Early Years Team Manager

Wokingham-Borough-Council; Wokingham; Hybrid; GBP 54,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous annual leave

GP Helpline

Employee Assistance Programme

Free onsite gym

Salary sacrifice schemes

Discounts and Local/Lifestyle deals

Move through menopause course

Sports & social groups

And more!

Job summary

Wokingham Borough Council is seeking an Early Years Team Manager to lead the Early Years Advisory and Inclusion Teams on a full-time, permanent basis. You will drive quality improvement, inclusion, compliance and SEND support across the borough, ensuring statutory duties are met and reducing inequalities for vulnerable children.

Join a motivated team with a clear vision for Best Start in Life, delivering high-quality support to providers and shaping strategic development for early years services.

Qualifications

• Qualified teacher status or equivalent early years qualification.
• In-depth knowledge of EYFS, SEND Code of Practice and relevant legislation.
• Proven track record of improving early years provision and outcomes.
• Experience working with a wide range of stakeholders including health partners.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership to the Early Years Advisory and Inclusion Teams.
• Develop strategy to improve quality and ensure statutory duties are met.
• Ensure sufficient high-quality early learning places for eligible children.
• Collaborate with councils, partners and providers to meet shared aims.
• Lead the vision for Early Years within the Best Start in Life Programme.
• Offer high-quality support and challenge to providers across the borough.

Skills

QTS / EYTS / EYPS

EYFS knowledge

SEND Code of Practice

Stakeholder collaboration

Leadership experience

Education

QTS / EYTS / EYPS

Job description

Employer: Wokingham Borough Council
Salary: £54,144 - £59,780 Per Annum, Plus Benefits
Location: Wokingham Borough Council, Shute End/Home Working
Contract: Permanent
Working Pattern: Full Time
Hours: 37 hours per week.
DBS Check: Enhanced
Closing Date: 22/11/2026 at 23:00
Reference: 713552

We have an excellent opportunity for an Early Years Team Manager to join our Early Years and Childcare Team here at Wokingham Borough Council, on a Full-time, Permanent basis.

As an Early Years Team Manager, you will lead the council's Early Years Advisory Team and Early Years Inclusion Team, driving quality improvement, inclusion, compliance and early years SEND support across the borough.

You will be leading and implementing the vision for Early Years as part of the Borough’s Best Start in Life Service so that all Early Yearsproviders receive high-quality support and challenge, statutory duties are fully met, and Wokingham’s children have the best start in life, with a particular focus on reducing inequalities for the most vulnerable children.

This is a fantastic opportunity for a motivated, customer-focused professional with sound judgement and strong communication skills to join our team.

Not only is this an excellent opportunity, but it’s a fantastic time to join our team. You will receive an extensive range of employee benefits including:

• Generous Annual Leave – 31 days annual leave (rising by 5 days after 5 years of continued local government service), plus bank holidays
• GP Helpline – Available 7 days a week
• Employee Assistance Programme – Including a 24/7 Your Care Helpline
• Free Onsite Gym – Located at Shute End Offices, Wokingham
• Salary Sacrifice Schemes – Including Car and Cycle to Work schemes
• Local & Lifestyle Discounts – Save on shopping, entertainment, dining out & more
• Move through Menopause Course
• Sports & Social Group Activities – Including running, football, cricket & more
• And more!

Key Responsibilities

• Providing leadership, vision and effective management to lead the council’s Early Years Advisory Team and Early Years Inclusion Team with a focus on quality improvement, inclusion, compliance and sufficiency
• Understanding the needs of children and families to develop and implement strategy
• Establishing and monitoring systems to drive improvement, and ensuring that resource is effectively utilised to improve outcomes
• Taking lead responsibility for ensuring there are sufficient high-quality early learning and childcare places for eligible children across Wokingham.
• Collaborating across the council, partnership, voluntary and private sectors with a view to working to shared ambitions.
• Leading and implementing the vision for Early Years as part of the Borough’s wider Best Start in Life Strategy and programme so that all early year’s foundation stage providers receive high-quality support and challenge, statutory duties are fully met, and Wokingham’s children have the best start in life.

Candidate Requirements

• Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) or Early Years Teacher Status (EYTS) or Early Years Professional Status (EYPS)
• In depth expert knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), SEND Code of Practice (2015), and relevant legislation, including implications for local authorities and providers
• Proven track record of improving the quality of early years provision and raising outcomes for children, including those with SEND across multiple sites or setting
• Experience of working with a wide range of stakeholders, including early years providers, schools, and health partners, Ofsted and others as appropriate

Our Area:

Wokingham Borough Council has recently been ranked 2nd most productive council in England by the Impower Productivity Index, recognising our strong performance and efficient use of public money.

Our Borough is set in the heart of Berkshire with excellent transport links to Reading and central London. Our area comprises of a vibrant and historical market town, attractive villages, and miles of beautiful countryside.

We’re home to a range of high performing schools, a host of international businesses and an incredible community. The borough has a strong local economy with accelerated growth, a range of excellent public facilities and low levels of crime, offering an exceptional quality of life.

Alternatively, to arrange an informal discussion about the role, contact Jonathan Wilding, Head of Service - Best Start in Life, via [e-mail] (Strictly no agencies).

Closing date: Sunday 22nd November 2026 at 11pm

Interview date: Thursday 3rd December 2026

If your application is shortlisted for an interview, you will be required to provide proof of your right to work in the UK at that stage. Additionally, successful candidates must present proof upon receiving a job offer.

Please note that all offers are conditional and subject to the satisfactory completion of pre-employment checks.

Please be aware that we will be reviewing the applications we receive on a daily basis, and we reserve the right to close the advert early if suitable candidates are identified.

Wokingham Borough Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all staff, other workers and volunteers to share this commitment. All successful candidates for this role will be subject to Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) checks along with other relevant employment checks.

Due to the high volume of applications we receive, we regret that we are unable to respond to every applicant individually.

If you do not hear from us within 4 weeks of the application closing date, please assume that your application has not been successful on this occasion.

We appreciate your interest in joining Wokingham Borough Council and thank you for taking the time to apply.

Wokingham is an equal opportunities employer.