Location
London Borough of Hounslow

Hours
Full Time (hours not specified)

Salary
£68,559 per annum

About the Role
This is an exciting opportunity to join the Lifelong Learning, Skills & Employment (LLSE) division as a Professional Lead (Advisor) – Standards & Inclusion. You will support and champion high-quality early years practice across the borough by working directly with early years settings, leaders, practitioners, and wider partners. You will visit EYFS settings to model high-quality practice, provide professional guidance, and support settings to meet and exceed statutory requirements. Your expert advice will cover pedagogy, learning environments, curriculum development, SEND support, and safeguarding to ensure children receive the best possible start in life.

As part of the extended leadership team, you will play a key role in shaping strategic early years priorities, informing policy, and supporting the delivery of the borough’s Lifelong Learning Strategy. You will lead professional development, mentor and coach practitioners and leaders, and contribute to continuous quality improvement.

This role offers a fantastic opportunity to influence practice across the system, strengthen outcomes for the youngest learners, and develop your strategic leadership and quality improvement experience within a supportive and ambitious local authority.

About Us at Hounslow
We are an outstanding council serving one of London’s most diverse boroughs with visionary leadership, a dynamic Cabinet, and a can-do culture. Our people are deeply committed to providing excellent services to residents and making lives better. Hounslow is a place full of potential and diversity, and we are stepping up for our residents like never before.

Our Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion
We live by five core values: Lead with Heart, Do New, Pass on the Power, Harness the Mix, and Be a Rock. Equality, diversity, and inclusion are at the heart of all we do, best expressed through “Harness the Mix.” We serve a diverse community, have a diverse workforce, and are committed to being an inclusive employer. We work hard to create representation across our workforce and leadership, support thriving employee network groups, and provide learning and development programmes that promote equality and eliminate bias.

As a Disability Confident Employer, we make reasonable adjustments to accommodate candidates throughout the recruitment process.

About The Team You’ll Be Working In
You will join the Early Years Education Team, part of the Standards, Practice & Partnerships service within the Lifelong Learning, Skills & Employment division. The team supports early years settings to deliver high-quality provision and secure positive outcomes for children borough-wide. We work closely with nurseries, childminders, schools, and partner agencies to improve practice, promote inclusion, and strengthen safeguarding.

The team includes specialists in early years quality improvement, safeguarding, inclusion, leadership development, and professional training. You will report to the Service Manager (Principal Advisor) Early Years Education and collaborate with professional leads and early years officers to build sector capacity and support sustained improvement across the early years system.

Experience
- Experience working within early years settings with a strong understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), particularly supporting children under two years old.
- Confident in building positive relationships with early years leaders, practitioners, schools, and partner agencies to drive improvement.
- Skilled in coaching, challenging, and supporting others constructively to improve practice and outcomes.
- Comfortable working independently, managing a varied workload, and using digital systems to record, analyse, and share information.

About You
- Passionate about improving outcomes for young children and supporting high-quality, inclusive early years education.
- Reflective, collaborative, and committed to continuous professional development.
- Strong understanding of EYFS, safeguarding, inclusion, and quality improvement within early years settings.
- Desire to make a positive difference across Hounslow's early years sector through partnership working, supporting high-quality practice, safeguarding, inclusion, and continuous improvement.

Qualifications
- Enhanced DBS clearance is required for this role.