Early Years Quality and Compliance Specialist

Location: Respond Early Years Service, Drogheda, Co. Louth

Reporting: Early Years Service Manager

Terms: 39 hours per week (Mon-Fri)

Contract: Permanent full-time

Salary: €19.50-€22.65 per hour

(Please note that offers are typically made at the beginning to mid-range of the advertised salary, based on skills and experience)

Staff Benefits:

• Annual leave of 23 days plus additional company days
• Further education and training assistance
• Maternity Leave pay
• Sick pay
• Employee assistance programme
• Employee Purchasing Schemes
• 100% Attendance Bonus Holidays
• Adoptive Leave
• Surrogacy Leave
• Fertility Support Leave
• Early Pregnancy Loss Leave

Job Purpose:

The purpose of this role is to ensure the service consistently meets regulatory standards, delivers high-quality care and education and fosters a safe, nurturing environment for children, while supporting staff to achieve excellence in practice.

Responsibilities:

• Collaborate with the Service Manager to design and implement an annual internal audit programme that ensures high compliance with regulatory requirements and promotes continuous improvement in quality standards.
• Carry out internal audits in accordance with yearly programme in collaboration with the full team and share learnings to nurture a whole service approach to maintain high standards of practice.
• Work in partnership with the Service Manager to regularly review regulatory standards and ensure all staff are knowledgeable, confident, and supported in meeting these requirements through guidance, training, and mentoring.
• Work closely with and mentor room leaders to empower them in leading their rooms with high-quality practice, ensuring consistency with curriculum frameworks and regulatory standards.
• Ensure all recording related to Fire, Health and Safety are maintained correctly and up to date.
• Develop a service quality improvement plan, based on service performance in onsite Pre-school Quality Assessment Audits, conducted by the National Quality Mentor.
• Ensure staff are kept up to date with policies, procedures and best practice guidelines.
• Model and mentor best practice interaction strategies with children. Identify any gaps in practice and provide focused support where required.
• Oversee the implementation of the National Quality and Curriculum Frameworks, Síolta and Aistear. Provide guidance to Room Leaders and Key Workers on planning and evaluating a curriculum that supports the learning and development of each child.
• Oversee use of the Cor Advantage App. Review anecdotes, planning and portfolio development. Monitor children’s learning journeys and regularly evaluate to ensure developmentally appropriate outcomes.
• Promote and model reflective practice among educators, encouraging regular self-assessment and team reflection to improve the quality of care and learning experiences.
• Support and facilitate continuous professional development by identifying training needs, organizing learning opportunities, and mentoring staff to embed new knowledge into practice.
• Ensure the well-being of all children is central in decision making regarding service delivery.
• Work collaboratively with parents to support children’s individual learning and development needs.
• Oversee Equal Start funding compliance through identifying appropriate training, family support and ensuring non-contact time is used to promote equal participation by children and families.
• Prepare reports as required in relation to the work area under your responsibility.
• Act up for Early Years Service manager if required.

Person Specification & Experience:

• Professional qualification in Early Education - minimum level 7 required.
• A minimum of 5 years’ experience working in a childcare setting.
• Have a minimum of 2 years supervisory experience in a related field.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills and leadership skills.
• Aptitude and empathy with children and young people.
• Good computer skills and knowledge of Microsoft office suite.
• Report writing and administration skills.
• Demonstrate a strong teamwork ethic and a capacity to work under own initiative.
• Garda Vetting will be required on an ongoing basis.