Position reference: 50145264

Directorate: Children's Services | Service: Early Start, Prevention & Sufficiency

Salary : £ 47,181 - £50,269

Working Arrangements : A gile Working

Contract type: Fixed Term until 31/03/2028

We are happy to talk flexible working arrangements with you, please get in touch .

Suitable for Secondment: Employees wishing to be considered for secondment should agree with their head of service before submitting an application form .

See our range of Employee Rewards:

Closing date :10/04/2026a t 23:59

This post requires a Basic Criminal Record Check

Prospective employees will be required to give a reasonable account of any significant periods (6 months or more in the past 3 years) of time living abroad

When applying, please ensure you are prepared to start work with all the necessary legal documents, such as a valid visa, relevant to the type of work you will be undertaking. Please be aware that our organisation does not possess a Home Office license and, as a result, is unable to provide sponsorship for anyone seeking a visa as a skilled or temporary migrant worker.

Pensions Regulations have provisions to reduce pension payments in certain circumstances of those who return to work within local government service. If you are in receipt of a pension upon commencing employment with the authority, this may affect your pension entitlements and you should therefore seek advice from the relevant Pensions Authority.

At Barnsley Council you can start a career that makes a real difference to people's lives, helping our council and residents to be the best they can be.

We're an award-winning council and one of the biggest employers in the borough, supporting around 243,000 people. We put people at the heart of everything we do, and that includes our employees. As part of the team, we offer lots of benefits and rewards to support you to thrive and grow, like flexible working, employee discounts, support for your health and wellbeing, and opportunities for training and development to grow your career and develop your skills.

There's so much happening in our thriving borough, and now's the perfect time to join our excellent Early Start, Prevention & Sufficiency team as we work to make Barnsley the place of possibilities.

• We're an award-winning team and one of the biggest employers in the borough supporting around 243,000 people.
• Working at Barnsley Council means being part of a team that makes a real difference to people's lives, where you can develop the skills you need to make change happen.
• If you join the team you'll receive great pay alongside an excellent pension scheme. With flexible working we'll also support your work/life balance, helping you to adjust your hours and take time off when you need it.
• We'll help you to develop your career and grow your skills with opportunities for training and development.
• There's so much happening in our thriving borough and your talent and skills will help us make .
• Key to our success is working with our residents, partners, businesses and organisations and building these partnerships to bring about change in Barnsley.

About the Post:

Project Manager - Early Years "Every Child a Reader" Programme

£2.5 million. Four Local Authorities. One mission: Make South Yorkshire a place where every child loves to read.

South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) is investing £2.5 million over three years to launch something big - a bold, joyful, high impact programme designed to transform early reading across Sheffield, Doncaster, Rotherham and Barnsley.

We are now looking for a dynamic, driven and visionary Project Manager to bring this programme to life.

This is your chance to shape a major regional initiative, build partnerships across Early Years, Education and Libraries, and create lasting change for families and young children.

About the Programme

Every Child a Reader is an ambitious new early years initiative focused on:

• Building a love of reading through fun, interactive and inclusive community activities

• Strengthening early communication and language foundations

• Supporting families with the tools, confidence and resources to spark early literacy at home

• Growing a skilled Early Years workforce trained in early language and reading practice

• Delivering high impact interventions through Family Hubs, libraries and community venues

With large scale festivals, hyper local pilots, targeted interventions and innovative digital tools, this programme will reach families right across South Yorkshire

Your Role

As our Project Manager, you'll lead the development, delivery and evaluation of this high profile programme. You will:

• Drive the programme from design to implementation, ensuring key milestones are met

• Work collaboratively with four Local Authorities, Family Hubs, libraries and early years partners

• Coordinate large scale activities including summer story festivals, workforce training and community pilots

• Use data and insight to shape interventions and evaluate impact

• Monitor risks, oversee budgets and maintain clear governance

• Champion innovation, creativity and continuous improvement

• Prepare reports, presentations and briefings for senior stakeholders

You'll be based within the Barnsley GCA team, working pan regionally.

Who We're Looking For

You'll thrive in this role if you are:

• A confident project manager with experience delivering complex programmes

• Passionate about improving outcomes for babies and young children

• Skilled at building relationships and influencing across agencies

• Great at planning, problem solving and adapting to challenges

• Excited by creativity, community engagement and evidence based practice

• Motivated, organised and ready to lead a programme that truly makes a difference

Project management training/qualifications are desirable; experience is essential

Why This Role Matters

You'll be at the heart of a major opportunity to:

Reduce early inequalities

Strengthen parent-child interactions

Improve early language and school readiness

Build a stronger, more connected early years system

Leave a legacy that transforms life chances across South Yorkshire

This is not just another project - it's a movement

Ready to Lead Something Extraordinary?

If you're passionate about early years, communities, creativity and real social impact, we'd love to hear from you.

Please use the documents below to help support you with your application form.

Job Profile:

Vacancy Exposure Profile:

Please ensure you view the job profile for this role, as you will need to demonstrate in your application form how you meet the required criteria.

We welcome the opportunity to have a chat about the role and are happy to address any questions you may have about flexible working arrangements, including as a result of caring responsibilities.

We're committed to creating a workplace where differences are valued and everyone truly feels able to be themselves. If you have any support needs during the recruitment process, please let us know.

CV's are not accepted for this role.

At Barnsley Council, we believe in second chances and value diversity. Our recruitment process is inclusive, and we welcome applicants with past convictions. We're committed to fairness and do not discriminate. Join us in building a future where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. #InclusiveHiring #SecondChances"

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