Child Development Specialist

Ready to make a difference in early childhood education? As a mentor and guide, you'll help childcare programs achieve and maintain Texas Rising Star (TRS) certification. From providing hands-on mentoring and technical assistance to directors, teachers, and staff, to modeling best practices and crafting engaging workshops, your role ensures that quality improvement plans are set and goals are met!

You'll also be an advocate for growth and excellence, conducting assessments, supporting professional development, and helping directors become leaders in the field. Whether it's through mock assessments, leadership training, or creating a network of resources, you'll be a critical part of expanding high-quality childcare programs in the Workforce Solutions East Texas Board's 14-county region.

Join us to make a meaningful impact and grow with a team dedicated to serving East Texas Childcare programs. Review the full application at and apply now!

Education & Experience Requirements: Must meet one or more of the three following education criteria:

• Bachelor's degree in early childhood, elementary or special education, child development, child or educational psychology, or family consumer science.

• Bachelor's Degree including 18 hours in areas listed above, with at least 12 of the 18 hours in child development.

• Associate degree in early childhood, elementary or special education, child development, child or educational psychology, or family consumer science with two years' suitable experience in an early childhood program with preference given for experience with a program that is accredited or TRS certified.

Additionally, must be able to obtain 36 hours of annual professional development and continuing education consistent with TRS training requirements for a center director; ability to complete the TRS certification course and pursue TWC's coaching micro-credential requirements; knowledge of and use of TECPDS; may have or become a Child Development Associate Professional Development Specialist; ability to pass required and complete any further requirements that may be applicable to the TRS Mentor position. 

Minimum two years of full-time early childhood experience in child care, Early Head Start, Head Start or pre-kindergarten through third grade school program; 3 to 5 years of experience following best practices in early childhood classroom education, understanding of and experience with evaluations, observations and assessments of teachers, and children between the ages 0 to 6; prefer knowledge and understanding of TRS Certification Guidelines and the minimum standards of Texas childcare licensing.

Please carefully review the full job description attached for more details. An additional requirement of this position, due to the nature and direct access to children in childcare settings, employees are required to successfully pass and maintain an annual background and criminal history check in accordance with Texas Child Care Regulation (CCR) requirements, Texas State Law §42.159.

East Texas Council of Governments is a voluntary association of counties, cities, school districts and special districts within the fourteen-county East Texas region. We assist local governments in planning for common needs, cooperating for mutual benefit and coordinating for sound regional development. Either directly, or through our contractors, ETCOG provides programs and services for East Texas seniors, employers and job seekers. We also build the 9-1-1 emergency call delivery system, provide peace officer training and homeland security planning services; and deliver rural transportation services, business finance programs, grant writing services and environmental grant funding for the region.