Early Years Development Manager (Level 2) (Maternity Leave Cover) at Rise North East

Contract Type: Fixed term

Role Type: Employment

Hours: Full time

Application deadline:

Based: Flexible

Salary: £30,126 to 34,760 Per Annum

Salary Type: Salary Scale

Location: Regionwide

Role description: Manager

The Role 

We are currently seeking an experienced, passionate and motivated Early Years Development Manager to join us on a Maternity Leave Cover basis.

This is an exciting key management role within the Children and Young People’s (CYP) Team. The successful candidate will be responsible for continuity and maintaining the smooth running of our Early Years workstream, in addition to line management of our Outdoor Education Facilitator and project managing our existing early years areas of work, such as Step Outdoors, the Early Years Conference and wider workforce development opportunities to name a few.

You will support developing, leading and upscaling high-quality maternity and early years programmes and initiatives across Northumberland, Tyne and Wear and County Durham, supporting the charity’s strategic priorities to empower people to lead healthier lives, tackle inequalities, and strengthen communities.

The role focuses on project development and management, increasing physical activity levels, movement, active outdoor play and wellbeing for young children aged 0–5 and their families. Ensuring every child has the best start in life and supports families to thrive - particularly in communities experiencing the greatest health, social, and economic disadvantage.

The Early Years Development Manager will work collaboratively with internal and external teams, building strong local, regional and national partnerships, co-designing inclusive, evidence based, needs led programmes and positive experiences.

You will work with stakeholders to champion the voices of our youngest children, their families and professionals in the early years sector, working to shape local systems, policy, and practice by ensuring they meet regulatory standards and compliance within the Early Years Foundation Stage statutory framework (EYFS) ensuring strong outcomes for children and families.

This is an exciting opportunity for someone who is passionate about early childhood development and confident in leading change, supporting quality improvement and influencing practice and scale.

We are interested in hearing from candidates who are motivated to improve outcomes for expectant mums, young children, their families and early years professionals.

Additional experience in maternity and working with expectant mums, new parents and their babies within the first 1001 days would be highly valuable, to co-design, co-produce and drive forward a new key area of health and wellbeing work within this area.

Purpose:

The Early Years Development Manager will lead and deliver Rise’s work within the early years sector (pregnancy to age 5) across Northumberland, Tyne & Wear and County Durham, supporting the charity’s strategic priorities to empower healthier lives, tackle inequalities, and strengthen communities.

The role focuses on increasing physical activity levels, movement, active play and wellbeing for young children aged 0–5 and their families, expectant/new parents and the wider professionals that support them. Helping to reduce the inequalities gap and ensuring every child has the best start in life and supports families to thrive - particularly in communities experiencing the greatest health, social, and economic disadvantage.

The Early Years Development Manager will programme develop and project manage our early years workstream, building strong local, regional and national partnerships. Co-design inclusive, evidence based, needs led programmes and positive experiences. Championing the voices of our youngest children, their families and professionals in the early years sector in shaping local systems, policy, and practice ensuring they meet regulatory standards and compliance within the Early Years Foundation Stage statutory framework (EYFS).

Key Themes and Responsibilities:

Lead Rise’s maternity and early years work, ensuring it aligns with organisational strategy and priorities. Build and maintain strong relationships with relevant partners across health, education, and community systems and represent Rise within regional and national forums.

Through partnership development, collaboration and influence, promote the role of physical activity, movement and active play as central to child development and family wellbeing.

Develop, implement and manage the co-design and delivery of programmes, training, events and place-based initiatives that promote active play, movement and empower the voices of young children and families.