Room Leader - The Growing Tree

The ROOM LEADER / Early Years Educator will participate in the development, planning, and delivery of the daily operational running of the Early Years’ service, in line with the Childcare Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations (2016) thus ensuring the Health Welfare and Development of the child is paramount at all times. They will work in accordance to the services policies & procedures and practices. They will be responsible for the ongoing professional development and supervision of staff within the Early Years. They will be responsible for ensuring that the room is appropriately prepared for a TUSLA preschool inspection at any stage and that any child protection concerns are reported to the Manager and to the statutory authorities (TUSLA & Garda). Partnership with other staff, parents, families & outside support agencies and professionals is expected.

The successful applicant will be required to work as part of a team and have:

• Minimum Level 6 in Early Childhood Care and Education is essential
• 3 years’ experience in working in the Early Years is required
• Ability to work on own initiative as well as part of a team. You need to be a dynamic individual with plenty of initiative and drive and be committed to supporting the individual needs of the child.
• Level 7/8 in Early Childhood Care and Education is desirable
• Experience in a Leadership role within the early year’s sector is desirable
• Current First Aid certification
• Children First/Child Protection certification
• Thorough knowledge of current government policy, national childcare funding programmes and Tusla childcare regulations
• Experience in identifying quality practice in the early year’s sector and supporting practice through current legislation, Aistear, Siolta and good practice guidelines
• An understanding of the regulatory framework that services must operate within and the quality frameworks that services are now expected to meet
• Have excellent organisational skills and an ability to undertake work requiring accuracy and attention to detail
• Excellent IT and administrative abilities, including experience in report writing, use of Microsoft Word, Excel & Access Data etc.
• Have proficient administrative ability, including experience in report writing
• Excellent organisational and presentation skills
• Excellent interpersonal communications skills and an ability to work closely with a broad range of stakeholders including, service providers, educators, statutory and voluntary bodies
• Good command of English (i.e. grammar, spelling and sentence construction)
• Ability to work on own initiative as well as part of a team with flexibility to ongoing change in work practices
• Confidentiality and a good team player
• You need to be a dynamic individual with plenty of initiative and drive and open to change
• Satisfactory references and Garda Vetting will be required prior to employment

Contract: ECCE contract (with flexibility for additional hours if required)

Salary: Above current ERO

Annual Leave: 21 days per annum plus 3 Additional Company Allocated Leave Days, on a pro-rata basis

Opportunities for further development in childcare qualifications available

Staff Uniform provided

Employee Assistance Programme provided