Program Engagement Specialist

As the Program Engagement Specialist, you serve as both a celebration architect and a guide for growth at Orange County Head Start. You assist in designing and orchestrating a culture of learning, connection, and professional development that empowers staff to thrive and deliver the highest quality early childhood services.

You help team members build confidence, strengthen skills, and feel inspired in their roles. You collaborate across the agency to enhance onboarding, training, and processes, ensuring every staff member feels valued and connected to our mission.

You aid in telling the story of our success, capturing and sharing the moments that highlight progress, celebrate achievements, and reinforce the pride we take in serving children and families. By curating engaging experiences and fostering a spirit of excellence, you help create meaningful moments that uplift staff, inspire dedication, and bring joy to the communities we serve.

Your work ensures that Orange County Head Start is not only a place of service, but a place where magic, growth, and belonging happen every day.

Program Engagement Specialist Essential Job Duties

Promote a positive, inclusive culture at OCHS by assisting in the creation of a learning environment that recognizes staff accomplishments, inspires innovation, and builds a strong sense of community and belonging.

Maintain positive staff relations by having meaningful, proactive, and mission driven conversations and interactions.

Acts as a liaison among families, clients, partners, staff, and the Agency; triages inquiries and concerns for proper resolution, and shares positive feedback to support recognition and continuous improvement.

Coordinate celebrations for milestones and victories of OCHS Staff. Help recognize and reward staff for their dedication, hard work, and accomplishments, creating a culture of appreciation and continuous improvement.

Serve as a role model for professional growth and development, encouraging staff to pursue continuous learning and achieve their highest potential.

Encourage a shared vision by collaborating with program leadership to identify training priorities, plans and professional development initiatives with agency goals and Head Start Performance Standards.

Assist with developing and implementing employee engagement strategies that support staff in delivering high quality, purpose driven services to children and families by:

Strengthen employees’ connection to the mission by helping them understand how their work contributes to the Agency’s goals, traditions, history, and heritage.

Keep staff aligned with organizational culture and strategy while fostering resilience and adaptability.

Reinforce OCHS values, history, and operating philosophies through clear, intentional communication.

Communicate in ways that help staff recognize how their actions positively impact a child’s life.

Engage employees on an emotional level to build motivation, commitment, and a sense of purpose.

Encourage all staff—including management—to shift from a task focused mindset to an experience focused approach.

Inspire staff to use every interaction with children and families as an opportunity to create meaningful experiences and contribute to breaking the cycle of poverty.

Coordinate orientation for all new staff, consultants, and volunteers that, at minimum, covers the program’s goals, underlying philosophy, and required implementation practices in accordance with 1302.92.

Support the facilitation of site‑based or central Learning Communities held monthly and as needed.

Aid in organizing “Team Talks” to strengthen collaboration and minimize isolation.

Track and report Stay Survey data to help facilitate the creation of Stay Plan to help reduce staff turnover.

Using data generated from surveys, interviews, and Staff Needs Assessment, provide reporting to Human Resources Director and Management Team on potential program improvement decisions for consideration.

Provide support for an annual Staff Needs Assessment.

Coordinate and organize staff training and maintain the OCHS training calendar.

Create infographics to simplify multi-step processes and operational procedures.

Collaborate and support design of micro-learning modules for on-demand training.

Maintain and update the training materials on a quarterly basis to ensure all materials align with current policies.

Design promotional communication to drive enrollment in training classes and workshops.

Track new hire satisfaction at 90 days, 6 months, 9 months and one year.

Meet with parents, staff, and community groups to share OCHS’s mission and collect feedback on how employee development influences center quality.

Assist with planning and coordination of Staff Awards and Appreciation Events.

With input from the Executive Director, provide assistance with coordinating the Staff Input Committee selection and quarterly meetings.

Spark positive energy by spotlighting success stories and impact that celebrate staff growth and achievement.

Help with the creation of clear, consistent company‑wide communications that keep staff informed, aligned, and engaged.

Serves as backup support to the Main Office Receptionist as needed.

Other Essential Job Duties

Must have an interest in children and their development.

Mandated reporter under California’s Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act (CANRA).

Must abide by all agency policies including agency’s Standards of Conduct, fraud and confidentiality policies. Must not discuss the affairs of the staff, children or Head Start families. Will only discuss agency business on a need to know basis.

Must be professional at all times and be neat and clean in personal appearance.

Responsible for establishing good working relations with parents, staff, professionals and the general public.

Receptive to act on guidance and feedback from leadership.

Serve as a member of your assigned work site team:

Participate in staff meetings.

Participate in the annual Community Assessment, Self-Assessment, and Program Information Report (PIR).

Assist in the recruitment of children and volunteers.

Assist in obtaining non-federal matching funds (in-kind).

Cover job duties of absent staff as assigned by immediate supervisor or administration.

Perform extra assignments in other areas and related task assignments in the work area.

Provide support and resources to other employees.

Maintain timelines and due dates of job related activities via individual Google Calendar.

Create and maintain visual work instructions, position and work site related.

Regular, consistent attendance.

Domestic travel required.

Must be able to travel to assigned work location(s). This is not a work from home position.

Must keep the work area neat and clean.

Lift 10-30 lbs regularly, up to 50 lbs occasionally.

Perform other job related duties as assigned by immediate supervisor or administration.

Non-Essential Job Duties

Perform similar and incidental duties as assigned or required.

Job Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Communications, Public Relations, or related field preferred.

Experience: Minimum of 1-2 years experience working with employees, community partners, and families.

Driving: Must have a valid California Driver’s License and proof of insurance. Must be able to drive to and from different centers, meetings, and/or training venues.

Knowledge: Extensive knowledge of Head Start program regulations, current initiatives and trends; reporting practices and requirements in areas related to parent, family, and community engagement, nutrition and health, and education; monitoring systems and methodologies, research methods and statistical analysis techniques; management and supervisory principles and practices.

Language Skills: Outstanding oral and written communication skills, including presentation skills; prepare and present clear, comprehensive, detailed reports, and other written materials. Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence. Ability to effectively present information in one-on-one and small group situations to parents, and employees of the agency.

Math Skills: Basic math skills including the ability to perform and understand basic statistics, percentages and ratios. Ability to add and subtract two digit numbers and to multiply and divide with 10's and 100's. Ability to perform these operations using units of American money and weight measurement, volume, and distance.