Job Information
Contract Type: 2 Years Fixed Term
Working Pattern: Full Time
Salary: Band 6
Hours per week: 37 hours per week
Employment Location: County Hall
Number of posts: 2
Closing date: Friday 26th January 2024
Further Information:
Northumberland Early Years Team have responsibility for ensuring that high-quality early years and childcare provision is available and accessible to all families with young children. This is an exciting time for Northumberland Early Years as the government 2023 childcare announcements will mean a doubling of the funded childcare offer for working parents. By September 2025, working parents of a child under five will be entitled to 30 hours of funded childcare per week. Northumberland, as a local authority, will also receive funding to support the development of wraparound care (before and after school) for primary school children to be able to access in their local area.
An exciting opportunity has become available to join the Early Years Team, as we are seeking to appoint 2 Early Years and Childcare Performance Partners on a two year fixed post. Both roles will support the implementation of Northumberland’s statutory duties, by ensuring that there is sufficient high-quality early years and childcare to meet the demand across the county, supporting children to have the best start in life.
We are particularly interested in applications from professionals with experience of:
Overseeing wraparound or out of school club provision
Working as a childminder
Working with children under age 3.
The prominent areas of focus for these roles will be:
To ensure sufficient early years and childcare is available, stimulating new provision in the community where needed.
To provide a pivotal role around safeguarding children in the early years and childcare, including delivering safeguarding training.
To support new group providers and childminders through the Ofsted registration process.
To provide pre and post Ofsted inspection support to ensure that early years and childcare providers are meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the early years foundation stage and the Ofsted registers.
To provide accurate and relevant information, advice and guidance to early years and childcare employers on safer recruitment and retention good practice.
To take responsibility for developing and leading training sessions, coaching and mentoring, facilitating meetings on a variety of subjects.
To disseminate information about the early years entitlements and other funding streams available to families and providers.
To work in partnership with other agencies to the implementation of Northumberland’s Conception to 5 Integrated Plan.
The successful candidate will be welcomed into a friendly, supportive team with regular 1 to 1’s, appraisals and team meetings. They will be required to travel around the county, attend meetings at our central base, as well as attend events outside normal office hours. The contractual work base will be County Hall, Morpeth, with flexible working arrangements following Northumberland’s WorkSmart policy.
We are looking for someone who:
Is an excellent Early Years practitioner and has recent leadership experience within the sector.
Has experience of developing policies and procedures and disseminating this information to others.
Is a team player and can contribute to the wider development of the Early Years Team.
Has high expectations of themselves and providers to ensure the best quality provision is made available for children.
Values and respects the views and challenges faced by others.
Is resilient and solution focused.
Has competent computer skills and can use Microsoft 365.
If you would like to discuss the post further, please contact Rosy Dickinson, Early Years Consultant at rosy.dickinson@northumberland.gov.uk.
Why choose us?
We have some outstanding benefits to offer you, including
26 days annual leave plus public/bank holidays, rising to 31 days after 5 years of service (pro rata for part-time employees)
Automatic enrolment into the Local Government Pension Scheme
Flexi scheme – up to 2 days flexible leave available per month (pro rata for part-time employees)
Local government discount schemes available to all employees with offers at local businesses along with various national brands
Commitment to work/life balance offering flexibility through various schemes including job sharing, home working, flexible working, term-time only, and compressed hours
Car leasing scheme
Please visit our website for more information regarding our benefits.
Further information
For guidance on completing your application and for information about our Equality and Diversity principles, please check the Northumberland Council website.
We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer. We operate a guaranteed interview scheme for disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria. If you wish to notify us of your eligibility for this scheme, please email hrrecruitment@northumberland.gov.uk or ring 01670 623930 with your name and the job title you have applied for and one of the recruitment team will ensure this is factored into the shortlisting process and kept anonymous. If you have a disability and would prefer to apply in a different format or would like us to make reasonable adjustments to enable you to attend an interview, please also let the team know. This information will be treated as confidential and will only be used to check that you meet the essential requirements of the post. Although we advertise on North East Jobs, and other websites, your application process will be directed to our Tribepad system. Please note that all communication regarding your application for this post will be sent to the email address that you have registered on Tribepad, including your invite to interview if you are shortlisted. Please check your emails regularly, including Spam/Junk, after the closing dates for notifications
