Area Nursery Manager

Olympus Recruitment; Royal Tunbridge Wells; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 55,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary £50k–£55k

Car allowance £5,000

Permanent, full-time role

4–6 sites responsibility

Opportunity to drive performance

Job summary

Olympus Recruitment is seeking an experienced Early Years Area Manager to lead 4-6 nurseries across Kent and the South East. You will work closely with Early Years Managers to drive high-quality outcomes and ensure regulatory compliance.

The role requires strong EYFS/Ofsted knowledge, robust budgeting skills, and the ability to develop managers through coaching. A clean UK driving licence is essential, and the position offers a competitive salary with car allowance.

Qualifications

• Experience leading multiple Early Years settings or dispersed teams.
• Strong knowledge of EYFS and Ofsted inspection frameworks.
• Experience with budgeting and P&L management.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management.
• Proactive, commercially aware and solutions-focused.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and support to Early Years Managers.
• Ensure compliance with EYFS, Ofsted, safeguarding and safer recruitment.
• Conduct regular quality audits and drive continuous improvement.
• Support settings through Ofsted inspections and improvement plans.
• Take responsibility for budgets, occupancy, fee income and cost management.
• Analyze KPIs and implement action plans to improve performance.
• Lead workforce planning, succession and management development.
• Manage performance and employee relations matters effectively.
• Support local marketing initiatives to increase registrations.
• Ensure strong health, safety and compliance standards across all sites.

Skills

Leadership

Budget management

EYFS & Ofsted knowledge

People management

Strategic planning

Education

Level 3 or above Early Years qualification

Job description

Early Years Area Manager

Location: South East/Kent

Salary: £50,000–£55,000 + £5,000 car allowance

Job Type: Permanent, Full-Time

The Role

You will work closely with Early Years Managers, supporting them to deliver excellent outcomes across their settings. Your responsibilities will include:

• Providing leadership and support to Early Years Managers.
• Ensuring compliance with EYFS, Ofsted, safeguarding and safer recruitment requirements.
• Conducting regular quality audits and driving continuous improvement.
• Supporting settings through Ofsted inspections and improvement plans.
• Taking responsibility for P&L, budgets, occupancy, fee income and cost management.
• Analysing KPIs and implementing action plans to improve operational performance.
• Leading workforce planning, succession and management development.
• Managing performance and employee relations matters effectively.
• Supporting local marketing initiatives to increase registrations.
• Ensuring strong health, safety and compliance standards across all sites.

About You

You will be an experienced Early Years leader with a strong understanding of EYFS, Ofsted and safeguarding, combined with commercial and operational management experience.

You will have:

• Experience managing multiple Early Years settings or geographically dispersed teams.
• Strong knowledge of Ofsted inspection frameworks and regulatory requirements.
• A Level 3 or above full and relevant Early Years qualification.
• Experience managing budgets, P&L and commercial KPIs such as occupancy.
• Proven ability to lead, mentor and develop managers.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.
• A proactive, commercially aware and solutions-focused approach.
• A clean UK driving licence.

What\'s on Offer

• £50,000–£55,000 salary
• £5,000 car allowance
• Permanent, full-time position
• Responsibility for 4-6 sites
• Opportunity to drive quality, operational and commercial performance