Education Enrichment and Childcare Lead

Job Description

Organisation: London Borough of Waltham Forest

Salary: PO4 £49,056 - £52,194

Contract Type: Full-time/Permanent

Working hours per week: 36

Application Deadline: 17th September 2026

Proposed Interview Date(s): W/C 28th September 2026

Reference: 2287

About Us: 

Bursting with culture, energy, and opportunity, the London Borough of Waltham Forest is a fantastic and exciting place to work. 

We are a highly ambitious borough. Driven by culture and the innate creativity of our residents, we have developed new and innovative ways to build our communities. Our Council is relentlessly resident-focused, insight-led, digitally driven and commercially minded; a Council focused on meeting the needs of our existing and future residents. 

London Borough of Waltham Forest is one of the Mayor of London’s Good Work Standard employers. This accreditation is a proof of our commitment to creating a healthy, fair and inclusive workplace. This includes fair pay and conditions, workplace well-being, skills and progression and diversity and recruitment. 

The Council’s preference is for online application. However, if you have a disability and are unable to complete an online application, please email [email removed] so we can arrange an alternative application method.

About the role: 

We are seeking an experienced and motivated Education Operations Lead to play a pivotal role in shaping and delivering high-quality education, early years, childcare and enrichment services across Waltham Forest.

Reporting to the Education Operations Manager, you will lead on a diverse portfolio of operational, performance and commissioning responsibilities that support the Council's statutory duties relating to childcare sufficiency, free early education entitlement, and enrichment opportunities for children and young people. You will work collaboratively with schools, childcare providers, internal services and external partners to ensure high-quality provision, strong business performance and positive outcomes for families.

The role involves overseeing grant-funded programmes, monitoring provider compliance, developing business processes, analysing performance data, and driving service improvement. You will also provide expert advice and support to providers, helping to ensure they remain sustainable, compliant and responsive to the needs of local communities.

This is an exciting opportunity for a strategic and operational leader who enjoys working across partnerships, using data to inform decision-making, managing complex projects and translating policy into effective service delivery. You will play a key role in ensuring children and families have access to high-quality childcare, early education and enrichment opportunities that support learning, development and wellbeing.

If you are passionate about improving outcomes for children and young people, have strong operational management experience, and thrive in a collaborative, fast-paced environment, we would love to hear from you

>> Click here to download the Role Profile << 

Key Responsibilities: 

• Lead the delivery and operational management of education business operations, performance and support services across the Education Service. 
• Support the Council's statutory duties for childcare sufficiency, free early education entitlement and childcare provision. 
• Develop and maintain effective relationships with schools, early years providers, childcare providers and key partners. 
• Commission, monitor and quality assure childcare, early years and enrichment providers to ensure compliance with statutory and contractual requirement.
• Lead the delivery of grant-funded programmes relating to early education, childcare and enrichment activities for children and young people. 
• Analyse performance, financial and service data to inform strategic planning, service improvement and statutory reporting. 
• Provide expert advice, guidance and training to providers and schools to support sustainability, compliance and quality improvement. 
• Develop and implement policies, procedures and business processes that improve service effectiveness and value for money. 
• Lead projects, change initiatives and digital service improvements to enhance operational efficiency and customer experience. 
• Monitor risks, ensure effective governance arrangements and maintain compliance with relevant legislation, funding requirements and data protection regulations. 
• Prepare reports, briefings and recommendations for senior leaders, stakeholders and partners. 
• Support and deputise for the Education Operations Manager when required

Qualifications and Requirements: 

• Experience of operationally managing a service/team which contributed to delivering a Council’s statutory requirements relating to delivering a Council’s statutory requirements relating to securing free early education and childcare places to children under 5 who are eligible for a place, as well as childcare for children aged 0 to 14 or up to 18 for disabled children, by creating and retaining high quality places by working with potential providers and existing providers, commissioning high quality providers and delivering information advice and training which empowered providers to remain financially sustainable and provide quality places that comply with business related statutory requirements.
•  Experience of successfully operationally managing a service/team delivering grant funded programmes related to early education and childcare and out of school/enrichment activities for school age children
• Experience of operationally managing a team/service which lead on delivering grant funded programmes related to early education and childcare and out of school/enrichment activities for school age children
• Experience of providing a range of information advice and training to Early Years, Childcare providers and Schools regarding running sustainable businesses which comply with statutory requirements.
• Experience of developing and implementing financial and business strategies/plans that are based on thorough analysis of needs and risks. 
• Expert knowledge and understanding of Ofsted/DfE requirements, systems, policy, practices, procedures, and legislation regarding early years and childcare.
• Excellent customer service skills, with experience of resolving customer queries.
• Significant experience of working with and forming positive, trusting relationships with commissioned providers (especially Ofsted registered childcare providers and schools). 
• Experience of consultation, engagement and participation work with parents/carers, schools and childcare providers 
• Experience of providing a range of business operations/support services across an internal service/team. 
• A good understanding of the issues that can affect parents/carers, schools and childcare providers and how best to address them. 
• Experience of developing team members by effectively delegating tasks and projects 
• Experience of translating strategic vision into practical achievable plans · Experience of defining service delivery expectations and setting clear expectations for the team 
• Experience of harnessing the strengths of the team to positi