Our Values

It’s great to know that you are interested in working with us at Coventry City Council. As a prospective employee, it is important that everyone who works for us is committed to our One Coventry values and shares our commitment to becoming a more diverse and inclusive organisation. 

Our Values are:

About the team we are recruiting to

The role of the Early Years’ Service is to:

• Lead and facilitate strategic development for Early Years across the City, working with a range of partners
• Raise educational standards and quality in private, voluntary, and independent (PVI) childcare provision and Schools, for children aged birth to 5 years
• Provide market management to secure sufficient registered childcare and education places
• Secure and fund early years provision which is free of charge to parents
• Provide advice and guidance to extended childcare provision for children beyond the age of 5 years.
• It is also the role of the team to provide childcare related advice to parents and carers. Early years officers liaise with PVI providers, schools, parents/carers, and other external agencies to achieve the best outcomes for young children.

We value diverse perspectives and experiences and are striving to create a workplace culture that is inclusive, is accepting of all and is free from discrimination and bias.

What is the job role?

This post is 37 hours per week – Monday to Friday

We are seeking to appoint a motivated and enthusiastic individual to join the Sufficiency, Business and Funding team within the Early Years’ Service.

The purpose of this role is:

• Provide high-quality information and advice about childcare and related matters to parents, carers, students, employers, childcare providers, and professionals.
• To ensure that all information that is held at the Family Information Service is accurate, up to date, of quality and is fully compliant with the Data Protection requirements and legislation e.g., GDPR and Freedom of Information.
• To support to the Family Information Service (FIS) contribution to the Childcare sufficiency agenda and statutory duties for information by collecting data.

You will work under the direction of the FIS and Data Manager to ensure files and directories in the database are updated, accurate and reviewed regularly. You will be the key person responsible for dealing with childcare enquires/supporting with accessing early education entitlements and providing brokerage support to families to enable them to work/access training.

A key element of the post is community-based activities: attending events, visiting local groups, and engaging with key partners to ensure that information is disseminated effectively:  therefore, the post will entail weekly outreach, office time and home working. 

The successful candidate must be prepared to visit locations across the city as part of their weekly workplan and will be required to work outside normal working hours on an ad hoc basis at events to promote the service

This post is exempted under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and as such appointment to this post will be conditional upon the receipt of a satisfactory response to a check of police records via Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

Who are we looking for?

You will be able to share complex information with parents and carers /professionals contacting the service by phone and e-mail and will need to be able to deliver this information in a clear and appropriate manner ensuring that the enquirers needs are met at all times – able to resolve and signpost enquirers to relevant agencies and support with in depth childcare brokerage/funding enquiries.

You will have excellent communication skills for contacting childcare providers on a regular basis to collect information and updates that will feed into the maintenance of an accurate database of childcare provision and activities for children from birth – 20, including information such as vacancies and costs.

Experience of delivering information to a variety of audiences and will be confident representing the early years’ service at events across Coventry.

They will be required to gather data to assist in managing the childcare market under the Local Authority's sufficiency duty by liaising with partners around current provision, gaps, and demand.

Key Requirements

• A relevant Level 3 childcare qualification or work experience in a child related field that demonstrates the skills and abilities required to perform the tasks of the post. 
• Level 3 NVQ or above in Advice and Guidance or Customer Service or relevant work experience that demonstrates the skills and abilities required to perform the tasks of the post.
• Relevant ICT qualification and skills sufficient to develop systems and analyse data.

The post would suit an individual with prior experience of working within the childcare sector who is able to communicate effectively, both written and verbally, at all levels. Has the ability to present a positive, practical, and creative approach to the use of ICT including social media

Candidates should be able to demonstrate knowledge, skills and experiences related to the job description and person specification.

• Knowledge and understanding of the Childcare Act 2006 and 2016, Data Protection Act and Freedom of Information Act.
• The range and diversity of childcare provision and services for families.
• Good planning, time management, organisational skills and can work to deadlines.
• High level of confidence sourcing information online and updating and creating databases and spreadsheets.

We can offer:

• Friendly, supportive, and highly motivated staff
• A strong commitment to raising standards
• Excellent opportunities to build experience working across the remit of early years education

Your application should:

• Describe what attracts you to this role and how your experience relates to the opportunities and challenges presented by this post.
• Outline your experience and detail how you meet the person specification, with clear evidence of your impact.

For full details on the application process please read the attached document labelled 'Coventry City Council Application Process'

Interview date:  10 May 2023

About Coventry

Coventry has a proud, innovative and creative spirit that throughout its history has seen communities come together to tackle problems and bring about real social change.

We are cutting-edge, challenging, youthful, vibrant and diverse.

At Coventry we are committed to excellence in everything we do. With around 4800 staff from a range of different backgrounds, our aim is to recruit and develop talented people who will focus on our customers, take responsibility, work together and find better ways of doing things.

To deliver the best services to our residents, we need the best people working for us to make a difference to our communities.

If you join us, we will provide a fantastic rewards and benefits package - to find out more please visit https://www.coventry.gov.uk/council-vacancies

Coventry City Council