SureStart Manager.

Salary: c£40,000 per annum.

Location: The role is based primarily in Ballymena at our St Jospeh’s site; the role covers 3 sites across Ballymena and Antrim.

Contract/Hours: Permanent, 37 hours per week.

Benefits:

• A generous annual leave entitlement of 29 days PLUS bank holidays.

• Up to 5 more days leave for continuous service plus the option to buy and sell leave.

• Excellent training, and development opportunities.

• Flexible maternity, adoption, and paternity packages.

• A pension with a up to a 7% employer contribution rate. Plus, if you pay in to the pension you will receive life assurance cover.

• Staff discount portal with your favourite brands.

• Blue Light Card eligibility with 15,000 discounts from national retailers.

Vulnerable children in the UK need your help

Wherever you work in the Action for Children family, you”ll be helping to change the lives of the most vulnerable children in the UK.

Last year, we helped more than 670,000 children and families across the UK. From direct work in communities to national campaigning, we are focused on making sure every child has a safe and happy childhood, and the foundations they need to thrive.

Why Action for Children?

Working here is more than a job. Everyone in the Action for Children family is passionate about protecting and supporting children. It”s the sense of purpose that drives us every single day. Because we know that, when we work together, we can make a huge difference to bring lasting improvements to vulnerable children”s lives.

A bit about the role

An exciting leadership opportunity awaits!

Ballymena and Little Steps Sure Start is seeking a motivated and passionate individual to take on the role of SureStart Manager, leading a dedicated team of 40 staff in delivering vital services to infants, children, and their families.

As Manager, you will be the driving force behind a service that operates across three sites in the Ballymena and Antrim area, covering 11 ward areas. The project is comprised of multi-disciplinary teams and works in close partnership with a range of statutory, voluntary and community groups across the Ballymena and Antrim area.

Our Sure Start programme provides a wide range of services designed to give children the best start in life—from pre-birth through to age four. By bringing together health, family support, and early education, we help nurture children’s learning, health, well-being, and social development through both home-based and group settings.

This is a unique opportunity to make a lasting impact on children’s futures while leading an enthusiastic team committed to strengthening families and communities.

How you”ll help to create brighter futures

Some key responsibilities of the SureStart Manager role are.

• Leads the operational management of resources to oversee a multidisciplinary, interagency team delivering integrated services for families, infants and children from 0-4 age.

• Lead by example with the provision of day-to-day management for all relevant staff.

• Review, develop and implement plans across the service that are the responsibility of the post, including production of three yearly plans, annual business plans/spending plans and quarterly reporting.

• Oversee and manage a substantial budget.

• Work in partnership with the Management Committee

• Manage relationships and participation of partner organisations.

• Ensure the provision of a co-ordinated comprehensive needs assessment so that the Sure Start Programme can appropriately support all local families.

• Overall responsibility for leading and concluding outcomes of an evaluation of the services work.

• Ensure that robust data collection and monitoring systems are in place.

Let”s talk about you

• Degree or equivalent level qualification in the fields of social work, child health, education related to early years, family support work, and registration with relevant professional body.

• Experience and track record in developing/managing services for young children in either the statutory or voluntary sector.

• Ability to manage varied workload demands and to set deadlines.

• Ability to demonstrate excellent communication skills, both written and oral.

• Analytical skills, including the ability interpret.

• Experience of working successfully within a multi-agency setting.

• Experience of managing staff.

• Working knowledge of relevant legislation and guidance relating to children, early years services and safeguarding.

Contact: If, for any reason, you need support with your application, please contact [email protected] quoting reference 12242.

Closing date: Wednesday 3rd December 2025.

Please note: Interviews are planned to be held on Thursday 11th December in Belfast.

Good to know

Application Process

Please note we are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this role.

There are five sections to complete: Personal Details, CV, Supporting Statement & Information, Equality & Diversity, Submission & Declaration.

Talent Pool

We know talent when we see it. But sometimes we find the right person but not for the right job. We”d love to keep your details for when the right job comes up. Let us know if you”d rather we didn”t.

To be eligible for this position you must complete an Access Ni Enhanced Disclosure

Having a criminal record will not necessarily be a bar to obtaining a position.

A copy of the Access Ni Code of Practice can be found here.

Policies on Recruitment of Ex-Offenders & Access Ni Disclosure Handing Policy are also available on demand.

Diversity, equality, and inclusion

At Action for Children, we”re dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace. We actively encourage applications from Black, Asian & Minority Ethnic and disabled candidates as they are under-represented within Action for Children. We want to take deliberate and purposeful action to ensure equal opportunity to all groups in society and for Action for Children.

Male staff are under-represented within our Children Service roles. We would like to encourage more male applicants for our Children Service roles.

Don”t meet every single requirement?

If you”re excited about this role but your experience doesn”t align perfectly with the job description, we”d love you to apply anyway. You might just be the perfect person for this role, or another role within the Action for Children family.

Want to know more about Action for Children?

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Job Description

See below for further information about working with us:

Action for Children Employee Benefits

AfC Commitment Statement

Action for Children Northern Ireland Booklet