Early Childhood Coach

Fort Collins, CO, USA

Job Type

Full Time

Job Title: Early Childhood Coach

Reports To: Coaching Manager

Job Location: Fort Collins, CO (Hybrid Remote)

Work Schedule: Full-time (40 hours/week). Requires occasional evening or weekend hours to meet the needs of the providers and community.

Salary Range: $42,000 - $45,000 annually, depending on qualifications and experience

Exemption Status: Non-Exempt

To apply please email a cover letter and resume to careers@ecclc.org by 9/18/25.

Overview of ECCLC:

Early Childhood Council of Larimer County (ECCLC) is an independent nonprofit organization that rallies support, resources, and awareness to ensure every young child in our community has quality early childhood experiences so they thrive from day one.

Position Summary:

At ECCLC, we are a close-knit team of professionals who value passion, innovation, adaptability and a sense of humor. An Early Childhood Coach is responsible for supporting child care programs in maintaining continuous quality improvement. This position requires a deep understanding and analysis of complex early childhood issues, including early care and education, social and emotional development, child care licensing, quality rating and improvement systems, and ability to address issues at the policy and systems level. The Early Childhood Coach manages a caseload of both family child care home and center-based providers.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

ECE Program Support

Understand, promote and implement innovative quality improvement initiatives that meet or exceed the evolving needs of the community
Maintain an awareness of statewide early childhood initiatives and implications of these activities.
Provide information/referrals on resources available to support early childhood programs.
Communicate to professionals elements of high quality care for children and best practices for the classroom
Provide coaching on a variety of topics and issues to support child care providers’ growth in understanding of theories and practices in early childhood
Engage in reflective conversations with ECE professionals using coaching strategies and skills
Interact daily with people from different fields, programs, backgrounds, and experiences
Converse with professionals to maintain a common understanding of their individual needs, interests, and concerns.

Assist with development and monitoring of quality improvement plans as it relates to continuous quality improvement
Provide support to programs with updating their Colorado Shines profile.
Support program administrators/owners in navigating the Quality Rating Information System (QRIS) to include applying for Level 2, Colorado Shines rating, and Quality Improvement funds
Assist programs and ECE professionals in navigating the Professional Development Information System (PDIS) to apply for Early Childhood Credentials
Provide on-site program/classroom observations using the Environmental Rating Scales (FCCERS, ITERS, ECERS) and other assessment tools as needed.
Educate and support the program administrators/owners in using a variety of tools and resources in preparation for a rating.
Understand the specific needs of the provider community and promote ECE specific grants that support the growth and quality of the program
Understanding basic budget and financial information including spreadsheets, using basic math skills, tracking expenditures for child care grants, reading receipts, verifying proof of payment, etc.
Discuss and share official assessment results and outcomes including Colorado Shines evidence/results and other official reports as needed.
Identify and actively seek training to improve coaching skills and knowledge
Obtain and maintain coaching certifications and credentials as required.
Understand the specific needs of the provider community and promote ECE specific grants that support the growth and quality of the program
Work closely with the Coaching Manager to ensure appropriate budget tracking for specific grants and appropriate spending of quality improvement funds.

ECE Provider Support & Partnerships

Create a partnership that focuses on the strengths of the individual and/or program
Build relationships with ECE professionals through reflection and a predictable process
Cultivate a space for open communication, planning and goal setting
Utilize observation and reflection to encourage new ideas and implementation of different techniques
Use strength-based observational skills to engage ECE professionals in conversations about their learning environment
Guide ECE professionals in using ERS tools, observation notes and reflective conversations to encourage both professional and personal growth
Hold conversations, situations, and other sensitive topics in confidence

Community Partnerships

Regular participation in ECCLC all-staff and Early Childhood Coaches meetings.
Regular participation in reflective supervision sessions.
Regular participation in ECCLC Advisory Council meetings.
Participate in all required Department of Early Childhood (DEC) meetings, trainings and conferences as appropriate.
Attend community meetings as requested/required as a representative of ECCLC
Seek out and cultivate partnerships (both local and state-level) that are beneficial to ECCLC strategic goals, vision and mission.
Provide input to ECCLC's training curriculum to provide a variety of ongoing professional development opportunities for the early childhood workforce in Larimer County.

EDUCATION AND WORK EXPERIENCE QUALIFICATIONS

Required:

Associate’s Degree and/or a minimum of 5 years of experience in early childhood
Experience in an early childhood classroom or family child care home
Must have Level 3 Early Childhood Credential
Have or obtain a Coaching Credential and required certifications in ERS-3 tools
Strong working knowledge of Colorado Shines rating process, PDIS and QRIS
Strong interpersonal and organizational skills
Strong written and verbal communication skills; detail oriented
Ability to support the specific and unique needs of adult learners in a professional setting.
Proven ability to work independently, manage time, complete assignments, and meet deadlines in a shared office space and out of the office or via tele-commuting.
Familiarity and comfort with technology, including Microsoft Office, Adobe, Google Suite, & CRM databases
Valid CO Driver’s License and Vehicle Insurance; ability to drive throughout the region when needed in a reliable personal vehicle

Desired:

Bachelor or Master degree in a field related to early childhood or similar
An affinity for non-profit, community-based work environment
Ability to speak, read, and write in a second language (Spanish or Arabic preferred)

WHAT DOES SUCCESS LOOK LIKE IN THIS ROLE?

Early Childhood Council of Larimer County strives to deliver quality, responsive work to our community to ensure that all young children in Larimer County can thrive from day one. In order to ensure that we are a consistently high quality organization, we rely on our team members to embody our organization’s five core values in all that you do.

Collaboration: Employee consistently and proactively collaborates with both internal and external partners, and with individuals and organizations who represent diverse backgrounds and perspectives. Employees demonstrate respectful behavior towards others, regardless of their background.
Recognition: Employees regularly offer recognition for others, and seek out feedback and opportunities for growth. Employees work hard to ensure that ECCLC is recognized as a strong and respected partner in the community. Employees take initiative to understand and recognize how bias, both implicit and explicit, shows up in their work and throughout the early childhood system.
Accountability: Employee demonstrates ownership of their work, accountability to partners and peers, embodies a solution-focused attitude, and connects their work to the mission, vision and goals of the ECCLC. Employees understand that work to advance their own DEI competency is never complete and is committed to being a lifelong learner.
Excellence: Employee models integrity, takes risks, learns from mistakes and strives to deliver undeniably good work in all aspects of their role. Employee models work/life balance, and sets appropriate boundaries to ensure success. Employee welcomes opportunities to learn from mistakes and strives to hold themself accountable when it comes to advancing their own DEI competency
Joy: Employees proactively seek ways to find satisfaction and purpose in their day-to-day work, and create space for fun and celebration with both internal and external partners.

Note: Research suggests that women and BIPOC individuals may self-select out of opportunities if they don't meet 100% of the job requirements. We encourage anyone who believes they have the skills and the drive necessary to succeed here to apply for this role.

JOB BENEFITS

ECCLC offers a comprehensive benefits package, including PTO, paid holidays, health, vision and dental, and retirement benefits. For more information on our benefits package, click here.

Early Childhood Council of Larimer County is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate with respect to its volunteers, clients, and staff on the basis of race, color, creed, ethnicity, religion, national origin, language, sex, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status and family status, mental or physical disability, pregnancy or pregnancy related conditions, genetic information, natural or protective hair style, military or veteran status, or any other legally protected status.