SCOTTISH CHILDMINDING ASSOCIATION
JOB DESCRIPTION
JOB TITLE: DIRECTOR OF QUALITY, PRACTICE & LEARNING
LOCATION: Home/Office-based
HOURS: Part-time: up to 22 hours per week1, with regular attendance at our Head Office in Stirling. Hours to be worked flexibly arranged to provide for occasional Saturday and evening work. Some overnight stays away from home. Time off in lieu may be taken for any extra hours worked. No overtime payments are possible.
GRADE: PO point 51-54 with potential progression on to point 55-58
This is a permanent position. However, as a significant level of our current funding is only confirmed to 31 March 2027 due to the Scottish Parliamentary elections in May 2026, this role could also present a possible interim / secondment / acting-up opportunity. It is also possible that increased hours for this post could be offered in future.
Scottish Childminding Association (SCMA):
SCMA is a national Third Sector organisation and advocacy body for childminding, a professional membership organisation, a direct service provider through local authority (and other) service contracts to support childminder involvement in Early Learning & Childcare (ELC) and to provide family support to vulnerable families, and a national delivery partner. In May 2021, SCMA launched it’s three-year strategy, ‘Changing the Narrative: Strengthening Childminding, Supporting Families & Increasing Choice: SCMA Strategy 2021-24’, as the first stage in a longer (10 year) journey, in which SCMA aims to deliver and sustain transformational change and to develop a sustainable childminding workforce. Since then SCMA has led the way by developing a number of innovative pilot projects to support recruitment and retention and also piloted innovative models of service delivery. Linked to this, SCMA is also currently delivering the Programme for Scotland’s Childminding Future (PSCF), a three-year national programme on childminder recruitment and retention predominantly funded by the Scottish Government. This programme is scaling-up SCMA’s demographically-targeted and supported model of childminder recruitment nationally and piloting a series of innovative measures to improve retention including Funded Time Off the Floor, mentoring and a defined Quality strand of activities which SCMA is providing for the childminding workforce.
Illustrative dimensions of position:
• £ budget
• 3+ staff (plus wider pool of staff involved in delivering learning and quality activities)
the Director of Quality, Practice & Learning would also be responsible for overseeing both the development of our core Quality function and overseeing the ongoing development of the Quality activities within the PSCF (led by the PSCF Quality & Learning Development Lead), ensuring these are aligned to SCMA’s core and membership quality, practice and learning functions and for working closely with the Senior Operations Manager for the PSCF (who would remain responsible for managing PSCF staff delivering Quality activities).
ACCOUNTABLE TO: Chief Executive
ACCOUNTABLE FOR: Professional Learning Manager
(also indirectly responsible for overseeing the development of the Quality strand within the PSCF led by the PSCF Quality & Learning Development Lead)
JOB PURPOSE:
Direct and lead on the strategic development and delivery of quality, practice and professional learning activities to support the career-long needs of members and the wider childminding workforce, and to enhance their quality practice and professional standing.
Contribute to national quality, practice, standard-setting and learning development through participating in national meetings and groups and representing the views, needs and experiences of members and the childminding workforce.
Identify and convert opportunities to support practice and quality improvement through innovative service delivery, securing funding and creating partnerships to support this work.
• Contribute to the strategic development of other SCMA services (national, local and membership) by working alongside and providing input to other members of the Leadership Team.
Maintain and grow quality, practice and learning income, and lead and direct the development of funding applications and opportunities for quality, practice and learning activity to contribute to the organisation’s financial stability; and contribute to the development of other funding applications and proposals and outcomes reporting.
Member of the SCMA Leadership Team.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Leadership Team
Be an active member of the Leadership Team and contribute to the development of organisational strategy, with key areas of responsibility for the delivery of operational priorities within SCMA’s Strategic Plan.
• Lead and inspire multi-skilled team(s).
Responsible for monitoring and review of all quality, practice and learning finance to ensure budgets are managed and used effectively, in accordance with financial procedures, contractual requirements and supporting financial stability within the organisation.
• Participate in and contribute to SCMA’s Finance team and be an authorised signatory for the organisation.
• Participate in Board meetings and Vision Review Weekend as part of the Leadership Team.
Quality & Practice
Establish a dedicated Quality & Practice function.
Lead and direct the development of SCMA’s Quality & Practice activities to support childminders to deliver and maintain high-quality practice at all career stages.
Identify opportunities and create partnerships to develop innovative childminding-specific quality and practice activities and tools in support of the implementation of national standards and frameworks (by supporting childminders’ inspection, quality-assurance, selfevaluation, evidencing of their practice and reflective practice).
Be responsible for generating income and monitoring spend in line with all aspects of Quality & Practice delivery
• Indirectly responsible for overseeing the development of the Quality strand within the PSCF led by the PSCF Quality & Learning Development Lead)
Learning
Lead and direct the development and implementation of SCMA’s Continuing Professional Learning (CPL) strategy, to meet the learning needs of childminders throughout their career; promoting professional, childminding settings.
• Responsible for generating learning partnerships with key stakeholders to respond to national and local practice requirements for childminders.
• Be responsible for generating income and monitoring spend in line with all aspects of CPL delivery.
• Overall responsibility for updating and creation of all SCMA learning materials.
• Directing the work of the Professional Learning Manager and Learn with SCMA Team
Representation
• Participating in national meetings, working groups and fora to lead on representing the views, needs and experiences of childminders in relation to quality, practice and learning areas.
• Provide cover for wider national policy discussions.
Development & Funding
• Contribute to the strategic development of other SCMA services (national, local and membership) by working alongside and providing input to other members of the Leadership Team.
• Identify funding opportunities to further develop SCMA services.
• Contribute to the development of funding applications and proposals.
Contribute to outcomes reporting.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
EDUCATIONAL/PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS
Essential
Degree or equivalent professional qualification in Childcare, Health, Social Care, Education
Desirable
Leadership and Management qualification or demonstrable experience
Learning and Development qualifications or demonstrable experience
CAREER EXPERIENCE
Essential
Demonstrable experience of developing a range of quality, practice and/or learning activities to support practice delivery.
Demonstrable experience of supporting the implementation of national policy, strategic priorities, standards and frameworks into practice including by using innovative approaches
Experience of operating at a national level, participating in meetings and working groups and representing the interests and needs of others
Demonstrable experience in stakeholder engagement, creating partnerships and collaborative working and the ability to develop and maintain relationships with stakeholders and partners across Scotland at a local and national level
Demonstrable track record in writing funding proposals, securing funding from different sources and in outcomes reporting to funders.
Experience in leading, inspiring and managing multi-skilled teams (including managers and staff)
Proven experience and ability in early years work and/or children and young people’s services (or demonstrable transferable skills)
Demonstrable experience of effectively managing resources and delivering value for money
Desirable
Experience working within or knowledge of Third Sector and Statutory Sectors (including working in partnership with and delivering services for local authorities)
Experience working with or within membership organisations
Experience working within regulated sectors
Presenting to different audiences
KNOWLEDGE
Essential
Understanding of relevant policy, legislative and regulatory landscape in Scotland across childcare and related workstreams
Quality, practice and professional learning needs of the childminding workforce and understanding of the relevant stakeholders at national and local levels (statutory and non-statutory)
In-depth understanding of and experience in outcomes reporting and contract compliance
Desirable
Relevant childcare and voluntary sectors networks in Scotland and the UK
In depth knowledge of the working practices of registered childminders
SKILLS
Essential
Excellent planning and project management skills, straddling a range of activities services at one time
Skilled negotiator with a record of achieving successful outcomes
Personal drive and resilience, including the ability to work under pressure and to tight deadlines and utilising effective time management
A high level of interpersonal, communication (verbal and written) and influencing skills, including the ability to deliver reports to a high standard
Excellent organisational and decision-making skills, including the organising of information, systems and people
Ability to work on own initiative, and as part of a team
Ability to represent SCMA and childminding nationally and locally, demonstrating confidence in providing constructive challenge as necessary
Expertise in MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint and other communications software
Desirable
Good presentation skills
Willingness to develop skills and undertake any relevant training
PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES & CIRCUMSTANCE
Passionate about and committed to the achievement of SCMA’s strategy
Embrace Inclusion, Equality and Diversity
Ability to work flexible hours, travel and occasionally be away from home overnight
Ability to regularly attend meetings at SCMA Head Office