Family Advocate (Early Head Start - Queens)

About the role

This position provides leadership and oversight of family engagement and support services, ensuring families receive comprehensive, culturally responsive, and coordinated services aligned with Head Start Performance Standards. The Family Advocate supports and monitors family service delivery, case management practices, and the timely completion of family partnership agreements, referrals, and follow-up services. The role collaborates closely with program leadership and multidisciplinary staff—including education, health, mental health, and disabilities teams—to promote child and family well-being, strengthen parent leadership and advocacy, and support successful transitions for children and families. Additionally, the Family Advocate uses data to inform continuous quality improvement efforts, ensures compliance with documentation and reporting requirements, and serves as a liaison between families, community partners, and the program to foster positive outcomes and family self-sufficiency.

Responsibilities

• Assist families to advocate for community-based services; identify resources to address specific family needs
• Work with parents to apply for entitlements; lead workshops on how to apply for services; assist with referrals to community-based services
• Screen parents for eligibility based on program criteria and complete screening forms for review; assist with enrollment for eligible families
• Responsible for 1305 ERSEA; monitor the waiting list and ensure it is updated monthly; ensure the program is at full enrollment year-round; oversee enrollment of new children and families
• Write, review, and revise Family and Community Partnership work plans annually and monitor their implementation
• Establish policies and procedures for the social services portion of the program for parents and staff that support effective implementation of these services
• Establish relationships with community partners and identify resources available to families by developing linkages with these resources
• Participate in home visits on a regularly scheduled basis and as needed

Required Qualifications

• Minimum AA degree/certificate in social services or related field; bilingual (Spanish) preferred
• Three to five years in the field of early childhood
• Excellent oral and written communication skills

Work Environment

• Hybrid at Queens Hub and Far Rockaway Hub site locations
• Full-time position; Monday through Friday
• Work hours options: 8:00 am – 4:00 pm, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm, or 10:00 am – 6:00 pm

Benefits & Compensation

• Competitive salary structure ($53,000 – $55,000)
• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) with company match
• PTO policy including 11 paid holidays, paid sick time, paid vacation, and paid personal days

Additional Requirements

• Authorized to work in the U.S.
• Ability to work in-person in New York City
• Ability to travel to other Rising Ground sites and within the community for visits