Manager in Bridgend

Bridgend’s Early Years and Childcare Team is seeking an exceptional and forward‑thinking leader to build on the existing strengths of our maintained early years provision at a pivotal time of growth, change and renewed vision. As Manager for Maintained Early Years Provision, you will provide strategic leadership across our portfolio of early years settings, shaping innovative, inclusive provision that delivers the best outcomes for children and families. The role offers a unique opportunity to lead, not only systems and structures, but to develop the curriculum, pedagogy and assessment approaches that underpin excellent early years practice.

About the role

• Provide strategic leadership and direction for all maintained settings, ensuring alignment with our refreshed vision, local authority priorities and national expectations.
• Lead the development and implementation of the Framework for Early Childhood Play Learning and Care (ECPLC), ensuring a strong, coherent approach to curriculum, pedagogy and assessment.
• Support setting leaders to embed reflective, evidence‑informed and developmentally appropriate practice anchored in the three enablers.
• Lead, inspire and develop a high‑performing senior team, fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability and continuous improvement.
• Drive consistency and excellence across all settings while respecting the unique context of each.
• Ensure practice is inclusive by design, enabling children – including those with additional learning needs – to thrive.
• Use data, observation and professional dialogue to support intentional leadership that results in improved outcomes for children.
• Ensure effective governance, compliance and sustainability across the maintained portfolio.

About you

• Has substantial experience of leading early years provision, with a strong understanding of curriculum and pedagogy.
• Has demonstrable expertise in curriculum development, pedagogy and assessment in the early years, ideally linked to ECPLC or similar frameworks.
• Can translate vision into practice, supporting others to deliver meaningful and sustained improvement.
• Has a strong track record of developing the practice of others and building professional capacity.
• Brings an innovative mindset, with the ability to respond creatively to challenge and change.
• Leads with intentionality, using evidence and insight to inform decision‑making.
• Builds strong relationships and can influence across a complex partnership landscape.

This role provides a rare opportunity to embed a new, ambitious vision and to shape curriculum and practice at scale across maintained early years provision. In addition, working as part of a supportive, collaborative and forward‑thinking service, committed to continuous improvement and professional learning, the post‑holder will have significant opportunities to contribute to wider system leadership and to influence practice, provision and priorities across early years in Bridgend.

If you believe as strongly as we do in the importance of the early years and you are excited by this challenge, we want to hear from you. A discussion with our Early Years and Childcare Manager, Stephanie Thomas, is strongly encouraged and easily arranged. Please contact stephanie.thomas@bridgend.gov.uk to ask any questions you have or to organise an appointment for an informal conversation.

Please note, the role will be largely field based, with time also spent working from our bases at Lewistown Training Centre and Corneli Integrated Children’s Centre. Applicants should be aware that, as this post will require travel throughout Bridgend, a valid driving licence and the use of a car during working hours are a requirement of appointment.

If you feel you have the necessary skills, experience and passion to thrive in what promises to be a varied, exciting and fast‑paced role, we look forward to receiving your application.

The ability to greet customers through the medium of Welsh is a requirement for this post. Protecting children, young people or adults at risk is a core responsibility of all council employees. An Enhanced with Childrens Barred list criminal records check by the Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) is a requirement for this post.