Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Head Start Administrative Assistant

🎯 Role Definition

The Head Start Administrative Assistant provides day-to-day administrative and clerical support for a Head Start center or program office to ensure efficient operations, regulatory compliance, and excellent service to families and staff. This role supports ERSEA (Eligibility, Recruitment, Selection, Enrollment, Attendance), maintaining child and family records, preparing required reports (PIR, state/local), coordinating communications and meetings, processing invoices and timesheets, and serving as a first point of contact for families, staff, and community partners.

Keywords: Head Start Administrative Assistant, ERSEA, Head Start Performance Standards, enrollment, child records, CACFP, PIR, attendance, family engagement, compliance, early childhood administration.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Front Desk / Receptionist in an early childhood or nonprofit setting
Office Assistant or Administrative Clerk in education or social services
Family Support Worker or Classroom Assistant with administrative interest

Advancement To:

Enrollment/ERSEA Specialist
Administrative Coordinator or Office Manager (Head Start)
Family Services Coordinator or Assistant Center Director
Program Specialist (compliance, data, or nutrition)

Lateral Moves:

Family Engagement Specialist
Nutrition/CACFP Assistant
Fiscal Assistant (accounts payable/receivable)

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Serve as the primary administrative contact for the center by answering phones, greeting families, scheduling appointments, and managing daily front-desk operations to ensure a welcoming, organized environment aligned with Head Start service delivery.
Manage the ERSEA workflow: track eligibility documentation, accept and process applications, maintain waitlists, and update selection and enrollment records to ensure slots are filled fairly and according to Head Start selection criteria.
Maintain accurate child and family records in compliance with Head Start Performance Standards and program policies, including enrollment forms, emergency contacts, health and immunization records, custody paperwork, and family income verification.
Enter, update, and maintain data in program databases (HSIS, HS Connect, ChildPlus, ECLKC systems or equivalent) with high accuracy for attendance, enrollment status, immunizations, and family services to support reporting and audits.
Prepare and submit timely programmatic reports, including daily/weekly attendance reports, monthly enrollment summaries, and data contributions to PIR (Program Information Report) and other local/state reporting systems.
Monitor daily attendance, follow up with families for unexcused absences, document outreach attempts, and support family engagement efforts to improve participation and comply with attendance monitoring requirements.
Coordinate health and developmental screenings by scheduling appointments, tracking completion of vision/hearing/lead screenings, and ensuring follow-up referrals and documentation are completed per Head Start health services requirements.
Support CACFP (Child and Adult Care Food Program) or local nutrition program procedures by tracking meal counts, maintaining meal pattern documentation, and assisting with menu posting and parent notifications.
Assist center leadership with recruitment activities by preparing outreach materials, coordinating community events, scheduling intake appointments, and maintaining documentation of recruitment efforts for compliance records.
Process routine fiscal tasks such as entering invoices, tracking petty cash, preparing purchase requests, and coordinating with fiscal staff to ensure timely payment and accurate reconciliation of center-level expenses.
Maintain organized physical and electronic filing systems for confidential records, archived documentation, and compliance documents, ensuring files are complete, current, and audit-ready.
Coordinate scheduling logistics for staff meetings, parent committee meetings, trainings, home visits, and community partner appointments, including preparing agendas, materials, minutes, and follow-up communications.
Support human resources and onboarding processes by assisting with background checks, fingerprinting logistics, collection of employment documentation, and tracking staff training and credential records.
Prepare and distribute parent communications: newsletters, notices of events, permission slips, and program updates in accessible formats; coordinate translation/interpretation when needed to ensure equitable family engagement.
Assist teachers and center leadership with supply inventory management, ordering classroom and office supplies, tracking shipments, and maintaining an organized supply room to support uninterrupted classroom operations.
Support emergency preparedness and safety protocols by maintaining up-to-date emergency contact lists, filing incident reports, and assisting with routine safety drills and documentation.
Coordinate transportation documentation and bus lists, communicate changes with transportation providers and families, and maintain accurate attendance/boarding records to ensure child safety and compliance.
Support grant management and compliance by preparing documentation for monitoring visits, responding to document requests, compiling evidence for compliance reviews, and maintaining trackers for corrective actions.
Manage meeting logistics for parent committees and Policy Council: collect RSVPs, prepare materials, track attendance and minutes, and maintain records of parent involvement activities and volunteer hours.
Track and process staff timesheets, leave requests, and substitute teacher documentation at the center level, ensuring accurate submission to payroll/fiscal teams and adherence to program policies.
Provide crisis support coordination by connecting families to community resources (healthcare, housing, food assistance), making referrals, and documenting follow-up activities to support whole-family well-being.
Perform general clerical duties including photocopying, scanning, faxing, mail distribution, preparing packets, and other administrative tasks to keep center operations running smoothly.

Secondary Functions

Assist program data staff with ad-hoc data pulls, spreadsheets, and basic data quality checks to support audits, grant reporting, and program improvement efforts.
Support the development and maintenance of standard operating procedures (SOPs) for administrative tasks, enrollment workflows, and file management to ensure consistent practices across centers.
Participate in staff training on data entry, confidentiality, Head Start regulations, and customer service best practices to improve center-level compliance and family services.
Help coordinate and document parent education workshops, family engagement events, and volunteer orientations, including registration, material preparation, and post-event follow-up.
Contribute to program outreach campaigns, social media posts, and website updates with accurate scheduling and enrollment information to increase visibility and recruitment.
Assist with quality improvement initiatives by collecting family feedback, compiling suggestions, and supporting leadership with action items to enhance program delivery.
Support center leadership with basic project coordination for special initiatives (facility upgrades, seasonal events, vaccination clinics), tracking timelines and vendor communications.
Maintain confidentiality and secure handling of sensitive information; follow data privacy policies when transmitting or storing electronic and paper records.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Proficient knowledge of Head Start Performance Standards, ERSEA processes, and familiarity with program compliance expectations.
Experience with child/family data systems such as ChildPlus, HSIS/HS Connect, ECLKC tools, or comparable early childhood databases; strong, accurate data entry skills.
Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook) with ability to create spreadsheets, mail merges, and professional communications.
Basic bookkeeping and fiscal procedures experience: processing invoices, petty cash reconciliation, purchase order requests, and coordination with fiscal departments.
Knowledge of CACFP meal counting and documentation processes or comparable nutrition program recordkeeping.
Ability to maintain confidential records in both electronic and paper formats; competency with document scanning, secure file storage, and records retention policies.
Scheduling and calendar management skills for coordinating multi-person meetings, trainings, and parent events.
Familiarity with intake and eligibility documentation processing, including verification of income, residency, and family size for public program eligibility.
Basic use of office equipment (multi-line phone systems, copiers, scanners, laminators) and virtual meeting platforms (Zoom, Teams).
Bilingual language skills (Spanish/English or other community languages) preferred for family communication and outreach.

Soft Skills

Excellent customer service and interpersonal skills with a warm, professional demeanor when interacting with families, staff, and community partners.
Strong organizational skills with the ability to prioritize competing tasks, manage multiple deadlines, and maintain meticulous records.
High attention to detail and accuracy, especially when handling enrollment data, health records, and fiscal documentation.
Effective written and verbal communication skills tailored to families and professional stakeholders.
Cultural competence and sensitivity to work with diverse communities and to support inclusive family engagement.
Problem-solving mindset with the ability to identify issues, escalate appropriately, and follow through until resolution.
Discretion and integrity when working with confidential student and staff information.
Team-oriented attitude and flexibility to support center needs and respond to changing program priorities.
Time management and reliability in meeting schedules, reporting deadlines, and attendance-related monitoring.
Initiative and adaptability to learn program-specific systems, policies, and new administrative tools.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

High school diploma or GED required.

Preferred Education:

Associate degree or certificate in Early Childhood Education, Office Administration, Human Services, Nonprofit Management, or related field preferred.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Early Childhood Education
Office Administration / Business Administration
Human Services / Social Work
Nonprofit Management / Public Administration

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

1–3 years of administrative experience; experience in early childhood education, Head Start, or a community-based nonprofit strongly preferred.

Preferred:

2+ years supporting Head Start or comparable early childhood programs with documented experience in ERSEA, enrollment, child records management, and program compliance.
Experience working with families from diverse cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds and demonstrated success in customer service and family engagement.

If you would like, I can tailor this job summary to your organization’s specific Head Start program (e.g., center-based vs. home-based, county/location, bilingual needs, salary grade), or convert it into an ATS-optimized job posting or interview guide.