LICENSING SPECIALIST - CHILD CARE - 60074335

Requisition No: 847046 

Agency: Children and Families

Working Title: LICENSING SPECIALIST - CHILD CARE - 60074335

 Pay Plan: Career Service

Position Number: 60074335 

Salary:  agency to update 

Posting Closing Date: 02/28/2025 

Total Compensation Estimator Tool

Licensing Specialist

Department of Children and Families

Panama City

Open Competitive

Current employees will be compensated in accordance with the DCF salary policy.

This is a part time (20 hours per week) career service position.

What you will do:

This is a professional position specializing in counseling, investigative, and administrative activities in Child Care Licensing.

How you will make an impact:

• Conduct inspections for childcare homes and facilities to monitor for compliance with Child Care Handbooks, Florida Statutes, Florida Administrative Code and Health and Safety Checklist standards.
• Process initial and renewal applications, including background screening clearances and training as required.
• Determines eligibility and make recommendations for licensure to supervisor/regional program manager.
• Investigate complaints on licensed providers, illegal childcare operations, and School Readiness providers.
• Maintain and update database tracking system, prepare reports, and initiate administrative action as required.

Minimum Qualifications:

• High School Diploma
• Minimum 1 year experience working in a licensed or exempt childcare program?
• Valid Driver License
• Must possess operational private vehicle for use in the performance of daily work activities. Selected candidates are required to provide proof of vehicle registration and documentation of the appropriate insurance coverage within 30 days of hire as a condition of employment.  The Department provides a Vehicle Insurance Allowance to assist with the cost of insurance coverage due to the use of private vehicle for work purposes.

Special Notes:

College degree preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Follow policy and procedures, manage time to organize and coordinate work assignments, assess conditions for risk and safety, develop plans, interview, counsel, organize community resources to assist families, evaluate for indicators of abuse and neglect, document, engage, take appropriate actions related to domestic violence, mental health, and/or substance abuse, actively listen and communicate both verbally and in writing, establishing and maintain effective relationships, flexible and able to work independently, utilize computer systems to document, communicate, run reports and track data.

Candidate Profile (application) must be completed in its entirety.

• Include supervisor names and phone numbers for all periods of employment.
• Account for and explain any gaps in employment so that the hiring process is not delayed.
• Experience, education, training, knowledge, skills and/or abilities as well as responses to pre-qualifying questions must be verifiable to meet the minimum qualifications. 
• It is unacceptable to use the statement “See Resume” in place of entering work history.
• If you experience problems applying online, please call the People First Service Center at (877) 562-7287.

Benefits of Working for the State of Florida:

Working for the State of Florida is more than a paycheck. The State’s total compensation package for employees features a highly competitive set of employee benefits.

For a more complete list of benefits, visit www.mybenefits.myflorida.com.

Growth Opportunities:

With 12,000 employees across the state DCF promotes opportunities and training for all.  Our jobs are among the most challenging, complex, and difficult in State government. They are also among the most rewarding. All employees are encouraged to take advantage of available Department opportunities for advancement and professional development.

Where you will work:

Florida is the only state that borders both the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico.  In other words, no matter where you land in Florida, you’re never more than 60 miles from a body of saltwater.  And if the beach isn’t your scene, there are 175 state parks to explore!  Meanwhile, Floridians hail from a wide range of backgrounds, cultures, ethnicities, and walks of life, making it an incredibly diverse melting pot that many residents and visitors to Florida love.  The Sunshine State is a great place to live and work – Come join our team!

About Department of Children and Families:

Mission:  The mission of the Department of Children and Families is to work in partnership with local communities to protect the vulnerable, promote strong and economically self-sufficient families, and advance personal and family recovery and resiliency.

Vision:   We are a highly skilled workforce committed to empowering people with complex and varied needs to achieve the best outcomes for themselves and their families. In collaboration with community stakeholders, we will deliver world class and continuously improving service focused on providing the people we serve with the level and quality that we would demand and expect for our own families.

Values:  A workforce that operates with integrity maintains loyalty to a code of ethics that requires the courage to take responsibility for providing the highest quality of service to the vulnerable. We are a solutions-focused learning organization built on a foundation of transparency in action and accountability of results. Both within the organization and among our stakeholders, we thrive in a culture of respect for diversity of opinion that is nurtured through open communication. High performing and committed, we are unified in our goal of excellence in achieving quality outcomes for those we serve. 

To learn more please visit https://www.myflfamilies.com/.

• If you are a retiree of the Florida Retirement System (FRS), please check with the FRS on how your current benefits will be affected if you are re-employed with the State of Florida.  Your current retirement benefits may be suspended or voided, and you will be required to repay all benefits received depending upon the date of your retirement.
• The position will perform all job tasks in accordance with laws, rules, regulations, policies, and requirements applicable to state and federal laws or procedures.

We hire only U.S. citizens and lawfully authorized alien workers.

Participation in the State of Florida Direct Deposit Program is required as a condition of employment per F.S. 110.113, and enrollment must be completed within the first 30 calendar days of your appointment.

BACKGROUND SCREENING REQUIREMENT: It is the policy of the Florida Department of Children and Families that any applicant being considered for employment must successfully complete a State and National criminal history check as a condition of employment before beginning employment, and also be screened in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 435, F.S., and, if applicable, Chapter 408, F.S.  No applicant may begin employment until the background screening results are received, reviewed for any disqualifying offenses, and approved by the Agency. 

Background screening shall include, but not be limited to, fingerprinting for State and Federal criminal records checks through the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and may include local criminal history checks through local law enforcement agencies.

The State of Florida is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action Employer, and does not tolerate discrimination or violence in the workplace.

Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center (1-866-663-4735). Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.

The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act.

VETERANS’ PREFERENCE.  Pursuant to Chapter 295, Florida Statutes, candidates eligible for Veterans’ Preference will receive preference in employment for Career Service vacancies and are encouraged to apply.  Certain service members may be eligible to receive waivers for postsecondary educational requirements.  Candidates claiming Veterans’ Preference must attach supporting documentation with each submission that includes character of service (for example, DD Form 214 Member Copy #4) along with any other documentation as required by Rule 55A-7, Florida Administrative Code.  Veterans’ Preference documentation requirements are available by clicking here.  All documentation is due by the close of the vacancy announcement.