Early Years Strategy, Partnerships & Operations Manager in Wales

37 hours per week. Fixed term until March 2028, with extension possible, subject to continued funding.

Bridgend is investing significantly in its early years system to ensure children and families receive the right support, in the right place, at the right time. With the expansion of childcare and a drive to further improve integration, infrastructure and sufficiency, we are creating a new senior post to strengthen our strategic capacity.

We are seeking an experienced and forward-thinking leader to take responsibility for the systems, infrastructure, partnerships and delivery mechanisms that underpin our early years services. The role will form a key part of the early years and childcare senior leadership team and will work closely with the Strategic Lead for Early Education and Childcare to ensure a coherent, whole system approach across our county borough.

The postholder will lead the development and delivery of Bridgend's early years operational and infrastructure strategy, ensuring alignment with national policy, statutory frameworks and local need, and provide strategic oversight of:

• Partnerships and integrated working
• Childcare sufficiency and workforce planning
• Childcare expansion planning, including the identification of capital projects
• Premises management and health and safety across the early years portfolio
• Core business systems and operational processes

The postholder will manage the strategic leads for partnerships and projects, sufficiency and business processes, ensuring strong alignment across these functions, whilst maintaining a clear focus on outcomes for children and families.

You will be a credible senior leader with:

• Significant experience working at a strategic level within early years, education, children's services, public health or a related field.
• A strong understanding of Welsh early years policy, including Flying Start, childcare sufficiency and integrated service delivery.
• Proven experience of effective partnership working, managing complex programmes and service transformation.
• Confidence in using data to inform strategic planning and decision-making.
• The ability to build strong working relationships across local authority services, health, Welsh Government and the third sector.
• A clear, collaborative leadership style, with the ability to bring alignment across diverse functions.

This is a rare opportunity to help shape and develop our early years system at a pivotal moment of growth and reform. The role offers genuine strategic influence, high-level partnership working and the chance to make a lasting impact on outcomes for young children and families across Bridgend.

An informal conversation prior to applying is strongly recommended and warmly encouraged. To arrange this, please contact Tanya Smith, Head of Strategy, Early Years and Youth.

Please note, the role is based at Corneli Integrated Children's Centre with a hybrid working element and the requirement to visit settings throughout the county borough also included as part of this role. Candidates therefore must have a reliable home internet connection, a full driving licence and sole use of a car during working hours.

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 Children's Barred list criminal records check by the Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) is a requirement for this post. The council's Hybrid Working Policy applies to this post. This provides a framework for establishing how you will undertake working hours between your home and the office.

Closing Date: 05 August 2026.