Service Manager - Early Years and Childcare

SWINDON BOROUGH COUNCIL; Swindon; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A local authority is seeking a Service Manager for Early Years and Childcare to lead and oversee early years services. The successful candidate will drive strategic vision and quality provision across the borough, ensuring compliance with regulations. A strong background in early years education and proven leadership skills are essential. This role offers opportunities for personal development in a supportive and creative environment.

Qualifications

• Proven track record of supporting schools in fulfilling their educational duties.
• Ability to implement strategic vision for early years settings.
• Experience with safeguarding policies and practices.

Responsibilities

• Oversee and support the quality of early years and childcare provision.
• Lead service delivery through strategic planning and partnership working.
• Develop effective partnerships with stakeholders to raise standards for children.

Skills

Expert in delivering early years and childcare services

Sound knowledge of Ofsted regulatory framework

Strong leadership and strategic planning skills

Experience in partnership working

Education

Relevant professional qualification in early years or education

Job description

Overview

This is an exciting role within the Education and Inclusion Team, as part of the Prevention and Communities directorate. The Service Manager for Early Years and Childcare undertakes a crucial statutory role to provide sufficient early years and childcare places across the borough, as well as overseeing and supporting the quality of provision and ensuring eligible children are receiving their full entitlement to funded early years education.

Early years and childcare is evidenced as impacting positively across lifespans and so it’s especially important we have a passionate leader to support the delivery and implement the strategic vision for early years and child care settings. You will be an expert in delivering early years and childcare services, have a sound knowledge of the Ofsted regulatory framework and you will take a proactive role in supporting schools through your teams to ensure that all schools fulfil their duties in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education and Working Together to Safeguard Children 2025.

You will be part of the Education and Inclusion wider leadership team and lead your service areas through service delivery, strategic planning and partnership working. You will work across the directorate to support working together practices in line with the Swindon vision and contribute to wider corporate change programmes. You will also play a leading strategic role in developing effective partnership working with stakeholders across the education landscape, in order to raise standards and outcomes for children.

Your next package

Please see our Rewards and Benefits offer for more details.

As an employee, you will receive a diverse and exciting environment in which to work, encouraging creativity and innovation whilst recognising the need to support ongoing personal development and a flexible work life balance.

For Swindon to thrive in the future, we need to lay the foundations now. It’s why our regeneration and transformation programmes are already underway. So, you’ll be joining us at an exciting time on our journey. We’ll look to you to share your knowledge, influence decisions and drive real, positive change. With your contributions, we’ll achieve our vision of a prosperous, re-vitalised Swindon together. And you’ll be proud to say it was made better with you.

Please see our Vision and Values page for more details.

Please see our new Swindon Plan.

Your next steps

Read the role profile and select the Apply button where you will be redirected to the Swindon Borough Council website to complete our online application process. Clicking the ‘Apply’ button on this job website is not an application, you must register on the Swindon Borough Council website in order to be considered for the role.

Potential applicants are sometimes put off if they don’t meet 100% of the requirements. We think individual experience, skills and passion make all the difference, so if you meet the majority of the criteria, we’d love to hear from you.

As an inclusive employer, we welcome applications from a diverse range of communities, and in particular disabled people and people from ethnic minorities. Read our statement of commitment to equality & inclusion.

For further information about the role please contact James Stuart, Head of Quality Education, at [e-mail]. James will be happy to have informal discussions with interested candidate’s the week commencing 8th September 2025.

If you are experiencing technical issues submitting your application please email [e-mail]