Early Years Co-ordinator (0150-24)

Location:  

Salary:  

Closing Date:  

Interview Date:  

Reference:  

Start Date:  Monday 4th March 2024

End Date: Friday 7th June 2024

Location: Day Nursery

Hours: 35 hours per week. (2 days x 9.5 hours 2 days x 9.25 hours)

Appointment is subject to enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check

Job Purpose: To be responsible for delivering a high-quality provision of care and education for children under the age of five. 

Key Accountabilities/Responsibilities: 

* Coordinate and support daily operations in relation to Early Years Centre at the University, ensuring they are operations are efficient. 

This will include:

• Monitor and coordinate the planning systems and procedures throughout the Early Years Centre, in-line with the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework. 
• Collate management information as required and monitor Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s), such as capacity numbers, child requirements, business income and expenditure.
• Monitor and assess the planning and delivery of activities in areas of the curriculum framework. Use your assessment information to inform and discuss your findings with practitioners to alter and improve future planning and activities. Be familiar with using assessment tools such as Iters and Ecers.
• To organise, prepare, and regularly review the early years curriculum, ensuring all areas are covered and using evidence-based approaches/practice.
• Work flexibly alongside each group within the Centre to assist with offering high quality Childcare, in-line with Ofsted guidelines and regulations. Be familiar with all the routines, procedures, and policies essential to the Early Years Centre.
• Actively adhere to and comply with all Health and Safety policies and procedures, including risk assessments. Reporting any issues immediately to the Early Years Centre Manager and/or relevant University Service.  
• Regular review of assurance and compliance for oneself and colleagues, including but not limited to training, health and safety and data protection.
• Oversee the circulation of information for parent, guardians & carers and to develop relevant partnership documentation and relationships to best support the children in our setting (schools, nursery settings, parents, guardians).
• Support the service to ensure it is sufficiently resourced to support KPIs and strategic objectives.
• To look and champion best practice at the Early Years Centre, to help support a continuous improvement setting.

* Line manage direct reports, exercising good people management practices including mentoring, coaching, training, advice and guidance, as necessary.  Ensure the right mix of skills and capabilities through continuous professional development, recruitment and performance feedback. 

Ensure team is kept up to date with relevant policy and procedural changes across the team and work collegially with other supervisors within the service to ensure that EYC is delivering on its customer’s needs. 

*To apply relevant Government statutory requirement such as the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), along with relevant accreditations are coordinated and promoted within the Early Years Centre service. The Early Years Coordinator will hold responsibility for:

• Supporting staff to stay updated with the requirements of EYFS.
• Supporting staff to adapt to the requirements of the relevant accreditations (Curiosity Approach, Healthy Early Years Accreditation). 
• Liaising with the other colleagues within Community Services to ensure staff can deliver an environment suited to supporting children in our care.
• Showcasing Early Years across the wider University community with the aim of evidencing the services worth to the University community.
• Supporting partnerships with other universities and nursery settings to improve the Early Years Centre model.

* To support the vison of the University through contributing to the formulation and delivery of the student experience plan.   Taking responsibility for the implementation of initiatives that Support goals, ensuring staff are engaged in the process of critical review.

* Coordinate regular communications and engagement activities with staff, students, and stakeholders (e.g. include Students’ Union, Southampton City Council)

*To deputise for the Early Years Centre Manager and to complete any other duties as allocated by the line manager following consultation with the post holder.

Essential Skills: 

• NNEB / NVQ Equivalent Level 3 in Childcare & Education.
• First Aid Certificate
• Practitioner experience working in an Early Years Setting.
• Experience delivering the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework.
• Practical Knowledge of Child Protection Procedures.
• Behaviour Management Experience.
• Cultural & Diversity Awareness.
• Able to plan and organise own work and the work of others ensuring tasks are completed on time.
• Being able to plan the activities in advance to ensure space, resources and people are available.
• Experience of delivering activities and assessing development simultaneously to plan future learning.
• Be able to multitask while dealing with children and their immediate needs.
• Track record of responding calmly when children are upset, or an incident occurs.
• Able to take the initiative in planning or delivering activities in the Centre.
• Experience of contributing positively to a team in an Early Years Setting.
• Management of resources (e.g. people, time, space and materials).
• See also Line Manager Expectations (see full Job Description).
• Good written and verbal skills.
• Making language accessible to young children.
• Able to persuade and influence staff, parents and guardians.
• Able to contribute to internal meetings.
• Computer literate (Internet, Outlook, Word, Excel).
• To be able to bridge the gap between learning and development policy and implementation.
• Embedding Collegiality * (see full Job Description)
• As a Line Manager, role model the Southampton Behaviours and work with the management team to embed them as a way of working within the department.
• Enhanced DBS Disclosure.
• Training in Child Protection/Safeguarding.
• The postholder may be required to work flexible hours as part of an agreed, extended hours rota.
• The post holder may be required to work from a variety of campus locations or visit students, customers, or organisation’s external to the University and therefore must be willing to travel.

Desirable Skills: 

• Early Years Teacher Status or equivalent
• Food Hygiene Certificate 
• Successful supervisory experience.

Please note that unfortunately we can not accept Certificate of Sponsorship (COS) for Casual Work at the University of Southampton. 

We believe equality, diversity and inclusion are fundamental to making the University of Southampton a welcoming, vibrant and successful organisation. Having a diverse workforce, inclusive of people of all ages and beliefs, from different racial backgrounds, educational and social backgrounds opens up a wealth of possibilities, makes us more creative and accelerates our impact on society. We welcome applicants that value diversity of our community and are willing to play their part in supporting the mission of inclusivity. 

Please note that applications from agencies will not be accepted unless indicated on the job.