Child Life Specialist-Lead

Hello,

Thank you for your interest in career opportunities with the University of Mississippi Medical Center.  Please review the following instructions prior to submitting your job application:

• Provide all of your employment history, education, and licenses/certifications/registrations.  You will be unable to modify your application after you have submitted it.
• You must meet all of the job requirements at the time of submitting the application. 
• You can only apply one time to a job requisition. 
• Once you start the application process you cannot save your work. Please ensure you have all required attachment(s) available to complete your application before you begin the process.
• Applications must be submitted prior to the close of the recruitment. Once recruitment has closed, applications will no longer be accepted.

After you apply, we will review your qualifications and contact you if your application is among the most highly qualified. Due to the large volume of applications, we are unable to individually respond to all applicants. You may check the status of your application via your Candidate Profile.

Thank you,

Human Resources

Important Applications Instructions:

Please complete this application in entirety by providing all of your work experience, education and certifications/

license.  You will be unable to edit/add/change your application once it is submitted.

Job Requisition ID:

R00052480

Job Category:

Allied Health

Organization:

Children's Clinical Support Services-Child Life

Location/s:

Main Campus Jackson

Job Title:

Child Life Specialist-Lead

Job Summary:

Provides expert child life services by helping reduce the stress and anxiety in children in a hospital setting and provides a variety of emotional, psycho-social, recreational, and health related educational needs. Acts as a resource to other child life staff. Assists child life staff in the development, implementation, and evaluation of child life services. Maintains quality standards in child life services. Delegates when appropriate. Consults with medical and other health care staff regarding patient care. Functions as a lead child life specialist to the unit and/or team.

Education & Experience

Education and Experience Required:

Bachelor's degree and two (2) years working as a Child Life Specialist, one of those years must be in a hospital setting.

Certifications, Licenses, or Registration required:

Certification in Child Life from the Child Life Council and maintain active membership in the organization.

Preferred Qualifications:

Master’s degree

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Knowledge of child cognitive, social, and skills development methods and techniques. Interpersonal skills to effectively interact with patients, family members, and staff.  Ability to provide a supportive and caring environment for children, families, and staff.  Ability to alleviate stress and anxiety in children. Ability to work in a stressful environment.

Responsibilities

• Supervises and performs the coaching, training, and education of child life specialists, child life assistants and recreational therapists.
• Supervises overall management of playrooms, activity rooms, and classrooms.
• Fosters positive and professional interpersonal relationships with patient/families, hospital staff, community representatives, and visitors. Supports families during hospital stay or challenging events.
• Participate in patient/family teaching about hospital and/or procedures.
• Participate in professional development by attending workshops, reading professional journals and networking with coworkers.  Ensures child life is using evidenced based practice. Provides in-services for department/unit staff and child life staff.
• Supervises therapeutic and diversional play.
• Assesses and proficiently prioritizes patient needs through chart review, collaboration with staff and co-workers, and personal contact with patients and family members.
• Prepares children for and assists children during medical tests and procedures through education, rehearsal, and coping skill practice.
• Maintains knowledge and mastery of child life theory and best practices.
• Ability to quickly build report with patients/families of diverse populations. Advocates for patients and families in the medical setting.
• The duties listed are general in nature and are examples of the duties and responsibilities performed and are not meant to be construed as exclusive or all-inclusive. Management retains the right to add or change duties at any time.

Physical and Environmental Demands

Requires occasional exposure to unpleasant or disagreeable physical environment such as high noise level and exposure to heat and cold, occasional handling or working with potentially dangerous equipment, occasional exposure to biohazardous conditions such as risk of radiation exposure, blood borne pathogens, fumes or airborne particles, and/or toxic or caustic chemicals which mandate attention to safety considerations, occasional working hours significantly beyond regularly scheduled hours, occasional travelling to offsite locations, frequent activities subject to significant volume changes of a seasonal/clinical nature, frequent work produced subject to precise measures of quantity and quality, occasional bending, occasional lifting and carrying up to 50 pounds, occasional climbing, occasional crawling, occasional crouching/stooping, occasional driving, occasional kneeling, frequent pushing/pulling, frequent reaching, frequent sitting, frequent standing, frequent twisting, and frequent walking (occasional-up to 20%, frequent-from 21% to 50%, constant-51% or more).

Time Type:

Full time

FLSA Designation/Job Exempt:

Yes

Pay Class:

Salary

FTE %:

100

Work Shift:

Day

Benefits Eligibility:

Grant Funded:

No

Job Posting Date:

07/30/2026

Job Closing Date (open until filled if no date specified):