CHILDCARE OPERATIONS LEAD
| Posting date: | 18 March 2026 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £36,679.02 to £40,106.92 per year |
| Additional salary information: | reflecting qualifications and experience |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 31 March 2026 |
| Location: | EH4 4BL |
| Remote working: | On-site only |
| Company: | North Edinburgh Childcare |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | COL202603 |
Summary
CHILDCARE OPERATIONS LEAD
Full Time - 35.83 Hours (Mon–Fri)
Annual salary: £36,679.02 – £40,106.92, reflecting qualifications and experience
North Edinburgh Childcare (NEC) is seeking an experienced, values‑driven Childcare Operations Lead to play a pivotal role in shaping the daily delivery of our early learning and childcare services. This is a key leadership position at the heart of our organisation, ensuring that every child, family, and staff member experiences the highest standards of care, education, and support.
As our Childcare Operations Lead, you will be responsible for the smooth, consistent, and high‑quality operation of all NEC childcare services. You will proactively monitor occupancy across our settings, ensuring capacity targets are met, with timely intervention, and the development of effective mitigation strategies for Senior Management consideration.
You will also hold overall management responsibility for our Early Education and Childcare services, Out of School Care, and Breakfast Clubs. As required, you will act as the registered manager of services, ensuring full compliance with regulatory standards and maintaining NEC’s strong reputation for quality, inclusion, and community impact.
The ideal candidate will have the following abilities:-
Leadership & Management
Proven experience leading teams within early learning and childcare, out of school care, or a closely related sector.
Ability to motivate, support, and develop staff, fostering a positive and professional culture.
Confident decisionmaker with the ability to manage multiple services simultaneously.
Operational Excellence
Demonstrated experience managing daytoday operations in a childcare or education setting.
Strong organisational skills with the ability to maintain consistency and quality across multiple services.
Ability to act as the registered manager and ensure full compliance with Care Inspectorate standards.
Occupancy Monitoring & Service Sustainability
Strong analytical skills to monitor occupancy, identify risks early, and implement timely interventions.
Experience developing and presenting mitigation strategies to senior management.
Understanding of how occupancy impacts service sustainability and planning.
Quality, Compliance & Safeguarding
Indepth knowledge of regulatory frameworks, national guidance, and best practice in early learning and childcare.
Strong commitment to safeguarding, child protection, and delivering highquality experiences for children.
Ability to maintain robust quality assurance processes.
Communication & Relationship Building
Excellent communication skills with the ability to engage confidently with staff, families, partners, and regulators.
Ability to build trust and positive relationships across diverse groups.
Skilled in representing organisational values and promoting inclusion.
Values & Professionalism
Strong alignment with NEC’s mission, values, and commitment to community impact.
Demonstrated commitment to inclusion, equality, and childcentred practice.
Adaptable, reflective, and improvementfocused approach
Qualifications & Experience
SCQF Level 9 qualification (e.g., BA Childhood Practice or equivalent) or willingness to work towards this.
Additional Skills & Knowledge
Understanding of local childcare needs and the wider policy landscape.
Experience leading through organisational change or service development.
Confidence using digital systems for monitoring, reporting, and communication.
All applicants must be eligible to:-
Register at Manager Level with the Scottish Social Services Council.
Become a member of the Protection of Vulnerable Groups Scheme.
Work in the UK and have the relevant documents to prove this.
Closing date:-
12 noon on Tuesday, 31 March 2026
(Please note: the post may close early if interviews are completed before this date.)
How to apply:-
You can apply by completing our application form:
https://forms.office.com/e/tExibVYzDy
(N.B. CV’s will not be accepted for this post.)
Full Time - 35.83 Hours (Mon–Fri)
Annual salary: £36,679.02 – £40,106.92, reflecting qualifications and experience
North Edinburgh Childcare (NEC) is seeking an experienced, values‑driven Childcare Operations Lead to play a pivotal role in shaping the daily delivery of our early learning and childcare services. This is a key leadership position at the heart of our organisation, ensuring that every child, family, and staff member experiences the highest standards of care, education, and support.
As our Childcare Operations Lead, you will be responsible for the smooth, consistent, and high‑quality operation of all NEC childcare services. You will proactively monitor occupancy across our settings, ensuring capacity targets are met, with timely intervention, and the development of effective mitigation strategies for Senior Management consideration.
You will also hold overall management responsibility for our Early Education and Childcare services, Out of School Care, and Breakfast Clubs. As required, you will act as the registered manager of services, ensuring full compliance with regulatory standards and maintaining NEC’s strong reputation for quality, inclusion, and community impact.
The ideal candidate will have the following abilities:-
Leadership & Management
Proven experience leading teams within early learning and childcare, out of school care, or a closely related sector.
Ability to motivate, support, and develop staff, fostering a positive and professional culture.
Confident decisionmaker with the ability to manage multiple services simultaneously.
Operational Excellence
Demonstrated experience managing daytoday operations in a childcare or education setting.
Strong organisational skills with the ability to maintain consistency and quality across multiple services.
Ability to act as the registered manager and ensure full compliance with Care Inspectorate standards.
Occupancy Monitoring & Service Sustainability
Strong analytical skills to monitor occupancy, identify risks early, and implement timely interventions.
Experience developing and presenting mitigation strategies to senior management.
Understanding of how occupancy impacts service sustainability and planning.
Quality, Compliance & Safeguarding
Indepth knowledge of regulatory frameworks, national guidance, and best practice in early learning and childcare.
Strong commitment to safeguarding, child protection, and delivering highquality experiences for children.
Ability to maintain robust quality assurance processes.
Communication & Relationship Building
Excellent communication skills with the ability to engage confidently with staff, families, partners, and regulators.
Ability to build trust and positive relationships across diverse groups.
Skilled in representing organisational values and promoting inclusion.
Values & Professionalism
Strong alignment with NEC’s mission, values, and commitment to community impact.
Demonstrated commitment to inclusion, equality, and childcentred practice.
Adaptable, reflective, and improvementfocused approach
Qualifications & Experience
SCQF Level 9 qualification (e.g., BA Childhood Practice or equivalent) or willingness to work towards this.
Additional Skills & Knowledge
Understanding of local childcare needs and the wider policy landscape.
Experience leading through organisational change or service development.
Confidence using digital systems for monitoring, reporting, and communication.
All applicants must be eligible to:-
Register at Manager Level with the Scottish Social Services Council.
Become a member of the Protection of Vulnerable Groups Scheme.
Work in the UK and have the relevant documents to prove this.
Closing date:-
12 noon on Tuesday, 31 March 2026
(Please note: the post may close early if interviews are completed before this date.)
How to apply:-
You can apply by completing our application form:
https://forms.office.com/e/tExibVYzDy
(N.B. CV’s will not be accepted for this post.)