Child Life Program Manager

The Child Life Program Manager is responsible for providing leadership, program development and coordination of patient and caregiver education and support programs. Acts as a primary liaison between healthcare teams and key community and internal partners. This position requires the knowledge of and ability to research evidence-based practices for child development and health experiences, and to analyze and interpret data to make recommendations about areas of focus for outreach efforts.

• Bachelor’s degree with a preference in therapeutic recreation, child life, family or child development, counseling, child psychology, education, social work or related field

• 3 years of related experience, preferably in an acute care children’s facility

• Child Life Professional Certification or ability to obtain within 6-12 months. Must maintain certification
• Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) certification required or ability to obtain within 3 months

• →Promotes the continuous development of children to optimize their responses to medical care, to minimize psychological stress and trauma, and to increase understanding and coping with illness and health care experiences
• →Assesses patients and families with the goal of planning interventions
• →Provides children with opportunities for gaining a sense of mastery, for play, for learning, for self-expression, for family involvement and for peer interaction
• →Advocates for children and families in ambulatory and inpatient settings
• →Manages donor donations, including identifying program needs, coordinating donation utilization, and maintaining positive donor relationships
• →Leads efforts to build, expand, and enhance the Child Life Program through strategic planning, program development, and resource cultivation
• →Provides consultative support to all Essentia departments including evaluation of developmentally sensitive facilities, materials and processes
• →Coordinates and oversees volunteers’ activities during volunteers' time in pediatric patient care areas