Nursery Manager Jobs in Essex — Recruitment agencies

Nursery ManagerLocation: Wickford, Essex Permanent | Full-Time | 4 Days Per Week (7:30am -6:30pm) Salary: £44,000 - £47,000 per annum Nursery Manager Opportunity | Large Outdoor LearningNursery Setting Hays Education is proud to be supporting an innovative and highly successful early years provider with the recruitment of a Nursery Manager for one of its flagship nursery settings in Wickford, Essex. This is an exceptional opportunity to join a well-established organisation that has been delivering outstanding childcare and early years education across Essex for more than a decade. The successful candidate will lead a thriving nursery currently catering for approximately 100 children, with exciting expansion plans already in place to increase capacity to 150 children from September, making this one of the largest and most ambitious early years settings in the region. The organisationhas built a strong reputation for combining outstanding childcare with a unique enrichment-led learning experience. Its philosophy centres around creating engaging, child-led environments where children can learn, explore and develop through meaningful experiences both indoors and outdoors. A key part of the provision is its commitment to outdoor education and nature-based learning.Children benefit from a carefully designed curriculum that goes far beyond the Early Years Foundation Stage framework and incorporates: • Forest school-inspired learning and outdoor exploration • Nature-based education and environmental awareness • Montessori teaching principles • Educational trips and enrichment experiences • Music and creative arts sessions • Children's yoga and mindfulness activities • Practical, hands-on learning opportunities • Activities designed to develop confidence, independence and resilience This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced Nursery Manager who is passionate about innovative early years practice and wants to play a key role in the continued growth and development of a successful organisation. The RoleAs Nursery Manager, you will have overall responsibility for the leadership, management and strategic development of a large nursery setting. You will lead a dedicated team of practitioners, ensure outstanding standards of care and education, oversee compliance and safeguarding, and drive continuous improvement across the nursery. Working on a full-time basis across four days per week (7:30am -6:30pm), you will enjoy an excellent work-life balance while leading a substantial and growing provision. The successful candidate will be a visible and inspirational leader who can build high-performing teams, develop staff, maintain exceptional parent partnerships and ensure the nursery continues to deliver an outstanding experience for every child. Key Responsibilities • Provide strategic and operational leadership across the nursery. • Lead a large team in delivering outstanding childcare and education. • Ensure full compliance with the EYFS Framework, safeguarding requirements and all regulatory standards. • Act as the Designated Safeguarding Lead (training provided if required). • Lead the nursery through Ofsted inspections and quality assurance processes. • Drive occupancy growth and support the site's expansion from 100 to 150 children. • Develop and implement nursery improvement and development plans. • Manage nursery budgets and resources effectively. • Conduct staff supervision, appraisals and performance management. • Deliver coaching, mentoring and professional development opportunities for staff. • Ensure health and safety standards are maintained at all times. • Promote equality, inclusion and positive outcomes for all children. • Build strong relationships with parents, carers, local authorities and external agencies. • Attend leadership meetings with senior management to share best practice and contribute to wider organisational development. About YouTo be successfulin this role, you will have: • A Level 3 Early Years qualification or above. • At least one years' experience in a Nursery Manager position. • Strong knowledge of the EYFS Framework and child development. • A proven track record of leading teams and driving improvement. • Experience preparing for and managing Ofsted inspections. • Excellent safeguarding knowledge and commitment to child welfare. • Strong financial and operational management skills. • Outstanding communication and stakeholder engagement abilities. • Experience managing large teams and nursery environments. • A passion for outdoor learning, enrichment and innovative early years education. What You'll Receive • Salary of £44,000 - £47,000 per annum • 4-day working week (7:30am - 6:30pm) • Permanent full-time position • Free daily lunch • Free onsite parking • Birthday leave • Company pension scheme • Wellbeing package • Sick pay • Staff social events • Employee mentoring programme • Professional development opportunities • The chance to lead one of the region's largest and fastest-growing nursery settings Safeguarding Hays Education and our client are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All appointments are subject to enhanced DBS checks, satisfactory references and robust safer recruitment procedures. Applicants musthave the right to work in the UK. Sponsorship is not available for this position. Apply Now If you are an experienced Nursery Manager seeking an exciting leadership opportunity within a growing, innovative and outdoor-focused early years organisation, we would be delighted to hear from you. Please apply now or for a confidential discussion, please contact AamirMalik at or call . Hays Specialist Recruitment Limited acts as an employment agency for permanent recruitment and employment business for the supply of temporary workers. By applying for this job you accept the T&C's, Privacy Policy and Disclaimers which can be found at hays.co.uk

A fast-growing and reputable early-years childcare and education provider is seeking a Nursery Manager to run a nursery safely and to a high standard, ensuring it is Ofsted-ready at all times. The Nursery Manager will have previous experience working in an early-years setting, have a strong understanding and current knowledge of the EYFS framework, and be fully conversant with all the necessary safeguarding regulations, Ofsted inspection frameworks and statutory early-years requirements. In addition, the Nursery Manager will hold, or be working towards, a DSL qualification, have excellent communication and conflict-resolution skills, and have good staff management skills and day-to-day operational experience, such as handling rotas, business income and expenditure, and logistics. Having successfully achieved the Investors in People standard at their main site, our client is now rolling this approach out across their entire organisation. This reflects a long-term commitment to developing its people, strengthening leadership, and ensuring employees experience the same high standards of support and development wherever they work. Key Responsibilities Ensure the site runs safely, smoothly, consistently, and at a high standard, and is Ofsted-ready at all times Make sure all statutory requirements, safeguarding obligations, and EYFS frameworks are fully met and evidenced Escalate any regulatory concerns to the Operations Manager immediately Manage staff rota, performance, and ensure they feel supported and valued Respond professionally and promptly to parents and handle any day-to-day concerns sensitively Make sure all staff are trained and aware of their obligations to safeguarding on site, and record and escalate any concerns in line with group policy and statutory requirements Keep the site clean and maintained at all times, update risk assessments and how incidents are recorded, and inspect the site on a regular schedule Complete accurately and on time the LA headcount and funding submissions Work with colleagues to support the enrolment process such as welcoming prospective families, conducting tours, and ensuring places are confirmed Be responsible for the site’s day-to-day operational budget and escalate any future concerns or significant spend to the Ops and Finance Managers promptly Implement the brand and environment standards for the site, update Meet the Staff board, and ensure visitor impressions are consistently positive Knowledge, skills and qualifications required: Previous experience working in an early-years setting Have a strong understanding and current knowledge of the EYFS framework Fully conversant with Ofsted inspection frameworks, safeguarding regulation and statutory early years requirements Hold or working towards a DSL qualification Great customer service and conflict resolution skills Excellent communication, teamwork, leadership, and management skills A good understanding of health and safety in an early-years setting Previous experience in handling related operational duties such as rotas, admissions and logistics Able to handle day-to-day business income and expenditure Is professional and discreet Salary: circa £42,000 DOE Benefits: yearly bonus, 31 days annual leave incl. bank holidays + add. 2 days & birthday leave, 1 free childcare place, strong support and development programme

Nursery Manager – Chafford Hundred Salary: £38,000 – £42,000 | Immediate Start Available We are seeking a passionate and experienced Nursery Manager to lead our thriving early years setting in Chafford Hundred . This is an exciting opportunity for a dedicated professional to take ownership of one of our key sites and make a lasting impact on children, families, and staff. The Role As Nursery Manager, you will: Lead and inspire a team to deliver outstanding early years education Ensure the highe…

An opportunity has arisen for a Nursery Manager to join a well-established childcare provider with multiple nurseries supporting early years education from birth to school age. As a Nursery Manager , nursery operations, safeguarding, and team development to deliver outstanding early years provision, working closely with senior leadership to ensure high-quality day-to-day running of the setting. This full-time role offers a salary range of £39,250 - £45,850 and benefits. You will be responsible …

Nursery Manager - Southend-on-Sea As a Nursery Manager, you and the team will combine your individual strengths to create an exceptional experience for children, families and your team. This is a maternity cover position, with the possibility of it becoming a permanent role. The role is 4 or 5 days per week (must do Monday and Friday plus a minimum of 2 other days). If you're an experienced nursery leader who loves developing people, building strong relationships and creating an outstanding nursery environment, but values having an expert leadership partner, you'll feel at home here. Working in partnership the director, you'll each bring specialist expertise while making joint decisions that ensure every child, family and team member thrives. The Nursery Manager is key in supporting the nursery team to be beyond brilliant. They ensure we deliver outstanding care and education for children and families by making the nursery an exceptional place to work based on our vision and values. We are looking for someone with expertise in early years and nursery leadership experience, who is looking to take the next exciting step in their career. This is a fantastic opportunity to develop skills in a flexible, friendly, and creative environment. About you · You will be qualified in Early Years to level 6 or above, with at least two years post qualification experience of working in an early years setting · You must hold a Level 2 (GCSE or equivalent) maths qualification · You must be able to build meaningful relationships with all stakeholders, children, parents, team, central team colleagues, have excellent communication skills and maintain confidentiality · You must be able to communicate our team and brand values through excellent communication and teamwork · A real ‘can do’ attitude and self-motivation is essential - we need our team to love working together! · You must be eligible to work in the UK and obtain a satisfactory DBS The successful candidates will be subject to a variety of checks including: eligibility to work in the UK, an enhanced DBS disclosure and full references including one from your most recent employer. Strategy Education is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment

Nursery Manager Essex DOE + Accommodation Ready to lead a nursery with strong foundations already in place? Looking for a role where you can combine technical growing knowledge with leadership? This is a rare opportunity to join an established commercial nursery and help shape its next chapter. You'll inherit an experienced management team, a knowledgeable workforce and 15 acres of y glasshouse production. This role is about building on what's already working well and helping the business continue to move forward. What's on Offer? Competitive salary Accommodation available Opportunity to shape the future of the nursery Long-term career opportunity within a stable business Support from Directors and experienced department managersWhat's the Job? You'll take overall responsibility for the day-to-day operation of the nursery, working closely with department managers across growing, propagation, production, sales and logistics. Day to day, you'll be: Leading and supporting the nursery management team Working with Directors to deliver business objectives Coordinating departments to ensure smooth nursery operations Reviewing performance, productivity and KPIs Supporting managers with resource planning and team development Driving continuous improvement across the nursery Maintaining high standards of crop quality and customer service Helping shape the long-term direction of the businessWhile this is a management role, you'll still need to understand growing and be comfortable discussing crop issues, biological controls and production challenges with the team. What do I need? Strong commercial nursery experience Technical growing knowledge and commercial crop production experience Previous management or leadership experience Ability to lead managers and develop teams Good organisational and communication skills Commercial awareness and a practical approach A genuine passion for horticultureYou might already be a Nursery Manager, or perhaps you're a senior grower or growing manager ready for a bigger challenge. Either way, we'd love to hear from you. What's Next? For an informal chat, please call Sarah on (phone number removed), email (url removed), or message me on LinkedIn. Don't worry if your CV isn't up to date - just send what you have, and we'll take it from there

Nursery – Bright Horizons Brentwood Day Nursery & Pre School Salary – £47,000 per annum (dependent on qualification/s and experience) Location – Coptfold Road, Brentwood, CM14 4BN We are looking for an experienced Nursery Manager to lead our brand-new 88-place nursery opening in November 2026 in central Brentwood, just a short distance from the Baytree Shopping Centre. Currently undergoing extensive renovations, the setting is being thoughtfully designed to create a warm, welcoming environment …

Location: Terling, Essex Hours: School Hours | Term Time Only TeacherActive is proud to be working with a welcoming nursery in Terling to recruit a Nursery Manager. This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced Early Years Practitioner who is ready to take the next step in their career. The nursery is looking for a qualified Early Years professional with a strong background in childcare. Previous management experience is not essential, as they are keen to support someone with the right ex…