Child and Youth Program Training and Curriculum Specialist

Commander, Navy Installations Command•San Diego, CA

5d•Onsite

About The Position

The Child and Youth Program (CYP) Training and Curriculum Specialist provides comprehensive staff training, assists in monitoring developmentally appropriate curriculum for children and youth ages 6 weeks to 18 years, and promotes career and education opportunities for professional growth. The role supports high-quality programming by developing and coordinating training, monitoring curriculum and classroom practices, and helping CYP employees and providers meet professional development, certification, and accreditation requirements. The Specialist develops and delivers training appropriate to employees’ assigned age groups and program areas, identifies learning needs, maintains training records and development plans, and works with CYP Directors to coordinate required training and career progression. The role also supports continuing education and credentials, including the Child Development Associate (CDA) and Military School-Age Credential (MSA), and assists Family Child Care staff with training and accreditation support. The position monitors program compliance and the quality of curriculum, activities, classroom practices, records, environments, and schedules. It supports inspection and accreditation preparation, advises staff on behavior and classroom management, and helps ensure inclusive care for children with special or unique needs, including supporting Inclusion Support Plans. The position is not eligible for scheduled recurring telework; management may authorize unscheduled telework in specified circumstances. An uncommon tour of duty, including evening and weekend work, may be required.

Requirements

A bachelor's degree in child development or early childhood education and three years of full-time experience working with children and/or youth, or an accepted combination of education and experience.
For the education-and-experience combination, education must include courses in a child-related field and at least 24 higher-level semester hours; three years of full-time experience working with children and/or youth is also required.
Knowledge of early childhood or youth education principles, concepts, and techniques for developing, interpreting, monitoring, and evaluating curriculum and age-appropriate activities.
Knowledge of adult learning techniques and experience training adult learners.
Knowledge of Federal and State laws governing the detection and prevention of child abuse and/or neglect.
Knowledge of national accreditation criteria and processes, required School Age Care and Youth Program core programs, and DoD certification standards.
Skill in planning, organizing, and implementing a variety of programs.
Skill in developing curriculum outlines, courses of study, lesson plans or guides, and conducting training workshops.
Ability to support DoD certification, accreditation, and staff credentialing—including CDA, MSA, and higher education—by ensuring required training is administered and completed successfully.
Ability to provide guidance and leadership to CYP professionals.
Ability to identify and respond to emergencies, including evacuations, child illness, and physical and emotional disorders.
Ability to communicate effectively in English orally and in writing, with strong interpersonal communication skills.
Must satisfactorily complete required child-care background checks, including fingerprint checks, a Tier 1 with Child Care check, a Tier 3 check if applicable, and a State Criminal History Repository check.
Must pass a pre-employment physical, provide evidence of immunization, be free of communicable diseases, and obtain appropriate immunizations against communicable diseases.
Must possess a valid state driver’s license.
Must obtain and maintain appropriate security clearance as needed.
Must complete required training certificates and maintain certifications or credentials required by Federal, State, and/or national accreditation institutions used by DoD Child and Youth Programs.
Must participate in Direct Deposit/Electronic Fund Transfer within the first 30 days of employment.
Must submit official college transcripts showing the degree awarded or conferred when applying.

Responsibilities

Serve as a lead participant in achieving and maintaining DoD certification and national accreditation or equivalent.
Develop, coordinate, and deliver comprehensive training for employees working with children and youth, tailored to assigned age groups and program areas.
Arrange for subject matter experts to provide specialized training when needed.
Identify ongoing training needs and tailor training plans and content to learners’ strengths and challenges.
Coordinate with CYP Directors to establish training plans, schedule required learning opportunities, and ensure resources are available for career progression.
Work primarily with Child and Youth Program Assistants to ensure DoD standardized courses are completed and competencies are documented as mastered within required timeframes.
Train CYP employees on classroom and activity-area fire, safety, and sanitation requirements.
Maintain training records and individual development plans; prepare training status reports and recommendations; and notify CYP Directors of employees’ and providers’ training status and performance.
Encourage continuing higher education by explaining CDA and MSA completion requirements and guiding employees and providers seeking college-level courses.
Support employees’ use of tuition assistance to pursue higher education and credentials.
Build relationships with local colleges, universities, and professional organizations and advise employees and providers about professional development opportunities.
Assist the Family Child Care Director and FCC Monitors with requested training support and encourage provider accreditation where applicable.
Ensure compliance with laws, policies, and regulations applicable to DoD child and youth programs.
Monitor and provide quality assurance for curriculum, activity plans, schedules, and routines that address the observed needs of children and youth.
Observe, review, evaluate, and modify activities and plans to support physical, social, emotional, cognitive, and language development and meet children’s and youths’ developmental needs and experiences.
Coordinate recommendations for adjustments and conduct follow-up observations as needed.
Conduct frequent physical checks of assigned classrooms and activity areas to ensure supervision and accountability measures are implemented, and support professionals working in single ratio as needed.
Conduct quality assurance checks of classroom and activity-area records, including lesson plans, after-action plans, medication and allergy documentation, inspection checklists, temperature logs, child portfolios, inclusion and behavior support plans, accident and incident reports, attendance and accountability reports, and locally required documentation.
Ensure the quality and consistency of developmental programming, including environments, equipment, materials, program structure, curriculum, risk management, activity schedules, and lesson plans.
Review inspection and accreditation requirements and provide direction and support to CYP professionals preparing for and completing related tasks and procedures.
Advise staff on appropriate behavior-management techniques and classroom-management strategies.
Promote best practices for supporting and responding to children and youth of all abilities, and facilitate the inclusion of children who require accommodations.
Guide Program Assistant teams in preparing and implementing program options for children and youth with special or unique requirements and individual needs.
Monitor care for children with special needs and ensure it is applied, evaluated, and modified in accordance with policy.
Support the Installation Inclusion Action Team by participating in meetings and supporting development of Inclusion Support Plans.
Monitor implementation of Inclusion Support Plans and ensure classroom and program staff are trained on documented accommodations and supports.