Careers at the Center

At the Carole Robertson Center for Learning, we are not just a workplace, we are a community of individuals who share a common passion for improving the lives of Chicago’s children and their families. Join us in making a difference and be a part of something transformational.

Why a career with the Carole Robertson Center for Learning?

The Carole Robertson Center for Learning is a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating, enriching, and empowering children and families through comprehensive child, youth development, and family engagement programs. Our vision is to help build a just and equitable society, in partnership with families, and be a beacon of best practices, innovation, and impact in early childhood and youth development.

The Center is named in memory of Carole Robertson, along with Addie Mae Collins, Cynthia Wesley, and Denise McNair — the four girls killed in the 1963 bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama. The outrage from this bombing mobilized community members and civil rights leaders to fight for racial justice.

Today, the Center serves 2,500 children and families daily through anchor program locations in Albany Park, Little Village, and North Lawndale, with partner and satellite programs that reach 27 communities across Chicago. Programs serve children at every stage of development, from prenatal to age 17. Current programs include center- and home-based early childhood development programs for children ages 6 weeks through age 5; Out-of-School-Time (OST) and summer camp programming for children up to age 17; and extensive family support, mental health, professional development training, and social services.

The Center strives for excellence in providing the highest-quality programs and services to the children, families, and communities it serves. It is a recognized leader in early childhood education and is accredited through national and state entities. The Center has a deep commitment to representing the communities it serves and demonstrating cultural competence and understanding across programs and services. The organization was founded for the community and by the community, with social justice and equity at the forefront. This commitment remains in all we do.

Core Competencies

Values
Ability to demonstrate in word and action the Center’s core values and deep commitment to the mission, vision, priorities and needs of the organization and the diverse communities it serves.
Inclusion
Values all people for their unique talents and perspectives and promotes practices that promote and provide equal access to opportunities and resources that enable employees to contribute fully to the organization’s success.
Relationships
Ability to build authentic relationships in the service of enhancing individual and team performances to support the Center’s work.
Change Capacity
Leads self and others by demonstrating the ability to pivot and respond to unpredictable, disruptive, and ambiguous situations. Develop processes, tools, and techniques used to advance desired organizational outcomes and manage change effectively.
Results-Proven Track Record
Demonstrable ability to exceed goals with a bottom-line orientation; evidence of the ability to consistently make good decisions through a combination of analysis, wisdom, experience, and judgment; high level of business acumen including successful P&L management; the ability to balance the delivery of programs against the realities of a budget; and problem solving, project management, and creative resourcefulness.
Strategic Vision and Agility
Ability to think strategically, anticipate future consequences and trends, and incorporate them into the organizational plan.
Innovation
Ability to form ideas that are new and enhanced, while introducing constructive ways of looking at problems that foster creativity interdisciplinary/cross-functional work.

OUR CORE VALUES

Our children and families come first. To do this, we must…

  • Commit to empower and support our staff
  • Take joy and pride in our work
  • Seek innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement
  • Work respectfully, transparently, and with integrity
  • Listen with open minds and caring hearts

“I have gained many different relationships in my work and have gained new mentors along the way to help me grow as a person and professional. I feel very fortunate to work for an agency whose mission is to educate, enrich, and empower both children and families, and to be able to provide quality care for our families.”

Erica Trujilo, Family Support Specialist

Employee Benefits

Dental Insurance

Vision Benefits

Medical Coverage

Life, Short and Long-Term Disability Insurance

PTO (Paid Time Off)

Retirement Savings Plan

At the Carole Robertson Center for Learning, we’re committed to your well-being and professional development. This includes benefits such as comprehensive health, dental, vision, and life insurance, strong retirement plans. We also provide paid time off, tuition reimbursement, paid trainings, and even an apprenticeship program for teachers. We invite you to apply and embark on a career that not only values your contributions, but also invests in your future.

Open Positions

Not Ready To Apply?

That’s okay. There are other ways to get involved. Consider volunteering or making a donation.

I Want to Get Involved

Since 1976, the Carole Robertson Center for Learning has been dedicated to educating, enriching, and empowering children and families through comprehensive child and family development programs.