Easterseals serves 33,000 clients annually in programs across Chicagoland and the Rockford Region in Illinois and Northwest, Indiana, proudly employing over 600 dedicated professionals since 1936. We offer a wide-range of programs, some of which include therapeutic schools and adult programs for individuals living with autism spectrum disorder and other intellectual disabilities, inclusive early childhood education, early intervention, home visiting, training and more.

Primary responsibilities include developing community linkages in Chicago and Suburban Cook County to support all content areas of the Head Start/Early Head program, and coordinating and tracking the Parent Involvement Activity Budget.

• Identify, develop, and maintain community linkage agreements to meet family and program needs in the areas of health, dental health, mental health, social services, parent and family engagement, father/male engagement, early childhood education, inclusion/disabilities, and recruitment and enrollment.
• Work with the Early Learning Specialist to ensure that there are Memorandum of Understanding (MOUs) with all Local Education Agencies (LEAs) and Part C Agencies in the service areas, and linkage agreements with local schools to support the transition of children to kindergarten.
• Recruit community health professionals to serve on the Health Services Advisory Committee.
• Recruit Community Representatives to serve on the Chicago Parent Policy Committee (PPC) and the Suburban Policy Council (PC).
• Compile and update community resource directories.
• Prepare community resource materials for advocates and home visitors to distribute to parents monthly, and to have available for parent resource boards. 
• Serve as the Easterseals liaison to the Suburban Directors’ Community/Recruitment Committee.
• Represent Easterseals Head Start/Early Head Start at community group meetings. 
• Develop linkages with organizations, businesses, and independent contractors to provide parent workshops/activities on a variety of topics; coordinate all required paperwork for new and renewing presenters, including background checks and contracts; maintain updated list of presenters for advocates to contact for parent activities at their sites.
• Coordinate the development of the Parent Involvement Activity Budget (PIAB) and Calendar; track spending for each site’s parent activities to ensure adherence to the PIAB.
• Coordinate program-wide parent activities.
• Coordinate program participation in Toys for Tots, food drives, coat drives, etc.
• Coordinate program participation at community health fairs, festivals, and other recruitment/outreach events.
• Serve as the liaison to the Easterseals Communications team.
• Coordinate development of recruitment and marketing materials.
• Coordinate program contributions to the quarterly Heads Up newsletter.
• Attend workshops and trainings related to family and community engagement. Share information from workshops and trainings with parents, staff, and sites.
• Assist Family and Health Leadership in providing ongoing training related to Family and Community Engagement to staff and centers as needed.
• Participate in Enrollment/Recruitment Campaign, annual self-assessment, community assessment, and PIR.
• Contribute to achievement of Program Goals, School Readiness goals, and PFCE goals. 
• All other duties as assigned.