An Cosán is currently seeking an enthusiastic Early Years Education Lead for our Early Years’ services in Cabra, Whitehall and Tallaght. This role plays a critical part in the provision of high-quality Early Childhood Education and Care for our communities.

The role requires an experienced and passionate early childhood professional with a commitment to ensuring the best quality care and education to provision of children and families.

They will collaborate with their colleagues and other teams within the organisation to ensure outcomes and objectives for development of the service are realised.

The Early Years Education Lead will operate within the ethos, values, policies and procedures of An Cosán, particularly in relation to Equal Opportunities.

Job Title: Early Years Education Lead

Qualification: BA (minimum) in Early Years Education and Care

Experience: At least seven years’ experience in the early years’ sector, with a minimum of five years’ management experience in the Early Years sector.

Reports to: Deputy CEO

Direct Reports: Early Years Centre Managers

Contract: FT or 30 hours per week, permanent

Schedule: Monday to Friday (no weekends)

Probation: 9 months

Locations: Tallaght, Whitehall & Cabra

Benefits: Additional leave; free on-site parking.

An Cosán

An Cosán (Irish for “The Path”) is Ireland’s largest community education organisation. The mission of An Cosán is to bring about social equality and an end to poverty through the provision of early years’ supports, community-based adult education, wrap around family supports and counselling services, and to bring about social equality. An Cosán is at the forefront nationally in the provision of high quality and inclusive early childhood education and care. The Early Years team in An Cosán has grown significantly to provide seven services in total across Dublin city. There are three services in Tallaght, three in Cabra, and one in Whitehall. Services are consistently recognised by external evaluation for their achievement of quality standards and the use of Highscope curriculum.

The Role

The Early Years Education Lead is the primary designated person in overseeing the early years education and care services and leads the day-to-day management of these services.

Primary Responsibility

The Early Years Education Lead will be responsible for the overall management of our high-quality early years’ services. The post holder will ensure all good practice standards are met in the delivery of the early education and care programme. The practice in the services should be regularly reviewed and evaluated to ensure standards are continuously developed and maintained. The Early Years Education Lead will also be responsible for the efficient financial management and operations of the services.

Key Responsibilities

• Support, mentor, and liaise with seven Early Years Managers to oversee the ongoing successful management of the early year's services.
• Ensure all services are effective in supporting children to meet key outcomes and operate at full capacity while providing access for priority groups.
• Oversee and support Early Years Managers with the development of the curriculum for each service, ensuring that the activities and programmes are linked to Highscope, Aistear, the National Curriculum and Síolta, the National Quality Framework.
• Ensure that all elements of the services are delivered in compliance with the Childcare Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016, and the National Standards for Preschool Services and any other legal or best practice standards.
• Ensure accurate and up-to-date records are kept for all aspects of the service necessary to the running of the full day service in accordance with the Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016, the Child Care Act 1991, the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children and the Department of Health and Children ‘Our Duty to Care’.
• Oversee the development of quality improvement strategies within the services to enhance the quality of experiences for all children, families, and staff.

Staff Management

• Recruitment and induction of Early Years Managers when necessary.
• Oversee staffing requirements as set out in the Childcare Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations, 2016.
• Act as a positive role model and provide leadership to Early Years Managers in relation to all elements of practice so that they can effectively fulfil their roles within the services.
• Ensure that quality standards are maintained in relation to the professionalism of staff as set out in the relevant standards.
• Support Early Years Managers in the recruitment of staff, staff induction and orientation, staff training and development, staff support and supervision.
• Ensure all HR policies and procedures are actively managed.
  • Identify training needs and source training opportunities. Provide regular professional supervision for Early Years Managers through regular meetings.
  • Ensure Early Years Managers keep staff up to date with all mandatory training as appropriate to the position (First Aid, Fire Safety, Food Hygiene, Manual Handling, Child Protection and HACCP).

Child Protection

• To act as Designated Child Protection Liaison Person in the service in line with Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children.
• Ensure all Early Years Managers and staff understand their roles and responsibilities in relation to child protection concerns in the service and that they act appropriately if they have a child protection concern and understand the child protection policy and procedures.
• Review and update policies as necessary.

Financial

• Collaborate with the Finance and Communications teams to achieve full capacity at each early years' service including the use of creative engagement solutions to maintain financial breakeven.
• Have a sound knowledge and understanding of various funding schemes.
• Ensure all Early Year Managers are delivering services in line with requirements under our contracts to DCEDIY/Pobal.

Working in Partnership with Parents

• Ensure an effective communication system with parents/guardians is developed and maintained.
• Oversee the organisation of parent information evenings/events.
• Oversee the management of seasonal and family/social events.

Health & Safety

• Ensure that the service meets all its obligations as stipulated in the Safety, Health, and Welfare at Work Act 2005.
• Ensure a high standard of cleanliness and that health and safety is maintained in line with relevant legislation in each centre.
• Ensure each centre is in excellent condition and always in compliance with the Childcare Act (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016, the Health, Safety and Welfare at Work Act 2005, and in line with all Policies and Procedures of the service.
• Ensure Fire Safety procedures for all centres are in place as set out by Fire Safety Act 1997 and Childcare Act 1991 (Early Years Services) 2016.
• Ensure all accident and incident forms are appropriately completed and maintained by Early Years Managers.
• Ensure regular risk assessments and health and safety audits – external and internal - are put in place by each Early Years Manager.

Meeting and Reporting Responsibilities

• Meet with the Deputy CEO on a weekly basis.
• Prepare monthly board reports.
• Attend An Cosán’s Early Years Working Group monthly meetings.
• Attend full staff meetings in An Cosán.
• Ensure all services are prepared for Child and Family Agency Early Years Inspection, Pobal inspections and any other relevant agencies inspections at all times.
• Ensure that all policies and procedures are implemented and updated as required.

Policy Development

• Liaise with Policy and Communications Manager on all policy issues and new developments within the Early Years sector.

Other Related Duties

• To take on other responsibilities as reasonably requested by An Cosán.

Other Desirable requirements for the role

• Knowledge or qualification in HighScope curriculum

Application Process & Deadline

To apply for this role, please send:

• a comprehensive, up-to-date CV;
• and Cover Letter (max two pages) outlining your motivation for applying for this job, your skills, knowledge and experience under the competencies required for this role, and your salary expectation.

The candidate should include the name and contact details of two referees who will be in a position to provide professional references for the candidate. One of the referee’s should be the candidate’s current or most recent employer. Referees will not be contacted without the candidate’s expressed permission.

Completed applications for this role should be sent by email to Anne Genockey, Deputy CEO at anne.genockey@ancosan.ie.

All documents must be submitted in Word or PDF format. For security reasons, files sent by email as links to documents in shared cloud-based servers will not be accepted.

Closing Date for Applications: 5pm Monday 2nd December 2024