Established in 1805, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (the NYC Health Department) is the oldest and largest health department in the country. Our mission is to protect and improve the health of all New Yorkers, in service of a vision of a city in which all New Yorkers can realize their full health potential, regardless of who they are, how old they are, where they are from, or where they live.

As a world-renowned public health agency with a history of building transformative public health programming and infrastructure, innovating in science and scholarship to advance public health knowledge, and responding to urgent public health crises from New York City’s yellow fever outbreak in 1822, to the COVID-19 pandemic we are a hub for public health innovation, expertise, and programs, and services. We serve as the population health strategist, and policy, and planning authority for the City of New York, while also having a vast impact on national and international public policy, including programs and services focused on food and nutrition, anti-tobacco support, chronic disease prevention, HIV/AIDS treatment, family and child health, environmental health, mental health, and racial and social justice work, among others.

Our Agency’s five strategic priorities, building off a recently-completed strategic planning process emerging from the COVID-19 emergency, are:
1) To re-envision how the Health Department prepares for and responds to health emergencies, with a focus on building a “response-ready” organization, with faster decision-making, transparent public communications, and stronger surveillance and bridges to healthcare systems 2) Address and prevent chronic and diet-related disease, including addressing rising rates of childhood obesity and the impact of diabetes, and transforming our food systems to improve nutrition and enhance access to healthy foods
3) Address the second pandemic of mental illness including: reducing overdose deaths, strengthening our youth mental health systems, and supporting people with serious mental illness
4) Reduce black maternal mortality and make New York a model city for women’s health
5) Mobilize against and combat the health impacts of climate change

PROGRAM AND JOB DESCRIPTION:

The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene's Division of Environmental Health works to prevent and control illness and injury related to environmental and occupational health risks through outreach, education, surveillance and enforcement. With staff of 1,000, the Division covers a broad range of subject matter, including oversight of environmental investigations, lead poisoning, injury prevention, occupational health, food safety, childcare, radiation control, recreational and drinking water quality, air quality, climate health, vector control, veterinary public health and pest control. The Bureau of Childcare ensures that childcare services in New York City operate in compliance with the New York City Health Code and New York State Social Service regulations and are licensed or permitted as required by law. The Bureau routinely monitors childcare programs to protect the health and safety of children while in the childcare environment, and actively works to improve and expand access to high quality programs which support early childhood development and learning. The Bureau of Childcare seeks to hire an Early Childhood Education Consultant to monitor and make recommendations to childcare programs throughout New York City to ensure that childcare services operate within regulatory compliance.

DUTIES WILL INCLUDE BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO:

- Evaluate and assess childcare programs (center-based, residential, school-based and after-school programs) to assure compliance with local, state and federal regulations and applicable performance standards.
- Provide consultation, guidance and technical assistance to prospective and current childcare providers and staff concerning educational programming, appropriate organization and classroom management techniques, and other best practices within the field.
- Serve as a resource person for the Bureau and providers on current trends and research in Early Childhood Education.
- Issue notices of violation and make recommendations for issuance or denial or childcare permits or licenses and/or closure of programs having imminent health hazards.
- Investigate complaints about the operation of licensed childcare services and allegations of unlicensed childcare.
- Represent the Department at professional conferences and participate in professional development activities related to Early Childhood Education.

1. A masters degree in education from an accredited college or university, including or supplemented by 12 semester hour graduate credits in early childhood or elementary education and three years of full-time satisfactory experience in one or a combination of the following:

(a) as the director or educational director of a licensed school or licensed program which is devoted largely to pre-school and/or kindergarten groups and which employs at least two licensed teachers of early childhood education;

(b) as the teacher director of a licensed school or licensed program which is devoted largely to pre-school and/or kindergarten groups and which employs at least one other licensed teacher of early childhood education;

(c) as a consultant in early childhood education who evaluates such programs and/or provides expert advice for such programs; or

(d) as a consultant in early childhood education who evaluates such programs and/or provides expert advice for such programs in a public agency; or

2. A baccalaureate degree in education from an accredited college or university, including or supplemented by student teaching in early childhood education (pre-K to 2nd grade) in an acceptable licensed program in a licensed school and a masters degree from an accredited college or university, in education, social work, psychology, or counseling and three years of full-time satisfactory experience as described in “1” above.

Special Note:

Five years of satisfactory teaching experience as a licensed teacher of early childhood education may be substituted for the three years of full-time satisfactory experience as described in "1" above.

Requirements for Assignment Level II

To be considered for assignment to Assignment Level II candidates must have, in addition to meeting the "Qualification Requirements" above, one additional year of the
full-time satisfactory experience described above."

Professional Certification in Early Childhood Education Strong communication, analytic, and observational skills Ability to deduce potential impacts of conditions or assess risk Writing skills including the ability to adequately describe observations in detail Computer skills including the use of mobile computing devices Position requires travel throughout the five boroughs using mass transit or a personal vehicle and carry/use mobile inspection equipment weighing approximately 15 pounds. NOTE: This position may be eligible for remote work up to two days per week, pursuant to the Remote Work Pilot Program agreed to between the City and DC37.

New York City residency is generally required within 90 days of appointment. However, City Employees in certain titles who have worked for the City for 2 continuous years may also be eligible to reside in Nassau, Suffolk, Putnam, Westchester, Rockland, or Orange County. To determine if the residency requirement applies to you, please discuss with the agency representative at the time of interview.

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.