Nursery Area Manager

Willingcare; Greater London; On-site; GBP 36,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Performance bonus

Childcare benefits

Annual leave

Sick pay

Pension

Lunch provided

Employee assistance

Training & development

Internal progression

Career growth

Job summary

Willingcare, a family-owned Early Years group in Greater London, seeks a Nursery Area Manager to lead a portfolio of nurseries and drive quality and operational performance across sites.

You will guide Nursery Managers, ensure EYFS compliance, and support safeguarding and Ofsted readiness, enabling growth and consistent care across the region.

Qualifications

• Level 3 Early Years or above.
• Experience as Nursery Area Manager, Regional Manager or Multi-Site Manager within Early Years.
• Strong Ofsted track record with positive inspection outcomes.
• Excellent working knowledge of the EYFS framework.
• Comprehensive understanding of safeguarding, child protection and Early Years regulatory requirements.
• Strong quality assurance and continuous improvement experience.
• Ability to balance quality, people and operational performance across multiple settings.
• Willingness to travel between nursery settings.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership, guidance and operational support to Nursery Managers.
• Regularly visit settings to monitor quality, performance and children's experiences.
• Coach and develop Nursery Managers, helping them become confident and effective leaders.
• Ensure the EYFS is embedded consistently while allowing individual nurseries to retain their own character.
• Maintain excellent safeguarding standards across your area.
• Support settings with Ofsted preparation, inspections and post-inspection action plans.
• Analyze quality and performance information to identify strengths, risks and opportunities for improvement.
• Support managers with staffing, recruitment, retention and team development.
• Implement improvement plans where settings require additional support.
• Promote sharing of best practice across the nursery group.
• Support new initiatives and the continued growth of the business.
• Help create a culture where children receive excellent care and colleagues have opportunities to develop their careers.

Skills

Leadership

Multi-site management

Ofsted experience

Safeguarding knowledge

EYFS knowledge

Travel flexibility

Education

Level 3 Early Years or above

Job description

Job Description

Nursery Area Manager

Salary: Up to £60,000

Multi-Site Early Years Leadership | Award-Winning, Family-Owned Nursery Group

This is an opportunity to take your Early Years leadership experience beyond a single setting and have a genuine impact across a growing group of nurseries.

Our client is an award-winning, family-owned Early Years business with a strong focus on creating warm, supportive and inspiring environments for both children and the people who care for them. As the group continues to grow, they're looking for an experienced Nursery Area Manager to provide operational and quality leadership across a portfolio of settings.

This role would ideally suit an established Area Manager; however, an exceptional Nursery Manager with extensive leadership experience, a strong Ofsted track record and the ability to step confidently into multi-site management may also be considered.

The Leadership Experience We're Looking For

• Level 3 Early Years or above
• Ideally, previous experience as a Nursery Area Manager, Regional Manager or Multi-Site Manager within Early Years.
• Applications may also be considered from highly experienced Nursery Managers ready to progress into area management.
• A strong and demonstrable track record with Ofsted, including achieving and maintaining positive inspection outcomes.
• Excellent working knowledge of the EYFS framework.
• Comprehensive understanding of safeguarding, child protection and Early Years regulatory requirements.
• Strong quality assurance and continuous improvement experience.
• Confidence identifying underperformance and implementing effective improvement plans.
• Ability to balance quality, people and operational performance across multiple settings.
• A flexible approach and willingness to travel between nursery settings.

What You'll Receive

• Performance-related bonus scheme
• Heavily discounted childcare
• Competitive annual leave package
• Company sick pay
• Pension scheme
• Lunches provided
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Ongoing training and leadership development
• Access to internal development and progression schemes
• Opportunity to play an important role within an award-winning and continuously growing family-owned business

Your Impact Across the Nurseries

• Provide leadership, guidance and operational support to Nursery Managers.
• Regularly visit settings to monitor quality, performance and children's experiences.
• Coach and develop Nursery Managers, helping them become confident and effective leaders.
• Ensure the EYFS is embedded consistently while allowing individual nurseries to retain their own character.
• Maintain excellent safeguarding standards across your area.
• Support settings with Ofsted preparation, inspections and post-inspection action plans.
• Analyze quality and performance information to identify strengths, risks and opportunities for improvement.
• Support managers with staffing, recruitment, retention and team development.
• Implement improvement plans where settings require additional support.
• Promote sharing of best practice across the nursery group.
• Support new initiatives and the continued growth of the business.
• Help create a culture where children receive excellent care and colleagues have opportunities to develop their careers.

All appointments are subject to safer recruitment requirements, including an enhanced DBS check, satisfactory references, and verification of the right to work in the UK, in line with safeguarding responsibilities.

Reference: WILL254942/TH