Career Opportunities

Grow With Us at Illinois Action for Children!

When you become a part of Illinois Action for Children, you help improve the quality of life for the thousands of children and families we serve. Read more about our mission work below and if you’re ready to take the next step, learn what to expect when you join our team, and browse our open positions.

Mission – Our Purpose

Illinois Action for Children is a catalyst for organizing, developing, and supporting strong families and powerful communities where children matter most.

Vision – Our Desired Future State

Illinois Action for Children envisions a future in which:

  • Children and families are a priority;
  • All children and families, especially those most vulnerable, have the opportunities and resources they need;
  • A broad-based coalition of public and private funders and collaborators support our Mission; and
  • Our diverse and talented staff demonstrates on a daily basis that every action can change a life.

What We Do

Since 1969, Illinois Action for Children has been a state and national leader in the early childhood care and education community, distinguished by its “Strong Families, Powerful Communities” approach to child development, pre-K education, and other family and community supports.

Illinois Action for Children proudly works to create systems of early care and education that help strengthen families and communities. Our outreach and work with striving and hard-to-reach families — and highly-effective programs and advocacy — is aimed at ensuring that all children in Illinois have access to high-quality opportunities, and that parents are supported in their goals of economic self-sufficiency and stability.

Join Our Team

Join our team of enthusiastic and professional employees with excellent customer service and organizational skills.

We are seeking applicants, from entry- to executive-level, who believe in our mission and vision and embody our core capabilities:

  • Customer Focus
  • Competent People
  • Continuous Quality Improvement
  • Communication
  • Clear Priorities
  • Accountability

If this sounds like you, please explore open positions and apply.

What You Can Expect

At Illinois Action for Children, we offer an extensive benefits package that adds value to your total compensation.

Our benefits include:

  • Competitive Salaries
  • Generous Paid Time Off (PTO); 23 days in the first year
  • 10 paid holidays
  • Medical Insurance
  • Dental Insurance
  • 401(k) Plan with company match
  • Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
  • Tuition Reimbursement
  • Credit Union Membership
  • Discounted Movie Tickets

We support our vision and mission by implementing:

  • A high-integrity workplace
  • High accountability standards
  • A commitment to learning and skills development

Illinois Action for Children strives to hire, develop and retain talented people who represent the diverse communities we serve. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment where all employees can contribute to their fullest potential.

Illinois Action for Children strives to be an organization that develops the next generation of diverse and dynamic leaders. Great leaders are a magnet for top talent and create the culture of performance every organization needs. We focus on the leadership competencies of Strategic Thinking and Planning, Effective Communication, Time Management, Leading Self and Engagement. These competencies serve as our leadership pillars.

Open Positions

Illinois Action for Children offers a variety of career possibilities in multiple program and administrative areas, including:

  • Child care resources (for families and child care providers)
  • Early childhood education
  • Family and community engagement
  • Policy and Innovation
  • Community-building and organizing
  • Organizational operations and support

Search, view and apply for our open positions below.

Unable to view the open positions list? Click here.

Internship Opportunities

Experience. Innovation. Impact.

As a state and national leader in the early career and education community, Illinois Action for Children proudly works to create systems that help strengthen families and communities. An internship at Illinois Action for Children means an opportunity to help improve the quality of life for the thousands of children and families we serve. 

Our outreach and work with low-income, hard-to-reach families has lead us to research and implement innovative and highly-effective programs and advocacy to ensure that all children in Illinois have access to high-quality early education opportunities, and that parents are supported in their goals of economic self-sufficiency and stability. Our broad approach to supporting children, families and communities is a proven and effective means to address overarching issues of endemic poverty, which are the root cause of the education failure of America's poorest children. 

Illinois Action for Children offers a wide-range of internship possibilities for all students, from high school to the post-graduate level in a range of problem areas including: 

  • Child care resources (for families and child care providers)
  • Early childhood education
  • Parent engagement
  • Public policy and advocacy
  • Community building and organizing
  • Organizational operations and support

No matter your educational discipline or area of interest in the nonprofit field, an Illinois Action for Children Internship will provide you with:

  • Mentoring, feedback and support
  • Profession development opportunities
  • Resume-boosting experience
  • A chance to make a positive impact for children and families

In turn, we benefit from your energy, contributions, and innovation to help us continue our crucial work on behalf of children and families. 

“Being an intern in the Healthy Food Program has allowed me to experience many facets of the working world. I’ve learned how to adapt in a professional environment which will be useful after I’ve graduated from my university and continue on in my career. Working with the Healthy Food Program has also given me a greater respect for those who devote their time to ensuring that children have nutritious meals. I am very grateful for this wonderful opportunity to work with such encouraging and kind people.”

- Karissa Jackson, Illinois Action for Children Healthy Food Program Intern



Illinois Action for Children does not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, citizenship, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, or any other grounds prohibited by law.