Children Services Manager

Job DescriptionPost: Children Services Manager (Early Years)Reports to: Senior Manager - LearningLocation: 1 Thorpe Close, London W10 5XLHours: Full Time 35 hours per week Job share will be consideredSalary: £41,981 per annumContract Type: PermanentWestway Trust is a charity that stewards the 23-acres of space under the Westway flyover and works together with the local community to enable North Kensington to thrive. We dedicate ourselves to the social, environmental and economic wellbeing of this vibrant community. To deliver our ambitions we work with over 60 member organisations ranging from community groups and residents' associations to schools and sports clubs, as well as other local groups and people.The estate is home to more than three acres of public green space, 120 tenants including more than 20 charities and non-profit organisations, two sports and fitness facilities, 48 light industrial units, 34 offices, 32 shops, community stables and a skate park.Working with local people we want North Kensington to continue to be a place of learning and opportunity for people to be physically active; participate in arts and culture; access economic opportunities; and live in a green and healthy environment. Our engagement is with all across the age range, as we know how important input in the early years can be.The ambitions we have are reflected in our vision, mission and outcomes that can be found in our Horizon Plan, the strategic plan for the organisation, which can be found. We achieved well with our first Horizon Plan and we have just created a new one which sets out our direction to 2028. This will include a number of large refurbishment projects preparing for new buildings.The purpose of this role is to manage, develop and expand our Nursery and Crèche services working collaboratively with the immediate team, other relevant staff, commissioners, partners and stakeholders.Reporting to the Senior Manager Learning, leading relevant teams, and working closely with external partners, this role is key to positioning the Trust as a provider of affordable vital and culturally appropriate services.This entails the overall management and organisation of the staff team and their duties, including ensuring good connectivity with the overall organisation. Engagement with statutory regulators, commissioners, and partners and ensuring good liaison upwards within the organisational structure. Gathering and sharing examples of good practice; seeking new opportunities, contributing to expansion plans, and timely and accurate monitoring and reporting.Affordable Nursery and Crèche services are much needed within North Kensington and we want everyone to feel welcome and proud of our services. We want them to choose our services first, knowing them to be safe and clean and to facilitate excellent learning for young people.The list below is indicative of the key elements of the role, it is not intended to be an exhaustive list. * Manage the staff team to deliver the Nursery and Crèche services. * Liaison with all relevant members of staff to ensure maximising the team’s opportunities for employment, personal and professional development and organisational engagement. * Develop, monitor and review activities to ensure high standards of childcare and learning. * Quality assure and develop and improve services to maintain and improve our Ofsted position. * To apply all Trust policies to the service and identify and develop any bespoke policies that may be required. * Attend budget planning with the finance team to ensure a full understanding of the budget; good budget management and a strong out-turn in line with the growth strategy. * Keep appropriate records of all children and account for their social and individual developmental needs. * Monitor and report against the delivery objectives of the service providing observation and feedback to Nursery and Crèche workers so that they can improve their own direct planning and delivery and qualifications. * Work with the Marketing and Communications team to ensure good collateral for media, marketing, recruitment, communications, branding and engagement. * Provide data as required for reporting internally to your line manager and through the Trusts Governance, and externally. * Represent Westway Trust at events and activities in your field. * Contribute to the wider Trust activities encouraging the engagement of your team/s.You will be an energetic and enthusiastic individual with a commitment to working collaboratively with all colleagues and with the people of North Kensington. You will be keen to see the Nursery and Crèche services of the Trust expand and develop and grow the capacity and opportunities for staff.Essential qualification, knowledge and experience:You will demonstrate:Relevant qualification in childcare at a minimum Level 4.Minimum 2 years’ experience of managing a Nursery with experience of all the relevant duties, monitoring, reporting and quality improvement.Level 3 Safeguarding qualification.Experience of being the main contact for Ofsted.A track record of working collaboratively with colleagues, partners and stakeholders to develop successful partnerships, growth, and achieve joint success.Strong experience of planning ahead, scheduling, attention to detail and problem solving.Experience of working with a team, sometimes dealing with moments of high pressure.Experience of managing staff and supporting their development.Experience of managing resources and budgets.Strong verbal and written communication skills and experience of writing reports.Knowledge of Safeguarding.A good level of IT proficiency.The ability to plan and prioritise workloads and work accurately to deadlines.The ability to be flexible and adaptable in response to developing priorities and seize new opportunities.Experience of delivering a service that demonstrates an understanding of different cultures.Demonstrable understanding of, commitment to, and promotion of equality of opportunities, diversity and inclusion.An understanding of the issues facing North Kensington and a track record of working alongside beneficiary communities.Experience of working with volunteers or some experience of Community Engagement.Willingness to work occasional evenings and weekend hours.Desirable knowledge and experience:The ideal candidate will demonstrate the Trust’s Values— Courage, Integrity, Equity, Openness, and Sustainability — at all times in their work and behaviours