Hertfordshire County Council
Development Manager
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Development Manager – Children’s Services, Early Years Service
Role: Development Manager
Salary: £53,806 progressing to £59,497 per annum (pay award pending) Hours: 37 hours per week Location: Stevenage Contract Type: Permanent Directorate: Children’s Services
About the Team
Join Hertfordshire’s Early Years Service, a critical role within Children’s Services focused on ensuring sufficient, sustainable, and high-quality childcare provision for local families. The team collaborates closely with schools, early years providers, partners across the council, and other stakeholders to deliver early education and childcare entitlements effectively.
About the Role
As Development Manager, you will provide strategic leadership in childcare sufficiency, evaluating and shaping early education and childcare provision to meet the needs of children and families. Using data, insights, and partnership working, you’ll:
- Influence the long-term development and sustainability of the childcare market.
- Ensure equitable access to entitlements, particularly for vulnerable families.
- Support the Best Start in Life programme, fostering conditions for children’s early success.
Key responsibilities include:
- Developing a coherent, resilient early years system aligned with local priorities.
- Leading the annual review and update of the Early Years Handbook and Provider Agreement, ensuring clarity on entitlements and provider responsibilities. -Producing the annual Childcare Sufficiency Report, evaluating available provision against local demand. -Acting as a senior professional advocate for early education, offering leadership on evolving issues. -Strengthening the service’s capacity through team development, performance management, and strategic decision-making.
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Essential Requirements
- Recent/relevant experience in the early years sector or local authority early years teams.
- Stakeholder influence – experience working with schools, providers, and partner organisations.
- Sector knowledge – understanding of quality, sustainability, recruitment, and retention in early years.
- Safeguarding expertise – knowledge of policies and procedures.
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to present complex information clearly (both written and verbally).
- Data analysis skills – identifying provision gaps and driving evidence-based decisions.
- Reporting experience – ability to develop briefings, reports, and documents for decision-making.
- Team management – experience in performance reviews and staff leadership.
- Full driving licence – candidates must be able to travel across Hertfordshire flexibly.
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Desirable
- Understanding of local authority regulations, including political processes.
Additional Information
- Sponsorship: We currently cannot offer UK work visa sponsorship.
- Level: Level 13 role.
- Located in the Hertfordshire job profiles (external link).
Contact
For further details, contact Jamie Leavy (Jamie.Leavy@hertfordshire.gov.uk).
Application Process
Upload your CV (including employment history and relevant skills/qualifications). Highlight experience matching this role’s requirements. A brief covering paragraph in your application will complement your CV.
Eligibility Note
We are a Disability Confident employer – guaranteeing an interview if applicants meet the criteria and disclose a disability.
Benefits
Contact HR or visit our intranet for details.
Interview
In-person interview: 16th July 2026.
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