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RAFA Kidz Ltd; East Midlands; Hybrid; GBP 38,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

RAFAKidz Ltd is seeking a Business Manager for RAFAKidz nurseries, based at our Leicester head office. The role focuses on ensuring operational efficiency, financial sustainability, and regulatory compliance across the group.

You will work with Nursery Managers and Regional Operations Managers to strengthen core business processes, performance monitoring, staffing deployment and local planning, providing hands-on support during change or growth periods and ensuring readiness for inspections and

Responsibilities

• Monitor and analyse key performance indicators including occupancy and staffing deployment.
• Improve performance where occupancy, costs or compliance require action.
• Contribute to recovery and improvement plans for settings that need support.
• Identify opportunities to improve income and value for money without compromising care.
• Provide hands-on support to nurseries during periods of change or growth.
• Help nurseries prepare for inspections, audits and quality reviews with proper evidence.
• Coordinate actions from inspections, audits, complaints or incidents across sites.
• Coach Nursery Managers and Deputies to strengthen business discipline and planning.

Job description

RAFAKidz Nurseries Business Manager

Company: RAFA Kidz Ltd Salary: £38,000 to £40,000 a year Hours: Full-time Location: Leicester, LE3 1UT Working pattern: Hybrid - 2 days remote Job type: Permanent Posting date: 24 Sept 2026 Closing date: 21 Oct 2026

A UK driving licence is an essential requirement

About RAFAKidz

RAFAKidz is on a mission to provide exceptional, affordable childcare tailored to the unique needs of Armed Forces and civilian families. With nurseries located on or near RAF and MOD stations across the UK, we are proud to be fully OFSTED-registered and committed to safeguarding, quality, and excellence. We work closely with children, families, and partner organisations to ensure every child has the opportunity to thrive. Our strong ties to the RAF and the RAF Association help us deliver a curriculum and environment that supports the needs of serving families.

The Role

This is a newly created role based within our growing RAFAKidz Head Office team based in Leicester. The Business Manager plays a key role in supporting the operational and commercial success of RAFAKidz nurseries. The postholder will help ensure RAFAKidz nurseries are operationally efficient, financially sustainable, compliant with statutory and organisational requirements, and well supported to deliver high-quality early years education and care. The role is designed to strengthen the business and operational performance of nurseries by working alongside Nursery Managers and Regional Operations Managers to improve the consistency and effectiveness of core business processes, performance monitoring, staffing deployment, financial discipline and local operational planning. It combines analytical oversight with practical, hands‑on support, particularly where nurseries require focused improvement, additional operational capacity or support through periods of change.

Primary responsibilities include

• Monitor and analyse agreed key performance indicators, including occupancy, enquiry conversion, attendance patterns, staffing deployment, agency and overtime use, debt, and other operational and commercial measures.
• Improve business performance where there are concerns relating to occupancy, staffing costs, local operating discipline, compliance with business processes, or overall financial sustainability.
• Contribute to the development, monitoring and review of setting-level recovery plans, improvement plans and business action plans where additional support is required.
• Identify opportunities to improve income, reduce avoidable inefficiency and strengthen value for money without compromising quality of care and education.
• Provide practical, hands‑on support to nurseries during periods of change, instability, mobilisation, growth, leadership transition or recovery.
• Support nurseries to prepare effectively for inspections, audits and quality assurance reviews, ensuring that relevant evidence, systems and action plans are in place.
• Work with managers and Regional Operations Managers to coordinate and track follow-up actions arising from inspections, audits, complaints, incidents or internal reviews.
• Coach and support Nursery Managers and Deputies to strengthen their confidence and capability in business management, performance monitoring, staffing deployment, planning and operational problem-solving.
• Provide constructive challenge and practical support where managers need to improve business discipline, operational consistency or commercial awareness.
• Contribute to the preparation of reports, performance insight and recommendations for senior leaders, helping to inform decision‑making and continuous improvement across the RAFAKidz group.

It is highly recommended that you read the full role profile and person specification which is available to download on our website rafakidz.org.uk

Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme

About Disability Confident Disability Confident is a government scheme. It encourages employers to recruit and retain disabled people and those with long term health conditions.