Early Childhood Development Coordinator

About the Role

Join our Children’s Program as an Early Childhood Development Coordinator and become part of a collaborative team dedicated to nurturing growth, creativity, and lifelong learning. The coordinator will schedule and facilitate Individual Education Plan (IEP) team meetings, implement IEPs for children in inclusive early childhood classrooms, maintain data for progress monitoring, and keep professional organization of the Special Education files. This person will also support the development, training, and mentoring of lead teachers and support staff for educational services in a child‑care/preschool setting.

Schedule

• 7:15 am – 3:15 pm
• 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
• 9:30 am – 5:30 pm

Schedules may vary depending on program needs; must be able to work between 7:30 am – 5:30 pm on occasion.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Early Education or related field (Special Education degree strongly preferred)
• Current teaching license and certification in Special Education to provide IEP services
• Knowledge of DHS licensing standards and DOE School Approval standards
• Experience in staff leadership and development
• Experience communicating with families and caregivers
• Familiarity with developing web‑based IEPs and transitions to Pre‑K/Kindergarten
• Effective verbal and written communication skills for professional interaction with teachers, therapists, families, and auxiliary staff
• Strong time‑management and workload‑prioritization abilities

Job Responsibilities

• Oversee a specific grouping of classrooms assigned by the Director of Children’s Services (preschool: 3‑5 years, 3 classrooms each; infant/toddler: 6 weeks‑2 years, 6 classrooms)
• Provide oversight of special education services, including early intervention, IEP development, implementation, coordination, and documentation
• Participate in IEP meetings
• Assist with planning and coordinating daily activities that align with best practices for early childhood and special education
• Partner with the Director to interview, observe, and hire new staff
• Deliver preservice training and ongoing in‑service training, hands‑on coaching, and mentoring for staff
• Manage classroom coverage to ensure adequate staffing
• Facilitate parent‑engagement opportunities with teachers
• Evaluate staff performance and help create professional development plans
• Assist the Director with oversight of before‑ and/or after‑care programs
• Perform other duties as required by the Director of the Chattanooga Children’s Program

Essential Functions

• Observe, respond to, and address children’s needs, emergencies, and conflicts in the center or playground
• Lift up to 25 lb from floor to waist height
• React quickly to reach a child 20‑30 ft away within 30 seconds
• Crouch, maintain eye contact at child’s level, bend at the waist, and spend up to 75 % of time on the floor during activities
• Reach overhead to use equipment and access items placed out of children’s reach
• Handle routine mental and emotional stress associated with caring for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and children with special needs

About Signal Centers

Signal Centers began when two mothers of children with cerebral palsy joined to advocate for services for their loved ones. Nearly 35 years before the Americans with Disabilities Act mandated accommodations, Signal Centers’ mission was to ensure that all people, regardless of ability or circumstance, could achieve a life of self‑sufficiency. Today the organization operates 12 programs that advance this goal.

Benefits

• Competitive health, vision, and dental coverage
• Health Savings Account (HSA) and Dependent Care FSA
• Group life insurance, Teladoc (telemedicine), Employee Assistance Program (EAP) mental‑health resources
• Short‑ and long‑term disability options
• Up to 4 % matching 401(k) employer contribution plus a 3 % base contribution
• Generous paid time off to support work‑life balance
• Employee discounts on paid services