Does this sound like a reasonable job description?

[TerrysNo3]

Hi all

We are looking to get a nanny from September next year when I go back to work. We had a nanny once before and although she was very good, there were some issues as I do not think her role/our expectations were fully defined. To avoid this I wanted to make a very clear description of the hours/responsibilities expected.

I would appreciate your thoughts on whether this is reasonable and anything else I should add to the list.

Also what would you assume the net hourly pay would be, we are in Buckinghamshire (near Aylesbury). Thanks!

Nanny Job Specification

Full time (across 4 days), Live out nanny for three children aged 1, 4 and 7

Hours
Monday, Tuesday Wednesday & Thursday: 7.30am – 7pm
Plus babysitting one night a week until 11pm, day to be agreed at least a week in advance.
40 hour working week spread across the above hours, actual hours worked may be different each week. Any hours above 40 will be paid on a hourly basis each month.
Usual week will probably be: Monday & Tuesday: 8am – 6.30pm, Wednesday 8am – 10pm, Thursday: 9.30am – 3pm

Duties
• Follow the childrens routines. For the younger one this would include:
o Taking to suitable activities – soft play, farm trips, children’s centre etc
o Putting down for naps
o Getting dressed / changing nappies

• For the older two this would be:
o School runs
o Taking to after school activities
o Having other children over for playdates
o Helping with homework / reading
o Take responsibility for school requirements and discussing with us as necessary – forms / trips etc

• General duties include:
o Bathtime / bedtime routine.
o Keeping communal areas tidy.
o Some cleaning duties if required to maintain house (we have a weekly cleaner) – hoovering, wiping table / counters, dishwasher duties etc
o Taking responsibility for keeping children’s bedrooms and playroom tidy (although making the older children tidy/be responsible for their rooms/mess they make)
o Preparing healthy meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner)
o Doing kids washing and ironing and putting their clothes away

What would the hourly rate be and the overtime rate?

Sorry, just read you're still deciding this. Well they'll have their work cut out but Fri, Sat, Sun free. Will they be using your car?

For the children's journeys.

So you want them to be available for 50 hours a week (7.30 - 7.00 on three days & 7.30 - 11.00 on a fourth day) but will only pay them for 40 hours? As a potential employee, I would have an issue with that but you may find someone flexible who is willing to do it in exchange for the odd early finish.
I think the job description needs a bit of work. I think a nanny would expect to change nappies without it actually being part of the job description!
Also, think about what you can achieve when at home with a 1yo. It is fine if they nap for a couple of hours whilst the others are at school giving the nanny a change to do the nursery duties but, if they don't, it will be pretty full on.

I worked it out to 40 and a half basic hours.

Advert isn't clear. You say hrs are mon-thurs 7am-7.30pm. Then you go on to say hrs are actually all different with different times.

I would t think many will like as you have a 10pm finish one day and 11pm another day

For those late hrs and random times you will
Be looking to pay a premium

Btw live out nannies don't usually do a babysit weekly as part of contract, only live in nannies. Live out will do on an as available basis and for per hr extra

When will the employee get to know what the hours will be on any one day? Can you offer any flexibility in return? Will the employee ever be able to plan to some something within those hours, or do they always have to protect them, incase you need them to be working? If there anything to prevent you mandating work for 50 hours each and every week? What is the premium for overtime?

Is it possible that this was the cause of the mismatched expectations which did not suit you before?

Would you consider defining the minimum hours which will always be required and then additional hours which might be required and agree how far in advance these will be confirmed?

I don't know what the market for Nannies is like around your part of the world, is it very much in your favour? The impression this requirement gives me is of a very tight agreement entirely in your favour. Fair enough if that is accurate, I wonder what choice of candidates you will have.

Thanks for the feedback everyone, it is really helpful. Here are some responses:

The minimum and maximum hours would be 40 over those times mentioned (and anything above would be totally at the nanny's option) and they would be paid a salary for 40 hours. We would like to have as standard one later evening (due to busy jobs) but the day may change on a weekly basis. I was thinking this flexibility might suit someone and in return we can be quite flexible too as although we have demanding jobs we can work flexibly sometimes. I thought we could agree the exact hours for each week on the previous Friday. The issues with our last nanny had nothing to do with hours, she had the same defined hours every week and we didn't really ask her to work outside them but from experience it would have been helpful to have this. For example some evenings we could say leave at 5 but others ask the nanny to come for 7.30.

In terms of household duties, the youngest should sleep for 2/3 hours each afternoon and in essence apart from doing the kids laundry I'm only asking her to tidy up after herself as I'd expect her to get the older kids to tidy up after themselves.

Yes they could use our car but it would probably be easier if they had their own too for some days.

Does this make it sound more reasonable, sorry if my first post wasn't clear!

I think you should at least pay petrol money too, most younger people would probably not have a car. Do you want to say what the salary would be. I think that's what it will boil down to, because the job sounds pretty full on.

I would expect to pay for petrol in our car or a mileage allowance in their own car (40p per mile). Isn't that usual??

What do you think the normal range for pay is? I've seen £9-10 per hour net in other local ads, does that sound right?

Babysitting would be an issue that I can see, that would not be included usually for a live out position.
Where it is included it would have to be very clearly defined, such as only being on an evening where the nanny has already worked that day, so it is more like overtime. Arranging it in advance and being mutually convenient - could the nanny say no? No rolling over if it was not used.

I would not include it at all but just ask your nanny on an as and when needed basis if they are able to work overtime on a particular evening.

Mileage payments vary. Saw a graph that NannyPaye published last week, will see if I can find it.

Cars use different amount of fuel and have differing fixed costs - business use insurance for a young driver can be very high. The smaller the number of miles per week, the most it costs. Some nannies may want 45p per mile which is the maximum payable before it is a taxable benefit, which you would have to weigh up against the cost of providing a car.

Salary will depend on experience, area and what you can afford. I would be not be surprised at £8-10 net per hour, roughly £10-12 gross. You may find some will accept less and others may wish to bring their own child along... that may mean they would accept a little less as it becomes a nannyshare, though not all see it that way.

I used to be a Nanny years ago so not sure of going rate.
The babysitting issue was a problem, last minute notice and all.

God, it sounds like hard work! I don't know how nannies can stand it .

Hoovering??

Preparing three meals per day? Does that include your evening meal, op?

No, I'd not expect them to cook for us!!

I thought that if we had an agreed evening for babysitting included it would be better as we would both know expectations upfront. We could reduce hours to have this as a defined day each week if that's better.

I think your better off fixing the hours completely. If you say late babysit every Wednesday then they can work around that. Otherwise they can never book themselves into anything ie classes in the evening as they wouldn't know if they will miss half

For those last finishes and unknown hours until a few days before I think you need to pay a premium to get/ keep anyone. I would say £12 net per hour.

Also bare in mind you say it's full time hrs at 40 a week. Most nannies work 55-60hr weeks so you are effectively part time in terms of income for most so they will need more per hour especially as no fixed 40hrs so they can't work elsewhere in the evenings.

I think you should see babysitting as something entirely separate from your Nanny's job. You can ask her if she wants to babysit when you need a sitter, and have other sitters available if she does not.

She is a Nanny, not a live-in aupair where it is more usual to ask for one evening babysitting a week.

Ok so does this sound better in terms of hours:

Monday and Tuesday: 7.45am – 6.30pm
Wednesday: 8am – 11pm
Thursday: 9am – 3pm

I can offer someone this but I would then need to be very clear that we expect some flexibility on an adhoc basis (maybe once a week come at 7am instead or stay until 7pm on an overtime rate). Does this sound better/fair?

Thanks

Also. i think the recommendation is to offer a gross hourly wage (like every other job in the country) so you don't get stung for tax changes, her doing other jobs etc.

8am-11pm?

I think if you want flexibility on an as hoc basis. Pay from 7.30am until 7pm each night regardless and if you can offer an early finish then that would be a bonus. It's not for to reserve someone's time 'just in case' and not pay them for it.

NickNacks (are you NannyNick?) - the kids would be in bed from 7/8pm and I wouldn't expect them to do anything then, except watch TV!

I've taken on board the hours thing so now i'm suggesting the above hours with a salary for those (42.5 hours).

Yes I don't think you can add the ad hoc hours ontop until you pay full time. So to me ad hoc is say once every 3 months, to you its once a week.

So if you need 7am sometimes you should pay from 7am everyday incase so she is always available from 7am and you can just say come 30 mins later if not needed. Same with evenings, again someone can't just think they work 9-3 every Thursday, then the Friday before you say they are needed until 7pm. They will have likely made plans before then for that 3-7pm slot if they should be free

Hours need to be fixed as above, and if you need later than listed you need offer as babysit, but have someone else lined up incase. Or you need to pay 7am-7pm mon-thurs and expect them to be available during those times but can come early or leave early when not needed

Have you considered getting a live in au pair also? They could cover the extra hours and the babysitting. And a nanny for actual childcare. So nanny at three times above. If on one morning you need to leave at 7am, the au pair then covers 7-7.45am when nanny arrives. They don't need to be hugely child qualified, just know how to look after children safely as they will mainly be looking after them just in small slots, not actually having to teach/ do homework help/ take them places

No I'm not nannynick. I'm a childminder myself and know how tiring it is working with small children. A 15 hr day every week would wipe me out!

Don't underestimate babysitting either. Sitting watching tv is not the same as being home and having your own time to yourself, off duty. Good luck.