Early years taskforce – change programme – team leader secondee

Secondment Opportunity – Practice Development Team Leader

The Early Years Taskforce was established in November 2011 to take forward the Early Years Preventative Spend Agenda. The purpose of the Taskforce is to develop the strategic direction for the early years change programme and co-ordinate policy across Scottish Government and the wider public sector to ensure that early years spending is prioritised. The Taskforce is jointly chaired by Scottish Government, NHS Scotland and COSLA and involves elected politicians, practitioners and other experts from the statutory and voluntary sectors.

In March 2012, the Taskforce published a paper setting out its Vision and Priorities. http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/People/Young-People/Early-Years-and-Family/earlyyearstaskforce/visionandprioritiespaper.

As part of taking forward this vision, the Taskforce wish to establish a Practice Development Team to support local areas in implementing a change programme. The team will provide support for local partners in prioritising their existing resources in order to maximise impact for children and families and achieve the shift from crisis management to prevention. The team will complement existing support structures and provide a resource of expertise for local areas to draw on when developing and implementing their plans.

Secondment opportunity/ Fixed term appointment
We would like to invite applications in the first instance from individuals to take up the post of Practice Development Team Leader. We anticipate that we will advertise for team members later this year.

Main duties
The successful candidate will work within the Children and Families Directorate – DG Health and Social Care, and will be responsible for leading a multi-disciplinary practice development team.

This practice development team will bring together experts and professionals from across health, local government and voluntary sector, bringing a strong knowledge of working practice in early years, and familiarity with national policy around the early years/preventative spend agenda.

The main duties of the team leader will be:

• Provide strategic leadership, co-ordination and support to the practice development team.
• Line management of the practice development team, who will most likely be based outwith Edinburgh.
• Develop and implement a work plan
• Develop a strategic approach to communication and dissemination of key messages.
• Collate information and evidence of local progress on implementation.
• Ensure that strong links with other Scottish Government support structures are developed and maintained.

Essential Criteria

• Proven leadership skills and practised in people management and development tools and techniques.
• Excellent time management skills in order to plan, organise and deliver work within agreed timescales.
• Practical experience of operating within a multi agency environment, delivering change and performance improvement a key area(s) of service delivery.
• Strong oral and written communication skills with a proven ability to communicate effectively and work constructively with a range of people, including an ability to influence at a high level within organisations

Desirable Criteria

• Experience of analysing a range of management information or other performance measures, monitoring performance and progress and identifying actions that can influence outcomes.
• Knowledge / experience of early years policy

Remuneration and conditions of secondment/ fixed term appointment
For the purposes of a secondment (maximum length 24 months), the successful candidate will continue to be paid by their employer and will remain an employee of their organisation during the period of secondment. The employer (donor) organisation will be expected to invoice the Scottish Government Directorate representative on a quarterly basis to recover salary and on costs during the secondment period.

Starting salary will be in the pay range £43736 – £52595. If the successful applicant’s current salary is within the pay range then they will continue to be paid their current salary. However, if their salary is currently lower than the minimum of this pay range, then the starting salary will be £43736.

For the purposes of a fixed term appointment (maximum length 11 months), salary will be within the range set out above and will be dependent on previous experience.

During the term of their appointment the successful candidate will be managed on a day to day basis by Donna Bell, Head of Early Years in the Scottish Government. However, they will also be expected to report to the Early Years Taskforce on a regular basis.

Further information and applications
If anyone within your organisation would like further information or an informal conversation about this opportunity, please ask them to contact Stuart Robb on 0131 244 1662 or by email at Stuart.robb@scotland.gsi.gov.uk.

Applications should be made by 15 June 2012 by completing the attached application form, using the address at the end of the application form. This form includes a personal statement setting out how the candidate can demonstrate the specific skills, knowledge and experience required. At present we plan to hold interviews in the week beginning 2 July 2012.

Contact Name Claire Stevens
Contact Email claire.stevens@scotland.gsi.gov.uk
Contact Phone 0131 244 7215
Contact Address http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/People/Young-People/gettingitright