Job title: Childcare Consultant
Salary: NJC S02 (26-28) (£37,280 to £39,152)
Hours: Full Time (37)
Contract: Permanent
Location: The post is based at Technorth Family Learning Centre, 9 Harrogate Rd, Leeds LS7 3NB, but post holders will work flexibly both at home and at various locations across the City and region.
As a Childcare Consultant, you will thrive on working across a diverse range of early years and childcare settings, collaborating with leaders, practitioners and partners to improve outcomes for children and young people across the city.
Leeds City Council is one of the largest employers in the region with over 14,000 employees. We seek to recruit and develop talented individuals who embody our council values and ambitions. With nearly 1000 childcare providers in the city, this is an exciting and impactful role in supporting improved outcomes for children in the early years.
About you
As a Childcare Consultant, you will bring to the role:
- Demonstrable experience of working within the early years sector, with a strong understanding of the EYFS and effective early years practice.
- Experience of supporting improvement in early years or childcare settings, including providing professional challenge and guidance.
- A passionate and enthusiastic commitment to improving outcomes for all children, particularly those in challenging circumstances.
- A clear understanding of the role of the Local Authority in supporting, challenging and holding providers to account.
- Secure knowledge of safeguarding, welfare and inclusive practice, including SEND.
- Confidence in sharing effective practice and, where appropriate, leading a key strand of early years improvement across the city.
- The ability to build strong, trusting relationships and communicate effectively with setting leaders and a wide range of stakeholders.
- An understanding of Leeds’ Child Friendly City ambition and the importance of the voice and influence of children and young people.
About the role
We want to be the best city for children and young people to grow up in.
Leeds Early Years Improvement Team works closely with Head teachers, school governors, early years providers and a range of LA services and external partners to secure the best possible educational outcomes for our children.
The role is integral to our Early Years Improvement Team. You will work directly with early years providers and schools, offering tailored advice, challenge and support to improve quality, leadership and outcomes. This includes working with settings in more challenging circumstances, contributing to city‑wide priorities and supporting continuous improvement across the sector.
What we offer you
We take pride in offering the best employee experience, with benefits including:
- a competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays
- membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions
- flexible and hybrid working arrangements subject to service requirements
- a clear career pathway and continuing professional development opportunities
- a range of staff benefits to help you boost your wellbeing and make your money go further
How to apply
Please complete the online application form.
Read our guidance for further advice. Please check your information carefully and ensure you complete all sections before submitting your application.
If you have any queries or would like an informal chat about the role, please email our Early Years Foundation Stage Managers, Helen Whitehouse ([email protected]) and Refhet Akhtar ([email protected]) to arrange a discussion.
A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check against the Children’s or Adults’ barred list as applicable will be carried out on preferred candidates. Read our recruitment of ex-offenders policy.
We welcome applications from everyone and actively seek a diverse range of applicants from all backgrounds and cultures. We particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to, women, carers, veterans as well as LGBT+, ethnically diverse, disabled and care experienced people.
This role is based in the UK. Home Office guidance states that candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK prior to commencing employment, either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa.
If you do not have the right to work in the UK, you must consider your own eligibility for sponsorship for a particular role through the Skilled Worker visa route before applying. To be eligible for sponsorship you'll usually need to be paid the standard salary rate of at least £41,700 per year or meet one of the other eligibility criteria. Ensure you are eligible before applying.
Job Description
Job Purpose
To support the raising of standards in early years education and care by improving the quality of learning, development, and safeguarding practices across all early years settings. The role focuses on narrowing the attainment gap for vulnerable children (e.g., CLA, children experiencing disadvantage, EAL, SEN), supporting compliance with the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), and contributing to the objectives of the Children and Young People’s Plan (CYPP).
Responsibilities
- Provide expert advice, challenge and support to early years providers (schools, children’s centres, PVI settings, childminders and out of school clubs) to ensure high-quality practice and improved outcomes.
- Develop existing CPD sector wide targeted training, briefings and networks across the city on EYFS statutory requirements, safeguarding, curriculum guidance, and childcare legislation.
- Support new and existing providers through the Ofsted registration and inspection process, offering tailored guidance to improve inspection outcomes including those judged or at risk of being judged below expected level.
- Monitor and evaluate data to assess progress against early years priorities and inform improvement planning.
- Identify and challenge poor practice in line with the Ofsted Framework and promote best practice across the sector.
- Collaborate with multi-agency partners to implement local and national early years priorities.
- Produce reports, improvement plans, and contribute to the 0–5 Learning Improvement Team’s traded offer.
- Maintain up-to-date knowledge of early years pedagogy, safeguarding, and national policy through research and development.
Training and Development Delivery
- Design and deliver a range of CPD formats including:
- Face-to-face and online sessions
- Central training events and conferences
- In-setting coaching, mentoring, and modelling of effective practice
- Cluster-based training and network facilitation
- Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade
- Participate in appraisal, training, and development activities as necessary to ensure up to date knowledge and skills
- Improve own practice through observation, evaluation, discussion with colleagues and appropriate CPD programmes.
- Work collaboratively with colleagues, knowing when to seek help and advice.
- Contribute to the overall ethos, work, and aims of the service by attending relevant meetings, training days/events as requested.
- Be aware of and comply with Leeds City Council policies and procedures e.g., child protection, health, safety and security, confidentiality, and data protection, reporting all concerns to an appropriate person.
- Be aware of and support difference and ensure equality for all working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding, and promoting the values, standards, and equality & diversity policies of Leeds City Council.
- Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment, victimisation, and any form of abuse of equal opportunities, ensuring compliance with relevant policies and procedures.
- The duties outlined are not meant as an exhaustive list and will also comprise any other duties within the spirit of the post commensurate with the job evaluation outcome for this post.
- The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol and this role will be expected to work within these parameters.
Qualifications & Experience Required
- A full and relevant minimum requirement Level 3 qualification up to level 6 qualification in Early Years, Childcare, Education or a closely related field or equivalent professional experience.
- Evidence of continuous professional development related to early years practice, safeguarding, quality improvement and/or leadership.
- Significant leadership experience in early years settings
- Strong understanding of EYFS, early years pedagogy, and child development
- Experience in delivering training and supporting quality improvement
Personal Specification
Method of Assessment will be through one or more of the following application form, test, interview, and certificate
Essential Requirements It is essential that the candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria for the post within the context of the specific role duties and responsibilities: Candidates will only be shortlisted for interview if they can demonstrate on the application form that they meet all the essential requirements
Skills Required
- Able to sort, analyse and evaluate information relevant to early years improvement and the ability to apply criteria to make sound judgements.
- Able to build and maintain positive and collaborative relationships with colleagues and partner organisations.
- Able to effectively manage a challenging workload within a pressurised environment and meet tight and often conflicting deadlines.
- Able to anticipate issues, plan solutions and make informed decisions by being creative, innovative and forward thinking.
- Able to promote the aims and aspirations of the organisation.
- Able to complete tasks to high standards.
- Able to communicate appropriately with a wide range of stakeholders through a variety of different methods and formats and the ability to influence views and behaviour to meet objectives.
- Able to work collaboratively and effectively as part of a team and to demonstrate excellent organisational and time management skills prioritising own and team’s work to meet conflicting deadlines.
- Able to use initiative to think creatively and manage competing priorities whilst delivering on a range of service objectives and adapting to changing circumstances.
- Computer literate, with a good working knowledge of Microsoft applications and managing information safely, legally and in line with GDPR and information governance.
Knowledge Required
- A sound knowledge of the principles effective early years provision and what constitutes and contributes to effective early years provision
- A thorough understanding of early years legislation and Early Years curriculum
- An understanding of how data can be used to support Early Years improvement
- A thorough knowledge of the Ofsted framework for the inspection of Early Years
Experience Required
- Proven excellence in early years teaching.
- Significant leadership and operational experience in early years settings
- Strong understanding of EYFS, early years pedagogy, and child development
- Experience in delivering training and supporting quality improvement
- Experience of building and maintaining positive and collaborative relationships with colleagues and partner organisations
- Evidence of a commitment to continuous personal professional development.
- Experience of assuring effective safeguarding within early years setting
Behavioural and other Characteristics required
- Understand and embrace Leeds City Council Values and Behaviours and codes of conduct.
- Committed to continuous improvement in all areas and work towards delivering the Best City Ambition of Health & Wellbeing, Inclusive Growth and Zero Carbon
- Able to understand and observe Leeds City Council equality and diversity policies.
- Carry out all duties having regard to an employee’s responsibility under Health and Safety Policies.
- Willingness to actively participate in training and development activities.
- Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade.
- Participate in appraisal, training, and development activities.
- Be aware of and comply with Leeds City Council policies and procedures.
- Be aware of and support difference ensuring equality for all, working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding, equality & diversity.
- Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment, victimisation, and any form of abuse, reporting any concerns to the appropriate person.
- The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol and the role will be expected to work within these parameters.
Desirable Requirements
Experience of working within a local authority, advisory or inspection-related role.
Experience of delivering training or facilitating professional development.
It is desirable that the candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria for the post within the context of the specific role duties and responsibilities: Candidates are not required to meet all the desirable requirements however these may be used to distinguish between acceptable candidates.
Skills Required
- Knowledge of paediatric first aid
Knowledge Required
- Evidence of further professional leadership qualifications taken
Experience Required
- Experience of working in settings in a range of different contexts.
