Deputy Manager

BHUK Bright Horizons Family Solutions Limited UK; Kings Hill; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 32,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

75% childcare discount for first child

Enhanced parental leave

25 days annual leave + bank holidays

Pension option and wellbeing benefits

Career development programme access

Job summary

Bright Horizons Kings Hill Day Nursery and Preschool is seeking a Deputy Manager to lead the team and deliver high-quality early years care and education at our Kings Hill site in West Malling, Kent.

You will act as Designated Safeguarding Lead, oversee day-to-day operations, support staff development, and foster strong partnerships with parents and Local Authority colleagues, while ensuring safeguarding compliance and smooth occupancy and budget management.

Qualifications

• Full and relevant Level 3 or above Early Years qualification.
• Experience in an Early Years leadership role (Deputy/Assistant/Third in Charge).
• Experience with regulatory inspections and achieving Good/Outstanding outcomes.
• Confident decision maker with experience supporting others.
• Strong safeguarding knowledge and understanding of child protection laws.
• Ability to build trust with colleagues and parents.

Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and inspire the nursery team to deliver high-quality care.
• Act as Designated Safeguarding Lead and oversee safeguarding policies.
• Support succession planning, training, and partnerships with parents and professionals.
• Contribute to occupancy growth, budget management, and commercial success.

Skills

Leadership

Safeguarding

Regulatory experience

Decision making

Communication

Parent partnerships

Education

Level 3 EY Qualification

Job description

Nursery – Bright Horizons Kings Hill Day Nursery and Preschool

Salary – From £30,155 per annum (dependent on qualification/s and experience)

Location – West Malling, Kent

Are you looking to work for an organisation whose culture is driven by our HEART principles – Honesty, Excellence, Accountability, Respect, and Teamwork? Where you can be yourself, feel supported, and help to make a difference to the next generation? Somewhere you can say: “I did that.” We’re looking for a Deputy Manager to join our Kings Hill nursery.

Benefits

• Childcare discount of 75% for first child
• Enhanced parental leave 25 days annual leave, plus bank holidays and paid Christmas closure
• Ability to also purchase additional leave* pension
• Financial and wellbeing benefits including 24/7 virtual GP appointments, early access to wages, and more
• Professional development programme access for every stage of your career, including access to a careers coach
• *Subject to T&Cs

The Role

As a Deputy Manager, you will lead, mentor, support, and inspire a team to deliver exception care and education. You will act as Designated Safeguarding Lead, overseeing day to day running of the nursery and management of safeguarding and child protection policies. You will contribute to succession planning, training, and supporting team professional development plans, maintain strong partnerships with colleagues, parents, and other professionals (such as the Local Authority), and support the commercial success of the nursery through retention, occupancy growth, and maintaining budgets.

What we’re looking for

• Full and relevant Level 3 or above Early Years qualification
• Experience within an Early Years leadership role (ideally as a Deputy Manager, Assistant Manager, Third in Charge or similar)
• Experience of participating with a regulatory inspection, leading to a ‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding’ outcome
• Confident decision maker, with previous experience providing support and leadership to others
• Strong knowledge and understanding of Safeguarding, Child Protection, and the wider legislative requirements for working with children
• Ability to develop trust and strong working partnerships with both colleagues and parents/ carers
• Ability to use a variety of communication techniques with both children and adults

We are an inclusive employer and welcome people from all ages and backgrounds to apply.

We will consider reasonable adjustments required by applicants.

This post is subject to safer recruitment practice and pre-employment checks, including an enhanced DBS check, which will be undertaken before any appointment is confirmed.

We have been recognised as a Great Place to Work by our employees and the Great Place to Work Institute for the last 13 years.

We are proud to be a Great Place to Work for 20 years.

Bright Horizons is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people.

We are passionate about our people’s ongoing learning and development. Our learning and leading with HEART framework supports each Bright Horizons colleague on the first steps of their leadership journey, whether that includes our 'World-Class Welcome' induction or our extensive ongoing training programme.

By creating this account you acknowledge that Bright Horizons will collect, store and process any of your personal data provided in respect of your application and employment in accordance with our Employee Privacy Notice.

https://www.brighthorizons.co.uk/statutory-information/privacy-notice-employees