Nursery Manager

Kindred Nurseries; Aylesbury; On-site; GBP 38,000 - 54,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Bonus opportunities

Career development

Job summary

Kindred Nurseries is seeking an inspirational Nursery Manager to lead a dedicated early years team and shape outstanding learning environments. You will ensure compliant, high-quality care in line with EYFS and Ofsted, while driving occupancy and budget performance.

Join a supportive culture with development opportunities and a strong focus on safeguarding, community links, and continuous improvement across our Kindred network.

Qualifications

• Proven experience leading and managing an Early Years team.
• Strong knowledge of EYFS and Ofsted requirements.
• Excellent leadership, communication and organisational skills.
• Outstanding customer service and commercial awareness.

Responsibilities

• Lead, inspire and develop the leadership team and room staff.
• Create a safe, nurturing nursery environment for every child.
• Drive outstanding EYFS outcomes and Ofsted compliance.
• Manage occupancy, budgets, KPIs and performance.
• Oversee day-to-day nursery operations and safeguarding.
• Build relationships with families and the local community.
• Prepare the nursery for audits and inspections.

Skills

EYFS knowledge

Leadership

Budget management

Communication

Customer service

Staff development

Ofsted readiness

Education

Level 3 EY qualification

Job description

Join the Kindred Family – A Place to Grow, Thrive and Make a Difference

At Kindred, we’re passionate about giving children the very best start in life while creating a workplace where our people feel valued, supported and inspired.

Are you an inspiring leader with a passion for delivering exceptional early years education? Join Kindred as a Nursery Manager and lead a talented team, shape outstanding learning environments and make a lasting difference to the lives of children, families and colleagues every day.

Visit our Why Work With Us page to explore our benefits, career development opportunities and discover why so many of our colleagues choose to grow their careers with us.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Lead, inspire and develop your leadership team, including the Deputy Manager, Third in Charge and Room Leaders.
• Create a safe, nurturing and inspiring nursery environment where every child can thrive.
• Drive outstanding standards of Early Years education in line with the EYFS and Ofsted requirements.
• Build a high-performing team through coaching, mentoring, recruitment and succession planning.
• Oversee the day-to-day operation of the nursery, ensuring compliance with legislation and Kindred policies.
• Manage occupancy, budgets, KPIs and commercial performance while maintaining exceptional standards of care.
• Build strong relationships with children, families, colleagues and the local community.
• Conduct nursery tours, promoting Kindred as the nursery of choice within your local area.
• Lead safeguarding, health and safety and quality assurance across the nursery.
• Prepare your nursery for audits, inspections and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Support wider business projects and collaborate with colleagues across the Kindred network.
• Demonstrate Kindred’s values in everything you do.

What You’ll Need

Essential:

• Proven experience leading and managing an Early Years team.
• A full and relevant Level 3 Early Years qualification (or above).
• Strong knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and Ofsted requirements.
• Excellent leadership, communication and organisational skills.
• Outstanding customer service skills.
• Commercial awareness with the ability to manage budgets and performance.
• A passion for developing people and creating exceptional nursery environments.

Desirable:

• Previous experience as a Nursery Manager or Deputy Manager.
• Leadership or management qualification.
• Current Paediatric First Aid Certificate.
• Safeguarding and Child Protection training (full training will be provided).

Why You’ll Love Working at Kindred

• Supportive Culture: Built on strong relationships, teamwork and a genuine sense of belonging.
• Career Development: Leadership development, mentoring and opportunities to progress within a growing organisation.
• Work-Life Balance: Structured working hours and a supportive leadership environment.
• Competitive Pay & Benefits: Competitive salary, quarterly and annual bonus opportunities, alongside a generous benefits package.
• Award-Winning Family: Join a company that values recognition, personal growth and team success.
• More than 9 out of 10 of our colleagues would recommend Kindred as a great place to work.

What Happens Next?

• Initial video interview.
• Face-to-face interview, including a stay-and-play session (where applicable).
• Safer recruitment checks, including references, an enhanced DBS check and qualification verification.

Ready to Start Your Kindred Journey?

We review applications as they’re received and aim to respond within 2–5 working days.

Our Commitment to Safeguarding

Kindred is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. All successful applicants will be subject to safer recruitment checks, including an enhanced DBS check, references and qualification verification, in line with our safeguarding policy.

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