POSITION:                                Early Childhood Blind and Low Vision Specialist

REPORTS TO:                            Program Director, Little Learners Program

STATUS:                                     Full-time, Exempt

JOB CLASSIFICATION:              Specialist II

UNION ELIGIBLE:                      Yes

WORK ARRANGEMENT:            Hybrid, Servicing the Northern Bay Community

LOCATION:                                HTQ – San Francisco, CA

SALARY RANGE:                       $68,905.20-$100,005

APPLICATION DEADLINE:         Open Until Filled

Founded in San Francisco in 1902, the LightHouse’s purpose is to promote the independence, equality and self-reliance of people who are blind or visually impaired. The LightHouse is currently in a period of growth, increasing our capacity to serve more low-vision and blind clients.

*Blind/visually impaired strongly encouraged to apply.

*Please note the terms and conditions of this position may be subject to change, once a Union Collective Bargaining Agreement is in place.

OVERVIEW:

LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired, headquartered in downtown San Francisco, is looking for a full-time Early Childhood Blind and Low Vision Specialist to service the Northern Bay Area community, including Sonoma and Marin Counties.

The Early Childhood Blind and Low Vision Specialist reports to the LightHouse Little Learners Program Director. 

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Minimum B.A. or B.S. degree
• Strongly Preferred: Masters/Credential in Visual Impairments, Orientation and Mobility, Early Childhood/Special Education, Physical or Occupational Therapy, or Social Work 
• Minimum three years’ experience working with infants and preschoolers who are blind or have low vision, or whose developmental delays include blindness or low vision; or who are deafblind
• Minimum three years’ experience providing home visits to families 
• Work in multi-cultural teaching circumstances
• Trained in Lilli Nielsen philosophy of Active Learning
• Experience with early childhood Assistive Technology and AAC

Desired Qualifications:

• Professional preparation in the following:
  • Education of young children who are blind or have low vision
  • Cortical and Cerebral visual impairment
  • Orientation and Mobility
  • Infant or Early Childhood Development
  • Physical or Occupational Therapy
  • Child-Family Social Work
• Professional preparation in the philosophy of Infant and Family Mental Health
• Bilingual fluency; Spanish preferred
• Public speaking skills
• Infant Massage Training or Certification

REQUIRED SKILLS:

• Strong written and spoken communication skills
• Knowledge of the many strategies, techniques and communities used to support blind children, teens, and adults for success throughout life.
• Effective interpersonal and communication skills with children and adults
• Joyful, playful, positive working style with children
• Strong organization, recordkeeping, and prioritization/time management skills to meet multiple ongoing deadlines and monthly submission of billing
• Takes initiative and can work independently under pressure
• Creative and collaborative problem solver
• Flexible schedule and demeanor: able to accommodate widely varied and unpredictable home circumstances with children, family members and pets present
• Positive attitude, professional manner, and strong work ethic
• Ability to interact and network with professionals and to deal professionally with a variety of individuals and organizations
• Ability to relate to and show compassion toward concerned client families and family members, and to build partnerships with families that support their priorities for their child’s development
• Must be sensitive to family diversity, cultural and socioeconomic circumstances

Other:

• Ability to use alternative modes of transportation regularly
• Comfort with navigating in familiar and new communities
• Willingness to be fingerprinted and complete a background check, including Livescan
• Willingness to complete a TB test
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with changing priorities and demands
• Willingness to use personal phone for work-related communications (will be reimbursed). The Specialist’s phone number will be shielded from callers through the LightHouse system.

Technology Skills:

• Knowledge of basic computer and technology skills with the following preferred experience: Calendaring, Microsoft Office, Word, Excel, Outlook, as well as other Software Applications, such as Salesforce, ADP, Zoom tele-conference; and including facility with encrypted data communication systems

Transportation:

• The ability to travel to various locations throughout the SF bay area and Northern California is essential to the duties of this position
• Strong organization and prioritization/time management skills that ensure timely completion of weekly tasks and long-term projects
• Valid California Driver’s License or valid California REAL ID

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Early Childhood Blind and Low Vision Specialist in this role will provide services in the following areas:  

Family Services:

• Provide parent/caregiver education and family-centered coaching services in the context of the natural environment of the home and community for families of young children (birth to three years of age) who are blind or have low vision; have neurological visual impairment; whose developmental delays include blindness or low vision; or who are deafblind 
• Provide information and resources to families related to their child’s blindness or low vision, and how these disabilities impact early development
• Conduct parent interviews and administer developmental and functional vision assessments appropriate for this population of children and their families
• Encourage parent/caregiver and child interactions and the child’s overall growth and development through adapted play and routines-based activities in the home, community, or by remote learning or a hybrid of in-person and remote learning
• Support the relationship and bond between the parent/caregiver and child utilizing the philosophy of infant and family mental health
• Coach families in child-advocacy skills in medical, educational, and social settings
• Have a working knowledge of specialized toys and materials, adaptations, learning strategies, and assistive technology for young children who are blind or have low vision, or neurological visual impairment, or whose developmental delays are combined with blindness or deaf blindness

Community Collaboration and Outreach: 

• Consult and build professional working relationships with community representatives as a full participant on the child and family’s Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP) team
• Partner with the child’s site-based early intervention program to adapt materials, approaches and the environment for a child who is blind or has low vision
• Prepare for, accompany, and debrief with families on important medical visits
• Provide information, resources, and referrals to families for relevant community services and assistance
• Provide or assist in the provision of workshops and trainings on early childhood blindness and low vision for families and professionals
• Help plan and coordinate individual or group family education and parent-to-parent-support opportunities and events
• At the direction of their supervisor, attend and participate in programs of national, state, and local groups of parents of blind children

Case Management:

• Maintain and organize secure and safe client case files in multiple formats, as needed, including client family demographic data, contracts, Purchases of Service, medical and educational documents, Family Surveys, and research forms, for a service population in the range of 20-30 clients per FTE
• Communicate in a timely and professional manner with community partners in the provision of services to children and families
• Prepare and submit Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP) outcome reports and assessments to contracting agencies according to established timelines
• Maintain consistent, accurate service notes
• Maintain accurate client billing records in electronic format and submit service hours for billing by established deadlines
• Comply with HIPAA and FERPA requirements related to confidentiality of documents and communications
• Ability to purchase, track and maintain toys and materials in an organized and safe condition, and to utilize materials found within the family home to prepare activities with families and demonstrate learning concepts
• Maintain and submit accurate monthly expense reports in accordance with Lighthouse employee handbook and policies.

Organizational Support:

• Establish and maintain a safe and secure home office environment to effectively perform duties required of the Early Childhood Blindness and Low Vision Specialist
• Provide families with required agency, state, and federal electronic forms, and maintain in case electronic file
• Assist with confidential data gathering and information-sharing per state and federal requirements; in collaboration with LightHouse’s internal departments such as Program, IT, Development, Finance and Communications
• Participate in scheduled All-Staff and LightHouse Little Learners Program Staff Meetings (regional and full program)
• Complete Performance Review requirements
• Willingness to learn and follow accessibility and inclusion principals in a diverse, inclusive work environment

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: (will differ in periods of remote learning):

• Commitment to following COVID-19 protocols, including use of required Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), social distancing and hand-washing techniques, during in-person services. 
• Able to lift boxes and materials up to 30 pounds
• Able to work in a variety of circumstances and locations including offices, family homes and apartment buildings, indoor/outdoor locations, attending meetings in person and remotely, conduct activities such as using a computer, and travel among locations throughout the day as an itinerant professional.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

• Typical work hours: 9 AM-5PM, 5 days per week per FTE
• Willingness to work *outside* of normal working hours when appointments or Lighthouse programs require it
• Works in a well-lighted, ventilated home or headquarters office area
• With the approval of their supervisor, attends and participates in professional development opportunities related to job responsibilities
• Works at events held in indoor and outdoor environments including occasional overnight stays at Enchanted Hills Camp in Napa
• Attends LightHouse all-staff events and, with the permission of their supervisor, optional LightHouse blindness learning events
• Willingness to be fingerprinted and complete a background check, including a Livescan and TB Test

LightHouse is an equal opportunity employer.  LightHouse policy and the law prohibit discrimination and harassment based on an individual’s race, ancestry, religion or religious creed (including religious dress and grooming practices), color, age (40 and over), sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin (including language use restrictions), marital status, medical condition (including cancer and genetic characteristics), physical or mental disability (including HIV and AIDS), military or veteran status, pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions, denial of Family and Medical Care leave, height and weight, or any other classification protected by federal, state, or local laws, regulations, or ordinances.  Our policy and the law prohibit co-workers, third parties, supervisors, and managers from engaging in such conduct.

LightHouse personnel are employed on an at-will basis.  Employment at-will means that the employment relationship may be terminated, with or without cause and with or without advance notice at any time by the employee or the Agency.

We strive to maintain a scent-free environment and a drug-free workplace.  Employees are expected to behave in accordance with these objectives.

All employees at LightHouse are hired for an indefinite and unspecified duration and consequently, no employee is guaranteed employment for a specified length of time. Employment is at the mutual consent of the employee and LightHouse. Accordingly, either the employee or LightHouse can terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without cause (“employment at will”).

HOW TO APPLY:

Please submit a cover letter and résumé as Word attachments (no. PDFs please), along with the completed employment application (downloads in a Word document), to HR@lighthouse-sf.org, including the job title in the subject line. To fill out the application, please enable editing in the document. We will not consider videos or hyperlinks to online profiles. Due to time constraints, we will only respond to complete submissions in which there is serious interest, thanks for your understanding.