Senior Early Years Improvement Advisor

Organisation: Leicestershire County Council

Work Location: County Hall, Glenfield, LE3 8RA

Worker Category: Hybrid Worker

Working Hours:37 hours per week

Contract Type: Permanent

Closing Date: 8th February 2026

Interview Date(s): 9th March 2026

Due to the retirement of the current post holder we’re looking for an inspiring and proactive individual to work alongside other Senior Improvement Advisors and to lead a team of Early Years Improvement Advisors. In this role, you’ll coordinate work profiles and projects, provide strong line management, and deputise for the Improvement Team Manager when needed—helping to drive forward excellence across our Early Years provision in Leicestershire.

As a Senior Improvement Advisor you will:

• Motivate, support, and coordinate our Early Years Improvement Advisors to achieve consistently high standards and deliver impactful support to providers ensuring high quality inclusive practice.
• Direct the Early Years Improvement Advisors to Monitor and challenge Early Years settings including childminders to ensure providers rated less than Good/Expected by Ofsted receive the right guidance, training, and improvement support in line with our statutory duties.
• Promote Inclusion to ensure every child has access to high‑quality, inclusive Early Years provision that meets their individual needs.
• Ensure equality, diversity, and the principles of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) are fully embedded in everyday practice across all settings.
• Lead and coordinate key projects and initiatives, collaborating closely with partners such as the Family Hubs, Leicestershire Partnership Trust and other organisations aligning with the Best Start in Life agenda.
• Share essential safeguarding messages, expectations, and local procedures with providers and stakeholders, helping to ensure best practice is understood and consistently applied.

The nature of the work will require a flexible approach to working, including out-of-hours, and an ability and willingness to travel to various locations.

An enhanced with barred list DBS check is required for this post.

For information on our approach to the recruitment of ex-offenders, please see our policy statement
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To apply for this post, you must be able to evidence in your application how you meet the following criteria:

• A relevant level 6 qualification with outstanding early years practice in the early years sector or a school and evidence of further appropriate professional development.
• Experience of successful leadership and motivation of a group of staff within an appropriate early years environment. A good working knowledge of the childcare sector including experience of staff development and training.
• Excellent understanding of statutory duties and learning relating to the EYFS phase and Early Years SEND code of practice. Experience of observing and evaluating quality learning and providing feedback as part of the early year’s improvement processes
• Experience of coordination of projects, including monitoring and evaluating and an understanding of data analysis and its uses
• A good understanding of equality and diversity and how this should be promoted for the children of Leicestershire
• Effective presentation skills which include good communication skills, both written and oral. To be assertive, confident and sensitive to the needs of others. Have the ability cope with pressure, be organised and meet deadlines.
• Ability to develop and maintain good working relationships and professional partnerships with people from all backgrounds with the ability to enthuse and motivate others where lived experiences of diverse backgrounds can be shared and celebrated

Our main aim is to improve outcomes for children of Leicestershire. If you are successful, you will be supported by the Extended Leadership team to be creative and solution focused as well as having access to a variety of professional development opportunities. People who work in our service say that we are a caring, approachable, friendly service who work well together and with other professionals.

Staff are made to feel valued and that they are making a difference.

As a Children and…