Early Years Manager

Happy Days Nurseries Limited; West of England; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous annual leave

Health & wellbeing support

Professional development

Career progression

Job summary

Happy Days Nurseries Limited in Thornbury, Bristol, is seeking an experienced Early Years Manager to lead our nursery.

You will oversee daily operations, ensure EYFS compliance, coach the team, manage budgets, and build strong relationships with families and the community.

Qualifications

• Proven leadership experience in an Early Years setting.
• Strong knowledge of EYFS, safeguarding and regulatory requirements.
• Experience leading and developing an Early Years team.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the day-to-day running of the nursery in line with EYFS and Ofsted requirements.
• Lead, motivate and develop the Early Years team to deliver outstanding care and education.
• Manage staffing, budgets and resources effectively.
• Build strong relationships with parents, carers, colleagues and the local community.
• Maintain a safe, nurturing, stimulating and inclusive environment.
• Ensure safeguarding, health and safety and regulatory requirements are maintained.
• Monitor standards and support audits, inspections and continuous improvement.
• Ensure learning experiences support children's individual development and progress.
• Coach and mentor colleagues, supporting professional development and high standards.
• Promote a positive culture of teamwork, accountability and continuous improvement.

Skills

Leadership

EYFS knowledge

Safeguarding

Staff development

Budget management

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Level 3+ Early Years qualification

Job description

Location: Thornbury, Bristol
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 experiencedEarly Years Managerto lead our nursery in Thornbury, Bristol.

This is an exciting opportunity to lead a well-established nursery, inspire a dedicated team and create a high-quality, child-centred environment where children can thrive. You'll be responsible for maintaining excellent standards of care, education, safeguarding and wellbeing while supporting the continued development of the setting.

The Role

As Early Years Manager, you'll oversee the day-to-day running of the nursery and lead your team to deliver outstanding care and education in line with the EYFS and Ofsted requirements.

You’ll build strong relationships with children, families, colleagues and the local community while maintaining a safe, stimulating and inclusive environment. You’ll also support quality improvement and the professional development of your team.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee the day-to-day running of the nursery in line with EYFS and Ofsted requirements.
• Lead, motivate and develop the Early Years team to deliver outstanding care and education.
• Manage staffing, budgets and resources effectively.
• Build strong relationships with parents, carers, colleagues and the local community.
• Maintain a safe, nurturing, stimulating and inclusive environment.
• Ensure safeguarding, health and safety and regulatory requirements are maintained.
• Monitor standards and support audits, inspections and continuous improvement.
• Ensure learning experiences support children's individual development and progress.
• Coach and mentor colleagues, supporting professional development and high standards.
• Promote a positive culture of teamwork, accountability and continuous improvement.

Why Join Us?

Our nursery is well established, with a strong community presence and dedicated team. The setting is entering an exciting new phase focused on strengthening leadership, enhancing quality and creating an environment where children and staff can thrive.

You’ll have the opportunity to shape the nursery's future and make a lasting difference to children, families and colleagues.

We invest in our people through structured training, leadership mentoring and clear progression opportunities to support your professional development and career growth.

What We’re Looking For

We're looking for an experienced Early Years leader with 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.
• Strong knowledge of EYFS, safeguarding and regulatory requirements.
• Experience leading and developing an Early Years team.
• Strong organisational, communication and people-management skills.
• Experience managing staffing, budgets and resources.
• Confidence maintaining standards and supporting quality improvement.
• A proactive, approachable and professional leadership style.
• A genuine passion for helping children and colleagues thrive.

What We Offer

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

Learning & Development

• Structured training and ongoing professional development.
• Leadership mentoring and support from experienced Early Years leaders.
• Clear progression and career development opportunities.
• Coaching and mentoring to support your team and develop professional practice.

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 Nurseries 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.

*Subject to eligibility criteria.

**Up to four additional gifted days off during the Christmas closedown or, where applicable, up to four days added to your annual leave entitlement, pro rata.