Our Values

In line with our One Coventry Values we strive to have a workforce that reflects our local communities and welcome applicants from all sections of the community. We particularly welcome applicants from minority ethnic backgrounds, applicants who have a disability and applicants who are from the LGBTQ+ community to apply for our senior leadership roles. 

Our Values are:

• Open and fair: We are fair, open, and transparent.
• Nurture and develop: We help and encourage everyone to be their best and do their best.
• Engage and empower: We talk and listen to others, working together as one.
• Create and innovate: We embrace new ways of working to continuously improve.
• Own and be accountable: We work together to deliver the best services for our residents.
• Value and respect: We put diversity and inclusion at the heart of all we do.

About the team we are recruiting to

The role of the Early Years Business, Sufficiency and Funding Team is to:

• Lead and facilitate strategic development for Early Years across the City, working with a range of partners.
• 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 in relation to business, sufficiency and funding  to early years  and wraparound childcare provision for children aged up to 11 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.
• Undertake activities which focus on recruitment and retention of the childcare workforce.

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 22.2 hours per week – for 3 days a week all year round. (pro-rata salary £14,335 - £16,400).

Fixed-term contract for 12 months.

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

The purpose of this role is to:

• attend events alongside DWP Job Centre and Job Shop partners, to raise awareness of employment opportunities in the childcare sector

• work in partnership with training providers including higher education to raise awareness of job opportunities within the childcare workforce

• promote job vacancies in childcare as advertised on Coventry Jobs Website and Family Information Directory

A key element of the post involves undertaking community-based activities: attending events, visiting  a variety of stakeholder and engaging with them to ensure that information is disseminated effectively.  Therefore, the post will entail a combination of weekly outreach, office time and home working. 

You will work under the direction of the Workforce Development Manager. 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 need to have to ability to work in partnership with key stakeholders to support the growth of the emerging early years workforce into employment.

You will be able to share complex information with prospective employees and 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.

Have the ability to implement systems to ensure the early years workforce in Coventry has access to relevant training.

Experience of delivering information to a variety of audiences and will be confident representing the early years business sufficiency and funding team at events across Coventry.

Key Requirements

• Relevant ICT qualification and or skills sufficient to develop systems and analyse data
• Relevant Level 3 or above qualification or relevant work experience that demonstrates the skills and abilities required to perform the tasks of the post.

The post would suit an individual with prior experience of working within the childcare or Education 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.

• 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 to engage with stakeholders in order to grow the workforce
• To be proficient in the use of online marketing platforms and tools.

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

If you need help or support to complete your application, please visit our accessibility page to see how we can assist you.

Guaranteed Interview Scheme - As part of our commitment to inclusion, we offer guaranteed interviews for specific groups of people. To qualify, you'll need to meet the minimum requirements for the role and identify with one of the below criteria:

• Members of the Armed Forces and veterans
• Are currently in care or have previously been in care
• If you consider yourself to be disabled or if you have a long-term health condition

For full details on the application process please read the attached document on our jobs page labelled 'Coventry City Council Application Process'. If there is any evidence of a candidate using AI to complete their application, then the application will be rejected unless the candidate can provide a justification which the Council considers to be reasonable.

Interview date: w/c 23 September 2024

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 5100 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