Early Childhood Education Teacher (4 openings)

$2,000 Hiring Bonus for external candidates (50% after 90 days of employment and 50% after one year of employment)

Illinois Action for Children (“IAFC”), a local, state and national leader in the early childhood care and education sector for over 50 years. IAFC programs, services, and advocacy improve learning and life outcomes for children and families, including reducing the effects of poverty. IAFC works to ensure that every child in Illinois – particularly those in need – have access to the necessary resources to succeed in school and in life.

Along with our mission, IAFC is committed to building and maintaining a diverse, equitable, inclusive, and anti-racist culture. We are dedicated to this pledge through our hiring practices and our focus on creating a culture and environment where diverse perspectives, ideas, and identities are valued and integrated into our way of working and servicing our staff and clients. IAFC staff represent a wide diversity of racial, socio-economic, gender, religious, and national identities. We welcome all applicants who share our mission and vision to join us in our essential work. Under the direction of the Site Director, the Early Childhood Education (ECE) Teacher works in collaboration with the teaching team to implement a formal child screening process, a research-based curriculum that addresses early childhood best practices, on-going child assessment, parent involvement and community collaboration. This incumbent will be expected to promote and adhere to the workplace core capabilities of: accountability, customer focus, continuous quality improvement, communication, competent people and clear priorities. All work to be completed with minimum supervision and in accordance with organizational standards.

Benefits of Working at IAFC:

• Working with passionate team members that are driven by our Mission: Illinois Action for Children is a catalyst for organizing, developing and supporting strong families and powerful communities where children matter most.
• We strive to foster and implement a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion across our organization. We know it is not only critical to the success of diversity initiatives - but instrumental in creating an unbiassed and inclusive workplace! It not only relates to the diverse clients we serve but also creates a positive employee experience.
• We offer an extensive benefits package that adds value to your total compensation. Our benefits include:

• Health, dental and vision insurance plans with company contribution of 95% for single coverage
• 401k with company match
• Generous PTO – first year-23 days, the second year-28 days, the third year and on - 35 days
• 11 Paid Holidays and 1 Floating Holiday
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Flexible Spending Account
• STD & LTD insurance
• Company paid Life Insurance

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include but are not limited to the following (see job description for a full list of duties and responsibilities). The organization reserves the right to add to, delete, change or modify the essential duties and responsibilities at any time.

• Coordinates and completes developmental screening of all children to identify any special needs.
• Implements active supervision of children at all times and ensuring child safety.
• Teaches children in large groups, small groups, and individually. Teaches each class daily as scheduled and assigned.
• Works with the classroom team to implement the curriculum, serving as educational leader and modeling excellent teaching practices. Meets with the classroom team each week to develop lesson plans.
• Executes our workplace core capabilities of: accountability, customer focus, continuous quality improvement (CQI), communication, competent people and clear priorities.
• Independently works on multiple tasks effectively in support of department.
• Other Functions: The organization may assign other functions to the job at its discretion.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE: Bachelor’s degree In Early Childhood Education or Child Development or equivalent required. Equivalent degrees require a minimum of 30 semester credit hours in Early Childhood Education or Child Development courses. At least two years of Early Childhood Teaching experience is required. ECE staff must also have coursework or training relevant to this age group.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS: Must hold or obtain Gateways to Opportunity Early Childhood Education Credential Level 5 (within six months of hire); must obtain ISBE Substitute License within 30 days of hire (paid for by IAFC); and must complete Teaching Strategies Gold Inter-rater Reliability within 90 days of hire.

While we desire for this job posting to be comprehensive, all aspects of the position may be amended at any time at the discretion of IAFC including job duties, work location and/or work schedule.

This position will work in the southwest suburbs of Chicago. IL Action for Children is EEO/M/F/V/D employer.

As established by the Illinois Action for Children Board of Directors, all employees are required to receive a vaccination against COVID-19, unless a medical or religious reasonable accommodation is approved. If offered a job, the candidate must be able to prove that they have been vaccinated with one of the CDC-authorized vaccines, including either Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson / Janssen or request and be granted an accommodation before their start date.