Early Years Worker

What will you be doing?

Strong Start’s role is to improve outcomes for all young children from conception to age five, and to reduce inequalities in outcomes between children growing up with disadvantages and the wider population. We are commissioned by Public Health to provide the universal aspect of the Children’s Centre offer throughout Northamptonshire in conjunction with our partners who provide targeted services to young children and their families. Strong Start are hosted by West Northamptonshire Council but we also provide services for families in North Northamptonshire which is where this post is based.

We offer a service 52 weeks of the year, Monday to Friday 9-5 and we are looking for a member of staff who can work full time and all year round in order to meet service need. (Alternatively 2 part time posts of 18.5 hours per week one of whom will work Monday and Tuesday plus other hours to be agreed and the other would work Tuesday, Friday plus Wednesday or Thursday) This role will require occasional evening and weekend working (on a rota and with notice given) and candidates will need to be flexible to the business needs of the service. The job involves working across a range of venues to lead a programme of services so the successful applicant will require use of a car for which a mileage allowance is paid. There is also an element of home-based work, for which a mobile phone and laptop are provided. Alongside an intensive induction we offer training, regular supervision and professional development opportunities.

About you

We are looking to appoint an enthusiastic and dedicated person who has experience of working with families and children aged 0 to 5 years, who is a good communicator and team worker, plus has a Childcare NVQ or equivalent level 3 qualification. To be considered for interview you will need to follow the application guidance fully evidencing each aspect of the person specification within your personal statement.

The post requires an enhanced DBS clearance and due to West Northants Council’s safer recruitment policy it is essential that the online application process is completed; we regret we cannot accept applications via CV for this role.

Our benefits

We offer a wide range of benefits to our employees, these include:

• Generous annual leave entitlement starting at 27 days annual leave per year, 28 days for senior managers (pro rata, depending on how many hours per week you work), plus bank holidays. An additional 5 days, linked to continuous service, and ability to purchase up to 6 weeks additional leave per year.
• Local Government Pension Scheme plus immediate life cover (3 times your annual salary from day one) and ill-health protection.
• Employee discounts with local and national retailers, days out, finance, health and beauty, travel and eating out plus lots more.
• Cycle to Work scheme
• Car Lease scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme - We have an employee support programme run by Health Assured, an independent, external organisation. Health Assured is available for you and your immediate family members, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year and includes telephone counselling, legal advice, bereavement support and medical information.
• Ongoing training and development opportunities.
• A variety of flexible working options to support your work/life balance, including full or part time, term time, 9-day fortnight, etc. (subject to business needs).
• Our West Ways of Working – We want our workforce to thrive, and we equip our employees with the right technology to support hybrid and collaborative working, on or off site, depending on the role.
• Making a difference - If you want to use your skills and experience with an organisation that are genuinely invested in making a difference, are committed to improving people's lives, and whose success has a direct impact on the wellbeing of your family, friends and people in your local area, then West Northamptonshire Council is the place for you.

The council is in the process of implementing a new pay structure and terms and conditions which will be applicable to this role.  The outcome could result in a future variation to the advertised salary, and this will be discussed at interview.

About us

We’re a new council, following one of the largest shake-ups in local government reform in recent history. As a new authority, we’re embarking on an exciting journey to deliver exceptional services for our residents, customers and communities.  

Our vision at West Northamptonshire Council is ‘to make West Northants a great place to live, work, visit and thrive’. We truly stand by this and work hard every day to make this a reality. Our corporate values, THRIVE, stand for: Trust, High Performance, Respect, Innovate and Empower, they underpin everything we do and how we deliver services. 

At West Northants Council, it’s about our people. People who thrive with ambition, bubble with new ideas, demand better ways of working, caring about every detail, and who never shy away from a challenge. Our culture is a gateway for new experiences. A place to forge new opportunities. To empower you in your career and unite you with like-minded people.

When potential is unlocked, talent thrives.

Choose a career that offers you a true sense of achievement, fills you with pride and challenges you in a positive way, every day.

West Northants Council, where careers thrive.