OBJECTIVES: Reporting to the Director, Programs – Head Start, the Staff, Programs – Social Service Coordinator will lead and oversee the delivery of high-quality, compliant Early Head Start and Head Start social services. This role strengthens family engagement, safety, and self-sufficiency through effective supervision of staff, coordinated community partnerships, and integrated support services. The Social Service Coordinator supports Northside’s mission by ensuring continuous quality improvements, while advancing positive outcomes for children and families.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Lead and oversee the delivery of comprehensive, family-centered social services for Early Head Start and Head Start children, families, and pregnant women while ensuring alignment with federal, state, and local regulations.
- Supervise program operations across home-based and center-based models, including family intake, assessment, family partnership agreements, referrals, outreach, recruitment, and enrollment to ensure full enrollment and service continuity.
- Provide reflective supervision, coaching, performance evaluation, and professional development for social services staff, home visitors, interns, and volunteers as well as support hiring, onboarding, and training initiative.
- Coordinate mental health, parent engagement, and community partnerships to support family well-being, safety, and self-sufficiency, including mandated child abuse prevention and intervention.
- Develop and implement a parent involvement curriculum that reinforces the parents as the child’s first teacher and promotes meaningful engagement and leadership.
- Facilitate parent governance and engagement activities, including Policy Council and parent meetings while ensuring compliance with EHS/HS mandates and program mission.
- Maintain accurate, confidential program records and ensure readiness for program assessments, audits, and federal reviews.
- Participate in continuous quality improvement efforts by monitoring service delivery, enrollment data, and staff performance while incorporating best practices in the field.
- Perform other duties as assigned to support the goals and mission of the program.
SPECIFIC SKILLS:
- Working knowledge of government regulations as it pertains to Head Start and Early Head Start performance standards.
- Ability to read, analyze, and interpret professional journals, general periodicals, technical procedures, and program regulations.
- Strong written communication skills, including correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, and the ability to organize documentation accurately.
- Strong leadership and managerial skills, with the ability to supervise, coach, and support diverse teams.
- Proven ability to collaborate as part of a multidisciplinary team, manage dynamic discussions, and participate productively in meetings.
- Ability to give and receive feedback in a constructive, professional manner.
CORE COMPETENCIES
- Excellent work ethic
- Commitment to working in a mission-driven organization
- Demonstrated personal ethics and values
- Cross-team collaboration and cooperation
- Team player who works well with a diverse group of people
QUALIFICATIONS:
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Social Work or a related human services field.
- Demonstrated experience working with Children from birth to five years old and their families.
- Knowledge of the Head Start/ Early Head Start philosophy, including shared authority, parent engagement, and family-centered decision-making.
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:
- Salary commensurate with experience. Northside offers a competitive salary and benefits package. Salary Range $45,000 - $60,000.
About Northside
Northside Center for Child Development serves more than 5,500 children and families across New York City each year through high-quality, outcome-driven behavioral health, early childhood education, and enrichment services. With over $34 million in annual funding, Northside provides the comprehensive support children and families need to overcome adversity, build resilience, and pursue their dreams.
Founded in 1946 in Harlem, Northside has been a cornerstone of the community for eight decades, leading the way in integrating education and mental health to support children’s development. Several of Northside’s innovative programs were the first of their kind in Harlem, setting standards of care that continue to influence social service agencies throughout the United States today.
Northside’s founders, Drs. Kenneth B. and Mamie Phipps Clark, were renowned, pioneering psychologists whose groundbreaking research was instrumental in the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education landmark Supreme Court decision that declared school segregation unconstitutional. Their belief in the worth, dignity, and potential of every child continues to guide Northside’s mission and inspire its work today. Northside is driven by its vision and principle, “Each Child…First Chance.”
For more information on Northside Center for Child Development, please visit www.northsidecenter.org.