Occupational Therapist

Fort Collins, CO, USA

Job Type

Full Time

Job Title: Occupational Therapist

Reports To: Specialist Consultation Manager

Job Location: Fort Collins, CO (Hybrid Remote)

Work Schedule: Full-time; salary (40 hours/week). May require occasional evening or weekend hours.

Salary Range: $60,000-$65,000, depending on qualifications and experience

Exemption Status: Exempt

To apply, please send a cover letter and resume to careers@ecclc.org. The position closes 7/10/2025.

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.

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 the Early Childhood Council of Larimer County (ECCLC), we are a close-knit team of professionals who value passion, innovation, adaptability, and a sense of humor. As a member of the Specialist Consultant Team, the Occupational Therapist (OT) contributes to creating nurturing environments and supporting relationships that promote positive developmental, social-emotional, and behavioral outcomes for young children, their families, and early childhood professionals. This position involves collaborative consultation across a variety of early care and education (ECE) settings, offering expertise to support inclusive practices, sensory and motor development, self-regulation, and overall classroom participation. The OT will work to promote wellness in young children by increasing the capacity of adult caregivers to support children's developmental needs; increase child and caregiver resilience, while reducing challenging behaviors (including those that lead to suspensions and expulsions) by utilizing evidence-based best practices; providing early identification of behavioral concerns; and making referrals to appropriate community services. In addition to direct consultation, the OT may engage in related activities such as parent education, interdisciplinary collaboration with other early childhood systems (e.g., home visiting, child welfare), and community training focused on developmental and functional well-being in early childhood. The OT hired for this position will contribute to research exploring the impact of occupational therapy within this context and work closely with the broader team to advance shared goals.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Occupational Therapy

Assessment and Evaluation: Conduct comprehensive evaluations to identify developmental delays or disabilities, focusing on areas like motor skills, sensory processing, and social-emotional development.
Evaluate classroom contexts in partnership with the ECCLC team to ensure accessible learning environments and inclusive pedagogical practices grounded in developmentally appropriate care.
Individualized Intervention Planning: Develop tailored intervention plans that address each child's specific needs, incorporating family goals and priorities, and engaging community partners (i.e., Foothills Gateway) as needed.
Therapeutic Interventions: Implement evidence-based therapeutic activities to support classroom participation and learning through fine and gross motor skills, coordination, sensory integration, and self-care abilities.
Family Collaboration and Education: Work closely with families to educate and empower them with strategies to support their child's development within daily routines.
Interdisciplinary Coordination: Collaborate with other professionals, including early childhood teachers and administrators, to support children’s engagement in learning and to ensure a cohesive approach to the child's development.
Documentation and Reporting: Develop documentation mechanisms to share information with centers and team members. Maintain accurate records of assessments, intervention plans, progress notes, and communications in compliance with state and federal regulations.

Community Partnerships

Regular participation in ECCLC all-staff and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant meetings, and Early Childhood Coaches meetings as appropriate.
Regular participation in ECCLC Advisory Council meetings.
Participate in Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC) 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.

Consultation

Utilize a relationship-based model to coordinate and deliver regular onsite consultative services to ECE programs, guiding professionals and caregivers to effectively understand and support children’s positive behavior and development.
Promote high-quality interactions and relationships between children and their peers and teaching teams, as well as administration and teachers.
Create a shared understanding of the effects of trauma and adversity, including oppression, prejudice, discrimination, racism, and gender inequity on the developing brain.
Demonstrate an awareness and respect for cultural, racial, gender, and other individual differences in the workplace; value diverse perspectives and experiences, and actively promote an inclusive environment that reflects the broader community.
Support the mental health and well-being of adults who care for children.
Connect and refer children, families, and providers to programs, resources, and supports that will foster their development while addressing barriers to access.
Build and maintain trusting relationships by recognizing and understanding both your own and others’ emotions and behaviors, and using that insight to manage your responses in a way that aligns with your values and achieves the desired outcomes.
Maintain up-to-date knowledge of best practices in the OT field.
Participate as an active member of a fast-paced team and evolving organization, including the development and implementation of strategic plan goals, program evaluation, and ongoing communication to meet program and fundraising objectives.

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. 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 they do.

Collaboration: Employee consistently and proactively collaborates with both internal and external partners, and with individuals and organizations who represent diverse backgrounds and perspectives. Employee demonstrates respectful behavior towards others, regardless of their background.

Recognition: Employee regularly offers recognition for others, and seeks out feedback and opportunities for growth. Employee works hard to ensure that ECCLC is recognized as a strong and respected partner in the community. Employee takes 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. Employee understands that work to advance their own competency around inclusion and belonging 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 inclusion and belonging competency

Joy: Employee proactively seeks ways to find satisfaction and purpose in their day-to-day work, and creates space for fun and celebration with both internal and external partners.

EDUCATION AND WORK EXPERIENCE QUALIFICATIONS

Required:

Licensed Occupational Therapist in Colorado
Master's or doctoral degree in Occupational Therapy from an accredited program.
Demonstrated knowledge, understanding, and expertise of child development, early childhood mental health, early childhood social/emotional screening and assessment tools, prevention and intervention techniques, and local resources.
Experience working in early childhood settings with infants and young children.
Experience working in educational settings with teachers, parents, and administrators.
Strong understanding of child development, excellent communication skills, and the ability to engage effectively with young children and their families.
Demonstrated knowledge and experience in relationship-based professional development, technical assistance practices, and adult learning methods.
Demonstrated knowledge and experience working with diverse and culturally unique populations.
Proficient in the use of Google, Zoom, Microsoft Office (including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook), and other computer functions.
Demonstrated skills in written and verbal communication, including correspondence, reports, reflective supervision, etc.
Proven ability to work independently, manage time, complete assignments, and meet deadlines in a shared office space and out of the office or via telecommuting.
Ability to adapt and be flexible in a constantly changing environment that adjusts to meet organizational and community needs.
Demonstrated experience working as a member of a team.
Ability to drive throughout the region when needed in a reliable personal vehicle (mileage reimbursement available).
Valid CO Driver’s License and Vehicle Insurance.

Desired:

Previous experience in pediatric occupational therapy, particularly with early childhood populations, is highly desirable.
Experience with innovative occupational therapy practices.
Experience with program development.
Knowledge of embedded models of early intervention support
An affinity for a non-profit, community-based work environment
The ability to speak, read, and write in a second language (Spanish or Arabic preferred).

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. As 501c3, ECCLC is currently an eligible employer for public service loan forgiveness. See more information here.

ECCLC enhances diversity through inclusion of individuals reflective of characteristics including, and not limited to, race, ethnicity, age, culture, different ideas and perspectives, disability, first generation status, familial status, gender identity and expression, geographic background, marital status, national origin, religious and spiritual beliefs, sex, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and veteran status. Discrimination based on physical traits that are associated with a person's race or ethnicity, including hair texture, type, style, and headwear, is prohibited in the State of Colorado by the Crown Act of 2020.