Early Years - Assistant Manager

St. George's Nursery; Leicester; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 40,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Welcome £1,000 bonus

Referral bonus £500

20 days annual leave plus bank hols

Wellbeing Day

Counselling and wellbeing support

Workplace pension

Training and promotion routes

Discounted childcare

Staff socials and events

Free parking on site

Job summary

St. George's Nursery in the East Midlands is seeking an ambitious leader to become second-in-command at one of our settings. This role places you at the heart of nursery leadership, shaping culture, inspiring the team and maintaining high quality day-to-day operations.

It also offers a natural stepping stone towards running your own nursery. The ideal candidate will have Level 3+ Early Years qualification, proven leadership experience, and a strong EYFS safeguarding understanding.

Qualifications

• Full and relevant Early Years qualification at Level 3 or higher.
• Proven experience leading people in an Early Years environment.
• Confident understanding of EYFS and safeguarding responsibilities.
• Clear communication and strong organisation.
• Encouraging, approachable leadership style.
• Enthusiasm for Early Years and growth mindset.

Responsibilities

• Partnering with the Nursery Manager to keep daily operations running smoothly
• Inspiring, coaching and developing practitioners so they can do their best work
• Championing excellent standards in care, learning and safeguarding
• Making sure the nursery consistently meets EYFS, Ofsted and internal expectations
• Stepping up to lead the setting whenever the Manager is away

Skills

Clear communication

Strong organisation

Leadership

Safeguarding

Passion for Early Years

Education

Early Years qualification Level 3+

Job description

Step Up Your Leadership Career With a Top 20 Nursery Group

For more than three decades, St. George's Nursery has been giving children across the East Midlands a brilliant start in life. In 2024 we were named one of the Top 20 Nursery Groups, and we're now looking for an ambitious leader to become second-in-command at one of our settings.

The Essentials

• Salary: Up to £36,000 a year
• Hours: 40 per week, Monday to Friday
• Contract: Permanent, full-time
• Welcome bonus: £1,000 for new starters (T&Cs apply)

Your Opportunity

Are you a Room Leader, Third-in-Charge, Senior Practitioner or existing Deputy ready for your next challenge? This role puts you at the heart of nursery leadership. You'll be the Nursery Manager's right hand, shaping the culture of the setting, inspiring the team and keeping quality high every day. With our backing, it's also a natural stepping stone towards managing a nursery of your own.

How You'll Make a Difference

• Partnering with the Nursery Manager to keep daily operations running smoothly
• Inspiring, coaching and developing practitioners so they can do their best work
• Championing excellent standards in care, learning and safeguarding
• Making sure the nursery consistently meets EYFS, Ofsted and internal expectations
• Stepping up to lead the setting whenever the Manager is away

What You'll Bring

• A full and relevant Early Years qualification at Level 3 or higher
• Proven experience leading people in an Early Years environment
• Confident understanding of the EYFS and safeguarding responsibilities
• Clear communication and strong organisation
• An encouraging, approachable leadership style
• Real enthusiasm for Early Years and ambition to keep growing

Rewards & Perks

• £1,000 welcome bonus (T&Cs apply)
• £500 for every friend you refer who joins us (T&Cs apply)
• 20 days' annual leave plus bank holidays
• An extra paid Wellbeing Day each year
• Free, confidential counselling and wellbeing support
• Workplace pension with employer contributions
• Continuous training and genuine routes to promotion
• Discounted childcare
• Staff socials and events, including our annual black-tie awards night
• Free parking on site

Equality & Inclusion

We want everyone at St. George's Nursery to feel respected and appreciated. We welcome applicants from every background, and all hiring decisions are based on skills, experience and suitability for the role.

Keeping Children Safe

Protecting the welfare of children is central to everything we do. Every successful candidate will go through our safer recruitment process, which includes satisfactory references, identity and qualification checks, and an Enhanced DBS check.