Family Engagement Specialist
About this role
Join Our Team and Make a Difference for Children and Families!
Are you passionate about supporting families and helping young children thrive? Do you believe that strong families are the foundation of early learning success? If so, we’d love for you to join our Early Childhood Education team as a Family Engagement Specialist serving the South Suburbs!
In this role, you won’t just have a job—you’ll have the opportunity to make a lasting impact by partnering with families during one of the most important stages of a child’s development. We’re looking for someone who is energized by building relationships, strengthening family connections, and creating opportunities for children to succeed from the very start.
Why Join Us?
We believe that when we take care of our team, they can better support children and families. That’s why we offer a comprehensive benefits package designed with you in mind:
- 95% employer-paid health insurance (single coverage), plus dental & vision
- 401(k) with company match
- Generous PTO
- Year 1: 23 days
- Year 2: 28 days
- Year 3+: 35 days
- 11 Paid Holidays + 1 Floating Holiday
- Tuition Reimbursement
- Flexible Spending Account
- Company-paid STD, LTD & Life Insurance
- $2,000 Hiring Bonus for external candidates
What This Role Is All About
As a Family Engagement Specialist, you’ll play a vital role in connecting families to their child’s early education experience. You’ll help create a supportive, welcoming environment where families feel valued, heard, and empowered to actively participate in their child’s growth and learning.
This position supports sites across the South Suburbs, with a home office in Chicago Heights, IL
What You’ll Do
- Build strong, trusting relationships with families to support their goals and well-being
- Empower families to become active partners in their child’s early education journey
- Plan and host engaging family events, workshops, and activities that foster connection and learning
- Serve as a trusted resource, providing guidance, encouragement, and access to supports
- Collaborate with the Head Start team to ensure children and families are thriving together
- Create a warm, inclusive environment where every family feels they belong
What We’re Looking For
- A relationship-builder who genuinely enjoys connecting with families
- Strong communication skills and a passion for helping others succeed
- Experience working with families and/or children (preferred, not required)
- A collaborative team player who brings energy, empathy, and creativity
- A positive attitude and a heartfelt commitment to strengthening communities
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Social Work, Early Childhood Education, Psychology, or related field
- Two years of case management or similar experience
- A true passion for family engagement and early childhood development
- Creative problem-solving skills and a willingness to bring fresh ideas
- Bilingual skills are a strong plus—help us reach and support more families!
Our Mission – And Your Impact
At IL Action for Children, we believe that empowering families is the key to unlocking every child’s potential. As a Family Engagement Specialist, you’ll help create a ripple effect—supporting parents, strengthening family systems, and building brighter futures for children and communities.
This isn’t just a role—it’s an opportunity to be part of something bigger. Every connection you make, every family you support, and every child you impact helps create lasting change where it matters most.
IL Action for Children is an EEO/M/F/V/D employer.
Company at a glance
Illinois Action for Children is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit charitable organization dedicated to quality, accessible early learning and care opportunities for children. With nearly 600 employees representing more than 20 programs and service across four sites, we have championed the cause of quality child care and early education for families and children throughout Illinois for over 50 years.
Illinois Action for Children is a state and national leader in the early care and education community, distinguished by its "Strong Families, Powerful Communities" approach to child development, preschool education and other family and community supports.
This broad approach to supporting children by supporting families is a proven and effective means to address overarching issues of endemic poverty, which are the root cause of the educational failure of America's poorest children.
Illinois Action for Children's outreach and work with low-income, hard-to-reach families, has led us to research and implement highly effective and innovative programs and advocacy to ensure that early care and education, and other opportunities, are accessible to the children most in need. Highlights from our programs include:
- Public Policy & Advocacy organizing to expand access to child care and early education, and other supports.
- Early Learning Programs to make early education available to young children so they will be ready to succeed when they start school.
- Resource and Referral Program to connect child care providers, parents, and employers with resources such as child care referrals, professional development, health services and community supports.
Our mission is to be a catalyst for organizing, developing and supporting strong families and powerful communities where children matter most.
Top Benefits
- Health Insurance
- Dental Insurance
- Vision Insurance
- 401(k) With Company Match
- Paid Time Off
- Paid Holidays
- Floating Holiday
- Tuition Reimbursement
- Flexible Spending Account
- Short Term Disability Insurance
- Long Term Disability Insurance
- Life Insurance
- Hiring Bonus
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