
• 13 Paid Holidays
• Winter break
• Spring Break
• Paid professional development training
• Education assistance after one year employed
• Auto mileage reimbursement for official travel
• Employee discounts
• Bragg Mutual Credit Union Membership
• Employee Recognition Events