Early Years Deputy Manager

Happy Days Nurseries; Boughton Monchelsea; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual leave

Health & wellbeing support

Leadership development

Job summary

Happy Days Nurseries in Boughton Monchelsea is seeking an experienced Early Years Deputy Manager to support the leadership of our nursery. You will help lead the team, ensure high standards of education, care, safeguarding and wellbeing, and work closely with the Early Years Manager on daily operations.

You will lead by example, develop staff, manage resources, and maintain a nurturing, inclusive environment for children to thrive and develop.

Qualifications

• Proven leadership experience within an Early Years setting.
• Strong understanding of the EYFS, safeguarding requirements.
• Excellent organisational and people-management skills.

Responsibilities

• Support the Early Years Manager with day-to-day nursery operations.
• Lead and motivate the team to deliver outstanding care and education.
• Support staffing, budgets and resources across the nursery.
• Build strong relationships with children, families and colleagues.
• Maintain high standards of safeguarding and health & safety.
• Contribute to continuous quality improvement and inspections.
• Coach and mentor colleagues to strengthen practice.
• Collaborate with the EYFS Manager on development plans.
• Foster a positive, inclusive nursery culture.

Skills

Leadership experience

EYFS knowledge

Wellbeing & safeguarding

Education

Level 3 in Early Years/Childcare or equivalent

Job description

Location:Boughton Monchelsea
Salary:Competitive, depending on experience
Additional Benefits:c£5k
Contract:Full-time
Hours:40 hours per week

About Happy Days

Happy Days is growing, and we're looking for an experienced Early Years Deputy Manager to support the leadership of our nursery in Boughton Monchelsea.

As an Early Years Deputy Manager, you'll play an important role in supporting the Early Years Manager, leading and developing the team while helping to create a high-quality, nurturing environment where children can thrive.

This is an exciting opportunity to take the next step in your Early Years leadership career, with support for your professional development and opportunities to develop your leadership skills. You'll make a real difference to children's early development while helping colleagues deliver consistently high standards of education, care, safeguarding and wellbeing.

The Role

As an Early Years Deputy Manager, you'll support the Early Years Manager with the effective day-to-day running of the nursery and the delivery of outstanding care and education.

You'll help lead and motivate the team, build strong relationships with children, families and colleagues, and support the nursery to maintain high standards of safeguarding, learning and wellbeing. You'll also contribute to continuous improvement and help create a positive culture where colleagues can develop and thrive.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the Early Years Manager with the day-to-day running of the nursery in line with EYFS and Ofsted requirements.
• Lead, motivate and support the team to deliver outstanding care and education.
• Support effective staffing, budgets and resources across the nursery.
• Build strong, professional relationships with children, parents, carers, colleagues and the local community.
• Support a safe, nurturing, stimulating and inclusive environment for children.
• Monitor standards and support quality improvement, audits and inspections.
• Coach, mentor and support colleagues to build confidence and strengthen professional practice.
• Maintain high standards of safeguarding, health and safety and regulatory compliance.
• Work closely with the Early Years Manager to support the continued development of the nursery.
• Contribute to a culture of teamwork, accountability and continuous professional improvement.

Why Join Us?

Our nursery is entering an exciting new chapter, with growing demand, increasing child numbers and continued investment in the nursery environment and team.

As a well-established setting with spacious learning environments, a thriving pre-school room and strong community links, this is a fantastic opportunity to join the team and help shape the nursery's future.

You'll benefit from ongoing professional development, mentoring from experienced leaders and clear opportunities to progress your career.

We are committed to creating a positive team culture where people feel valued, supported and genuinely excited to come to work.

What We're Looking For

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

You’ll ideally have:

• A Level 3 or above qualification in Early Years, Childcare or equivalent.
• Proven leadership experience within an Early Years setting.
• A strong understanding of the EYFS, safeguarding and relevant regulatory requirements.
• Excellent organisational, communication and people-management skills.
• A proactive, approachable and professional leadership style.
• Confidence supporting teams, maintaining standards and contributing to quality improvement.
• A genuine passion for helping children develop and supporting colleagues to thrive.

What We Offer

We're proud to provide a supportive and collaborative working environment where our people can develop, progress and thrive.

Learning & Development

• Ongoing professional development and training opportunities.
• Mentoring and support from experienced Early Years leaders.
• Leadership development and opportunities for career progression.
• Coaching and support to help develop colleagues and professional practice.
• A supportive team environment where you're valued and empowered to lead.

Health and Wellbeing

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

Check out our full range of Benefits here:https://happydaysnurseries.com/careers/working-for-happy-days/

Inclusion & 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.