Early Years Assistant Deputy Manager

Happy Days Nurseries Limited; Poole; On-site; GBP 29,000 - 35,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous annual leave from day one

Extra days off for Christmas and a non

Extensive Health and Wellbeing Support

Job summary

Happy Days Nurseries Limited is seeking an experienced Early Years Assistant Deputy Manager for our Poole nursery. You will support daily operations, lead and develop staff, ensure EYFS compliance, and foster a safe, inclusive, and high-quality environment for children.

You will deputise for the Early Years Manager, coordinate staffing, manage recruitment and inductions, and drive quality improvement. Strong safeguarding knowledge and Ofsted readiness are essential for success.

Qualifications

• Appropriate safeguarding and Paediatric First Aid qualifications in line with role requirements.
• Leadership or supervisory experience within an Early Years or childcare setting.
• Good understanding of the EYFS, child development, safeguarding, inclusion, Ofsted requirements, and health and safety.
• Experience supporting colleague induction, supervisions, performance reviews, coaching, or professional development.
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to coordinate staffing, resources, and competing priorities.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, including the confidence to manage challenging conversations sensitively.
• Experience contributing to audits, inspections, quality monitoring, and improvement plans.
• Experience using IT systems and maintaining accurate records and documentation.
• The ability to identify risks, solve problems, and make informed decisions.
• An understanding of occupancy, resource planning, and nursery operational performance.
• A commitment to continuous improvement, reflective practice, and your own professional development.
• A passion for creating safe, inclusive, and stimulating environments where every child can thrive.
• Experience supporting a nursery to achieve high standards during Ofsted inspections.
• Experience working with a SENCO, families, and external agencies to support children's individual needs.
• Experience conducting quality audits, learning walks, and observations.
• Experience coaching and mentoring colleagues and contributing to occupancy growth.

Responsibilities

• Support the day-to-day running of the nursery, deputising for the management team as required and ensuring high standards of care, education, and operational performance.
• Lead, motivate, and develop colleagues, coordinating staffing, rotas, room cover, recruitment, induction, supervisions, performance reviews, and training.
• Coach and mentor colleagues, promote teamwork and accountability, provide constructive feedback, and encourage continuous professional development.
• Maintain high-quality provision in line with the EYFS, Ofsted requirements, safeguarding obligations, and Happy Days policies and procedures.
• Monitor quality across rooms through observations, learning walks, audits, and reviews, ensuring curriculum planning, assessments, learning journals, and individual education plans are completed effectively.
• Promote children's safety, wellbeing, and inclusion, ensuring safeguarding concerns are recorded, reported, and escalated appropriately.
• Build positive relationships with parents, carers, colleagues, the SENCO, and external agencies, responding professionally to queries and supporting children's individual needs.
• Maintain accurate, confidential nursery records, registers, and documentation, ensuring statutory requirements and reporting deadlines are met.
• Support inspections, risk assessments, health and safety checks, and quality improvement plans, ensuring hazards are managed and actions completed promptly.
• Monitor accidents, incidents, and near misses, identify trends, implement preventative measures, and elevate safeguarding, health and safety, or compliance concerns.
• Promote safe working practices through induction, training, briefings, and ongoing team support, ensuring colleagues understand their responsibilities.
• Support occupancy, staffing and resource planning, and operational performance, identifying risks and contributing to effective decision-making.
• Lead by example, manage competing priorities, use sound judgement, and promote a positive, inclusive culture focused on teamwork, reflective practice, and continuous improvement.

Skills

Leadership experience

Supervisory experience

Safeguarding qualifications

Paediatric First Aid

EYFS knowledge

Health and safety

Ofsted requirements

Induction coaching

Staff development

IT systems

Record keeping

Risk identification

Occupancy planning

Tools

IT systems

Job description

Location: Poole
Salary: £32,240 per annum
Contract: Full time, Permanent
Hours: 40

About Happy Days

Happy Days is growing, and we're looking for an experienced Early Years professional to join our leadership team as an Early Years Assistant Deputy Manager at our nursery in Poole.

You'll play a key role in supporting the Early Years Manager and Early Years Deputy Manager, leading and developing colleagues, and ensuring children receive high-quality care and education in a safe, nurturing, inclusive, and stimulating environment.

This is an exciting opportunity for a passionate Early Years leader to strengthen quality, support colleagues to thrive, and contribute to the continued success of the nursery.

The Role

As Early Years Assistant Deputy Manager, you'll support the effective day-to-day running of the nursery, maintaining high standards of childcare, education, safeguarding, compliance, and operational performance in line with the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), Ofsted requirements, and Happy Days policies and procedures.

You'll provide hands-on leadership across rooms, coordinate staffing and resources, coach colleagues, and contribute to recruitment, induction, performance management, quality improvement, and nursery administration. You'll also support occupancy and operational objectives, build positive relationships with families, and deputise for the Early Years Manager when required.

This is a varied leadership role where you'll lead by example, promote accountability, and help create a culture of continuous improvement.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the day-to-day running of the nursery, deputising for the management team as required and ensuring high standards of care, education, and operational performance.
• Lead, motivate, and develop colleagues, coordinating staffing, rotas, room cover, recruitment, induction, supervisions, performance reviews, and training.
• Coach and mentor colleagues, promote teamwork and accountability, provide constructive feedback, and encourage continuous professional development.
• Maintain high-quality provision in line with the EYFS, Ofsted requirements, safeguarding obligations, and Happy Days policies and procedures.
• Monitor quality across rooms through observations, learning walks, audits, and reviews, ensuring curriculum planning, assessments, learning journals, and individual education plans are completed effectively.
• Promote children's safety, wellbeing, and inclusion, ensuring safeguarding concerns are recorded, reported, and escalated appropriately.
• Build positive relationships with parents, carers, colleagues, the SENCO, and external agencies, responding professionally to queries and supporting children's individual needs.
• Maintain accurate, confidential nursery records, registers, and documentation, ensuring statutory requirements and reporting deadlines are met.
• Support inspections, risk assessments, health and safety checks, and quality improvement plans, ensuring hazards are managed and actions completed promptly.
• Monitor accidents, incidents, and near misses, identify trends, implement preventative measures, and elevate safeguarding, health and safety, or compliance concerns.
• Promote safe working practices through induction, training, briefings, and ongoing team support, ensuring colleagues understand their responsibilities.
• Support occupancy, staffing and resource planning, and operational performance, identifying risks and contributing to effective decision-making.
• Lead by example, manage competing priorities, use sound judgement, and promote a positive, inclusive culture focused on teamwork, reflective practice, and continuous improvement.

What We're Looking For

We're looking for an experienced Early Years professional with demonstrable leadership or supervisory experience and a genuine passion for high-quality childcare and education.

You’ll be confident supporting colleagues, managing operational priorities, maintaining compliance, and building positive relationships with families.

You’ll ideally have:

• Appropriate safeguarding and Paediatric First Aid qualifications in line with role requirements.
• Leadership or supervisory experience within an Early Years or childcare setting.
• A good understanding of the EYFS, child development, safeguarding, inclusion, Ofsted requirements, and health and safety.
• Experience supporting colleague induction, supervisions, performance reviews, coaching, or professional development.
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to coordinate staffing, resources, and competing priorities.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, including the confidence to manage challenging conversations sensitively.
• Experience contributing to audits, inspections, quality monitoring, and improvement plans.
• Confidence using IT systems and maintaining accurate records and documentation.
• The ability to identify risks, solve problems, and make informed decisions.
• An understanding of occupancy, resource planning, and nursery operational performance.
• A commitment to continuous improvement, reflective practice, and your own professional development.
• A passion for creating safe, inclusive, and stimulating environments where every child can thrive.
• Experience supporting a nursery to achieve high standards during Ofsted inspections.
• Experience working with a SENCO, families, and external agencies to support children's individual needs.
• Experience conducting quality audits, learning walks, and observations.
• Experience coaching and mentoring colleagues and contributing to operational planning and occupancy growth.

Why Join Us?

At Happy Days, we believe great childcare starts with great people. Our leadership teams play a vital role in creating nurturing environments, supporting colleagues, and ensuring children receive the best possible start in life.

As Early Years Assistant Deputy Manager, you’ll make a meaningful difference every day, developing your leadership experience while helping shape the quality and success of your nursery.

We’re committed to an inclusive and supportive culture where colleagues feel valued, empowered, and encouraged to grow their careers.

What We Offer

We provide a supportive working environment with opportunities to develop, progress, and thrive.

Learning & Development

• Ongoing professional development and funded training opportunities.
• Support to develop your leadership and specialist Early Years skills.
• Coaching and mentoring from experienced Early Years leaders.
• Opportunities to develop colleagues through inductions and supervisions.
• A collaborative and supportive team environment.
• Recognition and celebration for long service.

• Generous annual leave from day one
• Extra days off for Christmas and personal day
• Extensive Health and Wellbeing Support

Inclusion and Safeguarding

Happy Days is committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued and respected. If you require reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know.

Happy Days Nurseries is committed to safeguarding the safety and wellbeing of the children in our care. All successful candidates will undergo the required pre-employment and vetting checks, including verification of the right to work in the UK.