Nursery Manager
Location: Shaftesbury, Dorset
Salary: £45,916 per year
Hours: 40 hours per week
Flying Start Nurseries are seeking a highly professional, exceptional and experienced Nursery Manager to lead one of our established early years settings.
Our nurseries are based within beautifully restored Edwardian homes, offering a calm, boutique-style environment filled with warmth, character and thoughtfully designed spaces — far removed from large corporate-style childcare settings.
We are looking for a strong leader who combines excellent operational management with a genuine passion for delivering exceptional early years care and education. This role would suit someone who is calm, highly organised, professional and committed to maintaining outstanding standards throughout the nursery.
What We Offer
- Salary of £45,916 per year
- Full Bupa Dental cover
- Subsidised meals
- Subsidised childcare
- Team events and celebrations
- Supportive senior leadership team
- Beautiful, well-resourced nursery environment
- Clear systems and operational support
- Long-term progression opportunities within a growing nursery group
The Role
You will be responsible for:
- Day-to-day management of the nursery
- Leading, motivating and managing staff performance
- Maintaining outstanding safeguarding, welfare and health & safety standards
- Ensuring full compliance with EYFS and Ofsted requirements
- Driving high-quality teaching, learning and inclusive practice
- Managing occupancy, staffing ratios and rotas
- Monitoring standards through observations, audits and action plans
- Building strong relationships with parents and external professionals
- Overseeing paperwork, policies and operational systems accurately and consistently
The Person We’re Looking For
You will be:
- A qualified Early Years professional (Level 3 minimum; Level 5+ desirable)
- Experienced in a Nursery Manager or Deputy Manager role
- Highly organised, reliable and professional
- Calm, level-headed and solutions-focused
- Confident leading teams and managing performance
- Strong in communication and relationship building
- Proactive, hands-on and accountable
- Passionate about creating exceptional environments for children and staff alike
Essential Requirements
- Minimum 2 years’ experience in an early years leadership role
- Strong knowledge of EYFS, safeguarding and Ofsted frameworks
- Ability to pass enhanced DBS and relevant checks
- Strong IT and organisational skills
- Full-time availability
Desirable
- Experience achieving or maintaining Good or Outstanding Ofsted outcomes
- Leadership or management qualification
- Experience with audits, action planning and quality improvement
Apply Now
If you consider yourself a serious candidate, please send your CV and a short covering letter outlining your leadership experience to:
[email protected]
Job Type: Full-time
Benefits:
- Childcare
- Company events
- Discounted or free food
- Employee discount
- Private dental insurance
Work Location: In person
