Babyzone Operations Officer

About Babyzone

At Babyzone, we believe that every child deserves a fair start in life, regardless of their background or circumstances. Our mission is to empower families and their children, from conception to age five, by providing access to high-quality early years learning opportunities that nurture the parent-child bond. The need for support in early childhood development has never been more critical. Babyzone is a charity funded by foundations, philanthropists and trusts, including global venture builder Blenheim Chalcot. We serve families who struggle to access support elsewhere - due to financial, geographic, or cultural barriers - by offering free, evidence-based classes and resources in premium, fully accessible community hubs.

Reporting to the Head of Babyzone, the Operations Officer is responsible for the smooth running of Babyzone delivery days. Their responsibilities will include set-up and operations, front-of-house duties, close-down duties, and additional duties as required. Operations officers will need qualities such as organisational skills, interpersonal communication, problem-solving, and flexibility.

Key Responsibilities:

Set-up and operations

• Ensure optimal preparation of areas in Babyzone Croydon intended for sessions, including moving furniture, adjusting layout, and other necessary changes;

• Support class leaders with the set up and pack down of their equipment;

• Support the setup of exploratory play zones, projector feeds, and other elements to create a welcoming and functional environment;

• Ensure easy access to essential amenities like pram parking and baby-changing toilets.

Front of house

• Provide a warm and supportive welcome for all families attending Babyzone;

• Explain Babyzone operations and important information to families;

• Capture family numbers and basic postcode data as families arrive;

• Act as a floating resource to ensure positive experiences for all attendees;

• Problem-solve any issues raised by families or class leaders during the day;

• Welcome external stakeholders for tours of Babyzone along with the Head of Babyzone.

Close down

• Assist class leads in packing up all equipment used for exploratory play and classes;

• Return Swansea Arena areas to original setup;

• Ensure all rooms are cleared of any items from Babyzone activities;

• Report attendee numbers and any observations/issues to the Head of Babyzone.

Additional duties

• Supervise and guide additional volunteers, apprentices, or support staff as necessary;

• Respond to and action reasonable requests from the Head of Babyzone;

• Collect quotes and case studies from parents based on a cadence set by Head of Babyzone.

Safeguarding and compliance

• Complete all necessary safeguarding training in a timely fashion as directed by the Safeguarding Lead and Head of Babyzone (this is to be completed before starting your first day);

• Adhere to safeguarding policies, and maintain a culture of safety for children, families, and staff;

• Report any safeguarding incidents to the Head of Babyzone or Safeguarding Lead as soon as possible.

• Adhere to all Babyzone policies and procedures.

Skills and technical competencies

• Organisation

• Ability to coordinate multiple tasks efficiently and ensure smooth operations.

• Interpersonal skills

• Strong communication skills to engage positively with families, class leaders, and other stakeholders.

• Problem-solving

• Ability to respond effectively to any issues that arise, ensuring a positive experience for all attendees.

• Flexibility

• Willingness to adapt to changing needs and undertake additional duties as required.

• Value alignment:

• A passion for the Babyzone mission and a commitment to making a positive impact in the community.

Role Details:

• Salary: £14.80 per hour (London Living Wage)

• Contract: Part-time, permanent, term-time only

• Hours: Thursdays, term-time only (8:15am - 3:00pm)

• Location: Babyzone Croydon Hub, Legacy Youth Zone, CR0 2LG

• Start Date: as soon as possible

Benefits:

• 33 days annual leave including bank holidays (pro-rated)

• Flexible working pattern to suit your lifestyle

• Matched pension contributions (if eligible)

• A supportive and inclusive working culture

• Be part of a national network making a real difference

Babyzone is committed to safer recruitment practice as an important part of safeguarding and protecting children and vulnerable adults. If successful in your application for this role, you will have a DBS check approved prior to your first day in the job.