Chairman to stand down committee want to employ

[Tcha]

Can a chairman who is stepping down at the next AGM be employed as either a manager or administrator? The committee wants to employ the person as she has knowledge and childcare qualifications so has been doing a lot of the admin work already and feel without her the Pre-School would struggle.

Which would be best manager or administrator? We have a leader and assistants, the manager/administrator would also need to be paid cover staff and would do paper work (policies, up date register, get all documents ready for new children, fees etc) Any help with this would be helpful. Thank you

[eyfs1966]

I don't see why not, although you need to prove that you are following safer recruitment guidelines. I would advertise the post, and if she turns out to be the best candidate (subject to all the normal checks you would require for any other potential employee) then fair enough.

Does she hold a level 3 "full and relevant" qualification to take in the manager title?

[eyfs1966]

Sorry re reading your post it seems that you are suggesting she is being considered as more admin with cover responsibilities. I would therefore be wary of using manager as a title...as that seems to suggest a slightly different role...perhaps office manager rather than nursery manager? Who is your current manager, and are they still staying on?

[finleysmaid]

Our previous chair now works as a bank member of staff and I used to be on the committee...so yes no reason why you can't employ. She needs references and dbs etc (you don't need to advertise but I would record why you have decided not to). She needs experience to be the manager, but as admin person this wouldn't be an issue....is she already doing some of these jobs ?

I think your biggest issue here may be your current leader...how does she feel about this and would the chair expect to be below or above her???? I can see the working relationship may be a bit tricky if the 'rules' are not set out clearly! ...what you describe is an administrators duties .

[Mouseketeer]

As finleysmaid says..what does your current manager think about this ? If as you say the preschool would struggle without the member you want to employ is the current manager not doing her job effectively and what have you done about that ? Or it might be that your committee does a lot more than mine and rather than expect another member to take it over you could employ someone as the manager doesn't do those things already, As the manager I would want to be included in this plan.

[Inge]

Would be administrator , not manager who would have bigger role in the day to day running of the setting with the children, so probably your supervisor will be doing this role already.

 

There would have to be a good job description with her role and who she would be answerable to.. to ensure it does not become a conflict between her and the current supervisor.

Also number of hours to do the role, along with a pay scale so as not to compromise the current staff working with the children... I feel that an administrator should be less than any who work with the children, but where they get the going rate for when they fulfil a cover role..

 

These days an administrator seems a good idea if the setting can afford it.. I used to do all those roles and run the setting daily counted in ratio as manager, but with 6 hours wage for admin each week..

 

so long as you do all the usual paperwork for new member of staff then you don't have to advertise, just ensure you get all the usual references etc in place.

[lsp]

I agree - administrator. Also very clear job description and 'chain of command' - where will they fit in and who will they be answerable to? It may be only to the manager/supervisor on a daily basis but they may have no jurisdiction over childcare staff. Will the new chair have the same role and responsibilities as the outgoing chair?

[Tcha]

Thank you for all of your replys. The outgoing chair at the moment is level 3 qualified and is up to date with training so this would be ok to cover staff, the pre-school leader is more than happy to keep the outgoing chair on board, the role will not interfere with her role and she will still be responsible for the day to day childcare part of the pre-school. They have a very good relationship, the leader has asked who she would go to with any issues/general questions as she says it's easier to talk to the existing Chair as that person doesn't have children in the pre-school anymore so feels that they have no conflict of interest within the group.

 

The new member of staff (manager/admin) will update all paper work such as registration forms, welcome pack, policies, fees, new children application letters offering places and is willing to help with issues and questions from staff too, could this person be involved in employing staff? (The things she's been doing already) but would step back from the committee side of things.

 

The new chair wouldn't do as much paperwork as the current chair does, she will be more involved with the fundraising, will sign off all policies, will still be nominated person for Ofsted too, be involved with employment. (That's off the top of my head at the moment)

 

Would anyone have a job description for the manager/admin role at all that I could look at.

Thanks

[Tcha]

This is the kind of things that the new admin/manager would be doing

Write/update policies/procedures with input from chair and leader

Update Welcome pack

Update Child reg forms

Liaise with secretary, treasurer and admin/manager to discuss new child applications

Update Accident/incident/intimate care forms

Update Adult focus forms

Fees/bills

Update Petty cash forms

Update Staff register

Work with staff/ committee to produce any forms as and when needed

Keep staff file up to date

Help with employing staff: write application/ job description etc with committee

Ensure treasurer keep books up to date

DBS forms

Ensure op plan is complete: any changes to staff/committee up dated

Update charity

Be part of discussion about what money is spent on

To cover Pre-school staff absences (extra hours)

 

So would it be manager position or admin position.

We have a leader that would still be doing day to day running and is more than happy with the description of the new role.

Any thoughts on this please would be helpful thank you

[lsp]

Administrator, and bank staff providing emergency cover. Lots of updating on your list - what happens to the role and hours to be worked when everything updated?? Lol!

[Inge]

Administrator...

 

while she could help with employment she must have no real say as to final decision, as she is no longer part of the management committee..

 

same for any financial decisions.. she can advise or suggest but decision the committees..

 

she can act as liaise between committee and sta..

 

It needs to be noted that she is changing role from being part of the management committee to staff member and employed by them so need to make sure there is no conflict of interest.. she should have no part in any way on discussions about wages..

[Guest]

I used to be the secretary on the committee and am now employed as the Administrator, so don't see why not.