Early Years and Childcare Sector Development Officer

This permanent role has a starting salary of £42,958 per annum, based on a 36 hour working week.

We are excited to be hiring two Early Years and Childcare Sector Development Officers to join our fantastic Early Years and Childcare Sector Development Team. By joining the Early Years and Childcare Sector Development Team, you will play a key role in shaping Surrey's childcare landscape, strengthening provider sustainability, expanding high-quality provision and helping ensure children and families can access the services they need to thrive.

One position will be based in East Surrey, with a current work base location at Woodhatch Place in Reigate, and one position will be based in West Surrey, with the current work base location at Victoria Gate in Woking.

We support hybrid working with the right balance. We come together in person for 1 days per week on average (20% of the working week), typically rotating between Woodhatch Place and Victoria gate. We then support working from home the rest of the time when you are not in the community visiting providers.

Our Offer to You

26 days' holiday, rising to 28 days after 2 years' service and 31 days after 5 years' service Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave A generous local government salary related pension Up to 5 days of carer's leave and 2 paid volunteering days per year Paternity, adoption and dependents leave An Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support health and wellbeing Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources Wellbeing and lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, and shopping A chance to make a real difference to the lives of our residents.About The Role

The Early Years and Childcare Sector Development Team supports early years and school-age childcare providers across Surrey to deliver sustainable, high-quality provision. We provide advice on sufficiency, funding, business sustainability and market development, helping ensure families can access the childcare they need.

A typical day for an Early Years and Childcare Sector Development Officer might involve discussing strategies with new or existing providers support them in marketing their provision, offering advice and guidance on business planning, or supporting the opening of a new childcare setting in the local area. You will use your problem-solving skills to help providers navigate recruitment challenges, consider adaptations to their operating model, and review financial information to support long-term sustainability.

You may spend time talking with families in the community or over the phone to understand their childcare needs, identify barriers to access, and provide information on funded early education entitlements and other financial support. Alongside responding to enquiries from parents and providers, you will work with Senior Officers and partners across education, family support and local communities to develop action plans, identify emerging support needs, maintain accurate records, and use local intelligence and data to contribute to childcare sufficiency assessments, helping improve access for Surrey's most vulnerable children and families.

Your Application

In order to be considered for shortlisting, your application will clearly evidence the following skills and align with our behaviours:

Level 6 Qualification in Early Years, school-age childcare or a similar related field, or significant experience in a related field with Early Years/relevant experience in a previous role Undersanding of the impact that additional needs/deprivation/ disadvantage has on the Early Years and school-age childcare sectors. Understanding of sufficiency and market management. Ability to work with a range of internal and external partners including education/health/social care with evidence of building professional relationships with providers and communities working in a multi-disciplinary approach. Experience in supporting and delivering training presentations. The ability to work on and sometimes lead projects that have met outcomes within a set timescale. A good knowledge and understanding of Early Years Funded Early Education Entitlements and Statutory Guidance, including Safeguarding responsibilities.To apply, we request that you submit a CV and you will be asked the following 4 questions:

What interests you about working in the Early Years and Childcare Sector Development Team, and how does your knowledge and experience make you suitable for this role? Please describe the government-funded early education and childcare support available to families. In your response, explain how you would support families facing disadvantage or barriers to accessing childcare, including any factors you would need to consider to ensure equitable access to provision. Describe a situation where you identified a problem or emerging need and took action to address it. How did you approach the situation and what was the result? What do you think are some of the biggest challenges currently facing early years and school-age childcare providers, and what role do you think the Early Years and Childcare Sector Development Team may have in addressing these?Please confirm whether you are interested in the position advertised in the East, West or Both, you will be asked as part of the application process.

The job advert closes at 23:59 on 25th October 2026 with interviews planned to follow.

Local Government Organisation (LGR)

Surrey County Council is undergoing Local Government Reorganisation and will move to new authorities in April 2027. This role is currently employed by Surrey County Council and will remain so until then. If you are employed by Surrey County Council on 1 April 2027, your employment will transfer under TUPE arrangements to one of the new councils, with your current terms and conditions protected. The provisional allocation for these posts is one in East Surrey and one in West Surrey, subject to final confirmation through the wider transition process later this year.

Our Commitment

We are a disability confident employer which means if you have shared a disability on your application form and have evidenced you meet the minimum criteria, we guarantee you an interview.

Your skills and experience truly matter to us. From application to your first day, we're committed to supporting you with any adjustments you need, we value inclusion and warmly welcome you to join and help build a workplace where everyone belongs