IAFC Application Assistant

Bilingual Part-time, permanent position - 25 hours per week without benefits

Illinois Action for Children (“IAFC”), a local, state, and national leader in the early childhood care and education sector for over 50 years. IAFC programs, services, and advocacy improve learning and life outcomes for children and families, including reducing the effects of poverty. IAFC works to ensure that every child in Illinois – particularly those in need – have access to the necessary resources to succeed in school and in life.

Along with our mission, IAFC is committed to building and maintaining a diverse, equitable, inclusive, and anti-racist culture. We are dedicated to this pledge through our hiring practices and our focus on creating a culture and environment where diverse perspectives, ideas, and identities are valued and integrated into our way of working and servicing our staff and clients. IAFC staff represent a wide diversity of racial, socio-economic, gender, religious, and national identities. We welcome all applicants who share our mission and vision to join us in our essential work.

Under the direction of the Chicago Application and Enrollment Supervisor, the IAFC Bilingual Application Assistant assists parents seeking Chicago Early Learning, Pre-K, Elementary and High School options in the City of Chicago. The IAFC Application Assistant will work to troubleshoot parents’ issues with completing the Go CPS application, Chicago Early learning application, educate the parents regarding child development issues, quality indicators, licensing standards, Chicago Early Learning programs, Go CPS options, IDHS Child Care Assistance Program and other program options such as Before and After school programs. Serves as a point person with internal and external programs. All work is to be completed with minimum supervision and in accordance with organizational standards.

This is a part-time position. The person in this role will work 25 hours per work week.

This incumbent will be expected to promote and adhere to the workplace core capabilities of accountability, customer focus, continuous quality improvement, communication, competent people, and clear priorities. All work is to be completed with minimum supervision and in accordance with organizational standards.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include but are not limited to the following. The organization reserves the right to add to, delete, change, or modify the essential duties and responsibilities at any time.

• Provide information to parents regarding applying for Go CPS and Chicago Early Learning options for Pre-K through high school over the phone, through web chat and/or at walk-in desk in accordance with IAFC and City of Chicago policies and procedures. This includes connecting parents and staff to the Chicago Early Learning universal application website, GoCPS.edu website and Chicago Early Learning Family Resource Centers, appropriate CPS offices, CPS schools and DFSS delegate agencies.
• Assist parents who are interested in information on Chicago Early Learning program options through the Chicago Early Learning On-Line Application.
• Assist parents who are interested in applying for Go CPS options online via GoCPS.edu. This includes answering questions regarding application navigation, password/username resets, providing referral assistance, and escalating application issues to CPS and as necessary.
• Provide enhanced referral service to parents based on parents’ needs/request and contractual obligations.
• Troubleshoot more difficult calls from parents regarding special needs referrals, child development issues, etc. Ensure problem cases are resolved in a timely, accurate and professional manner.
• Provide feedback to Chicago Application and Enrollment Supervisor on Go CPS and CEL processes including issues faced by parents completing these steps, noticeable trends, and customer feedback.
• Input data and maintain zip code database for Go CPS, Chicago Early Learning, Smartsheet and Sales Force database.
• Refer potentially eligible parents to appropriate IAFC programs for information on IDHS program; educate parents on other IAFC programs.
• Reconcile and prepare reports for internal/DFSS/CPS use and written consumer education materials.
• Execute our workplace core capabilities of accountability, customer focus, continuous quality improvement (CQI), communication, competent people, and clear priorities.
• Other Functions: The Organization may assign other functions to the job at its discretion.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE:

High School Diploma with experience working in early childhood educational setting or experience working in a high-volume call center experience. Experience with Chicago Early Learning or Go CPS application systems a plus.

OTHER SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

Ability to navigate several databases, websites, or programs simultaneously while assisting callers. Ability to travel locally. Strong verbal and written English and Spanish communication skills Excellent presentation skills. Must have high speed internet.

This is a permanent position working 25 hours per week, without benefits.

Pay Rate: $22.00 per hour

Location: Chicago, IL(Chatham) Hybrid Position - Remote & Onsite

While we desire for this job posting to be comprehensive, all aspects of the position may be amended at any time at the discretion of IAFC including job duties, work location and/or work schedule.

IL Action for Children is EEO/M/F/V/D employer

As established by the Illinois Action for Children Board of Directors, all employees are required to receive a vaccination against COVID-19, unless a medical or religious reasonable accommodation is approved. If offered a job, the candidate must be able to prove that they have been vaccinated with one of the CDC-authorized vaccines, including either Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson / Janssen or request and be granted an accommodation before their start date.