Early Education and Childcare Funding Entitlements Coordinator

Early Education and Childcare Funding Entitlements Coordinator

Are you passionate about Early Education and Childcare and want to play a key role in supporting providers across Tower Hamlets?

Do you enjoy building relationships, working directly with providers and making a real difference through practical, hands-on support? If so, we would love to hear from you.

Our dynamic and caring Early Education and Childcare Service is looking for an exceptional individual to join our Funding and Data Team. This role is central to ensuring funding reaches providers accurately, on time and in a way that supports a strong, confident and sustainable sector.

About the role

Join our Early Education and Childcare Service as a Funding Entitlements Coordinator and play a key role in delivering the systems and support that underpin early education and childcare funding across the borough.

This is a hands on, sector facing role where you will work closely with providers and stakeholders, building positive relationships and offering tailored support to help them understand and confidently deliver funded entitlements.

You will be part of a team that lead the administration of early education and childcare funding, ensuring payments, eligibility checks and financial processes are accurate, timely and fully compliant with statutory guidance. Alongside this, you will play an active role in supporting providers with headcount submissions, funding queries and compliance, resolving challenges in a practical and enabling way.

A key part of the role is outreach and engagement. You will visit providers across the borough, offering bespoke advice and support, and helping ensure funding processes are understood and accessible.

You will also contribute to the development of the sector by supporting and delivering training, webinars and provider events. This includes translating complex funding guidance into clear, practical messages and creating opportunities for providers to learn, share and improve together.

Working closely with colleagues across the service, you will help ensure families can access early education and childcare places across the borough. You will also contribute to improving systems and processes, using feedback and data to ensure our approach is efficient, transparent and easy to navigate.

This is a role where attention to detail matters, alongside your ability to engage, support and work in partnership with others.

You may find it helpful to take a look at the statutory guidance that underpins this work, including the Early Years Funding 2026 to 2027 guidance and the Early years entitlements: local authority funding operational guide:
early education and childcare funding 2026 to 2027
DfE Statutory Guidance

What we are looking for

We are looking for someone who understands that strong funding and compliance systems are there to support people, not create barriers.

You will be someone who:

• Has experience in funding administration, finance or working with complex data systems
• Brings strong attention to detail and is confident managing financial processes and data
• Has a good understanding of early education and childcare funding, or the ability to quickly develop this knowledge
• Is confident using systems such as Synergy or similar platforms, alongside Excel and reporting tools
• Enjoys working directly with providers, offering practical support and building trusted relationships
• Is confident delivering training, webinars or group sessions to a range of audiences
• Communicates clearly and can translate complex guidance into practical, supportive advice
• Takes ownership of their work and looks for opportunities to improve processes and systems

You will be approachable, organised and solutions focused, able to manage competing priorities while maintaining a high level of accuracy and professionalism.

Why join us

By joining Tower Hamlets, you become part of a service that places children, families and providers at the centre of everything we do.

We are committed to working in partnership with our diverse provider market, offering meaningful support, challenge and opportunities for development so that providers can deliver high quality early education and childcare.

You will be joining a supportive team that values collaboration, learning and continuous improvement, where your work will make a real difference both behind the scenes and out in the sector.

Our TOWER values of Together, Open, Willing, Excellent and Respect are at the heart of how we work with each other and with our communities.

How to apply

Please read the Job Description and Person Specification carefully before applying.

In your personal statement, tell us about your experience and how your skills and approach align with this role. Please provide clear examples, as without this we will be unable to score you against the criteria for shortlisting. Do also highlight your transferable skills.

As part of our safer recruitment process, it is essential that you list your full employment history in your application. Applications that do not include a complete employment history will not be shortlisted.

If you are passionate about supporting Early Education and Childcare providers and enjoy working directly with the sector to make a difference, we would love to hear from you.

If you have any questions about this role, please contact Rachael by emailing EEC@towerhamlets.gov.uk.

If you need help completing the form or require an alternative format, for example large print, please contact the recruitment team recruitment@towerhamlets.gov.uk.

Benefits

Tower Hamlets is a truly unique borough at the heart of London – a place where history and innovation sit side by side. From the docks and markets that shaped the East End to the global business hub of Canary Wharf, we are proud to be one of the most dynamic, diverse, and ambitious communities in the UK. We are also one of the fastest growing and youngest boroughs in the country, offering unrivalled opportunities to make a real difference to people’s lives. Our residents are energetic, creative, and resilient, and our council is committed to delivering the best possible services and opportunities for them.

Our award-winning new Town Hall in Whitechapel provides a modern, flexible workplace for our staff, right at the heart of the borough and directly opposite Whitechapel Tube and Elizabeth line station. It is more than just a workplace – it’s a hub for collaboration, innovation and community, designed to bring out the best in our people.

As an employer, we put equality, diversity, and inclusion at the heart of everything we do. Our active Employee Network Groups celebrate and champion our workforce, helping to ensure that everyone feels a sense of belonging. Guided by our TOWER values – Together, Open, Willing, Excellent and Respect – we are building a positive, inclusive culture where colleagues can thrive.

At Tower Hamlets Council, you’ll find exciting challenges, supportive colleagues, and the chance to shape one of London’s most important and vibrant places. If you’re looking for a role where you can see the impact of your work every day, then Tower Hamlets is the place for you.