Center Aide

The Opportunity Alliance is seeking a Center Aide in Portland. Join the Head Start team and make a difference in the lives of children and families in your community.  

Head Start promotes the school readiness of young children from low-income families through high quality, culturally appropriate early care and education experiences. Classrooms implement a responsive curriculum with a strong focus on social-emotional well-being with a low teacher to child ratio to support growth and learning in all domains. Head Start centers families in their children's education and care through meaningful engagement. All staff are supported to identify and work towards their professional goals through a combination of ongoing supervision, coaching and training.  

The Center Aide works collaboratively with the teaching team to provide a safe, nurturing, and stimulating learning environment for children ages 3-5  years. Classroom responsibilities include developing and maintaining respectful and trusting relationships with children, facilitating children's involvement in learning activities, supporting children during important transitions and routines, and learning about and practicing effective behavior management techniques.  

The Center Aide is also responsible for the preparation and service of nutritious meals as well as the operations of the Center's kitchen. Meal preparation includes chopping vegetables and fruits, portioning food, and following recipes to ensure balanced nutrition according to applicable program standards. The Center Aide supports teaching staff in educating children about the foods that they are eating and the importance of healthy nutrition. 

Schedule: Full-time, 32 hours per week.

This position follows the school calendar year.

Location: Portland, ME

Qualifications: 

• A high school diploma or equivalent or be attending high school or be enrolled in a GED preparation program or be enrolled in a CDA credential program (any one of these must be completed within 2 years of hire) required.
• 1 year of center-based teaching, early intervention, home visiting or community-based work related to early childhood education, preferred.
• 1 year of food preparation & service experience, preferred.
• Knowledge of the important role that culture plays in child & family development.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with teams.
• Commitment to social justice and the mission of Head Start.
• Must be able to able to successfully pass a criminal background, child protective service check & sex offender check and must not be on the state or federal suspension and disbarment list.
• Must be able to pass pre-employment physical and TB screen and must be current on MMR and TDAP immunizations.
• Must be able to exert significant physical effort with frequent standing, walking, reaching, stooping, bending, kneeling, crouching, typing and frequently lift and carry small children or material weighing up to 25 pounds.
• Driving or accessing other means of transportation may be necessary to attend meetings and trainings.

Benefits: Our benefits include but are not limited to:

(offered to full-time and part-time employees)

• Generous paid time off accrual
• 9 paid holidays per calendar year and up to 3 floating holidays per calendar year 
• Excellent medical benefits at very reasonable cost 
• Dental and Vision insurance options 
• Agency paid basic life insurance and STD & LTD disability insurances 
• 403(b) retirement with a generous agency match (all employees are eligible)
• Tuition Reimbursement – offered once per year through an application process
• The Opportunity Alliance (TOA) is a qualified employer under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program.

To learn more about our benefits please visit,

Who we are…

The Opportunity Alliance is "Helping People Reach for a Brighter Future".

Mission: The Opportunity Alliance works with people to build better lives and stronger communities. We provide advocacy, leadership, and support to identify the goals and address the needs of individuals, families, and communities.

The Opportunity Alliance (TOA) is a dynamic, results-focused Community Action Agency providing approximately 50 integrated community-based and clinical programs serving more than 20,000 people annually throughout the state of Maine. With over 50 years of experience, TOA draws from a comprehensive set of programs which address issues such as mental health, substance use, homelessness, lack of basic needs, and access to community supports. Through an extensive array of services, TOA provides opportunities for individuals to stabilize fragile situations and then works with them to achieve self-sufficiency. TOA is client-focused with extensive experience working with diverse client populations. TOA programming includes four key sectors of service:

• Mental Health & Wellness
• Community Building
• Family & Early Childhood Education
• Economic Resources

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Please submit a cover letter and resume along with your application.

Thank you