JUNIOR AREA MANAGER
St. George’s Nursery Group | East Midlands | Full-Time, Permanent
Salary: £40,000 – £45,000
YOUR ONE NURSERY IS JUST THE BEGINNING.
You’ve built something special. A high-performing team, outstanding inspection results, a nursery that genuinely thrives. You’ve proved what you’re capable of — and now you’re ready to do it at scale.
St. George’s Nursery Group is looking for an ambitious, people-first leader to join us as Junior Area Manager. This is a career-defining step for the Nursery Manager who is ready to grow beyond their four walls and start shaping the future of early years across an entire group.
ABOUT ST. GEORGE’S NURSERY GROUP
St. George’s is a family-run nursery group with over 30 years of history in childcare. What started as a single setting has grown into eight beautiful nurseries across the East Midlands — and we’re still growing.
Despite our growth, we’ve never lost what makes us different. We are people-first, quality-obsessed, and genuinely passionate about building careers as well as nurseries. Our settings are stunning, our culture is warm, and our leadership team is collaborative and deeply committed.
We invest where it matters — in our environments, our people, and our future. That’s why so many of our senior leaders started exactly where you are now.
WHY THIS ROLE IS DIFFERENT
This isn’t a sideways move. It’s a genuine step up the leadership ladder — with the mentoring, visibility, and structured support to take you all the way to Area Manager and beyond.
Most senior roles in early years expect you to already have multi-site experience. This role is where you get it. You’ll be learning alongside some of the best operators in the East Midlands, embedded in a senior team that genuinely invests in your development.
THE ROLE
As Junior Area Manager, you will work alongside our Senior Leadership Team across our group of nurseries. You’ll move between settings, coach and support managers, drive quality standards, and play a meaningful role in the operational success of the group.
Your key responsibilities will include:
Supporting and coaching Nursery Managers across multiple settings to achieve outstanding outcomes
Leading quality assurance visits, audits, and Ofsted readiness activity across the group
Identifying and sharing best practice — connecting what works in one setting to strengthen others
Supporting managers to develop commercially — improving occupancy, retaining staff, growing teams
Mentoring and developing emerging leaders within our settings
Contributing to group-wide improvement initiatives and strategic projects
Building strong, trusted relationships with nursery teams, parents, and local communities
WHO WE’RE LOOKING FOR
You’re a proven Nursery Manager. You know how to lead a team, hold quality, and make a nursery genuinely exceptional. And you’re hungry for more.
Essential:
Level 3 qualification in Early Years (or equivalent)
Proven experience as a Nursery Manager
Deep knowledge of EYFS and safeguarding
Strong leadership and people development skills
Confident communicator and relationship builder
Full UK driving licence and own transport
Desirable:
Level 5 or Degree in Early Years / Leadership
Experience supporting or mentoring other managers
Ofsted inspection experience as Registered Person
Commercial or budget management experience
WHAT YOU’LL GAIN
Real multi-site leadership experience across 8 nurseries
A structured development pathway toward Area Manager
Senior mentoring relationship with our Senior Leadership team
Competitive salary benchmarked to reflect the seniority of the role
Company mileage and travel expenses covered
Access to specialist CPD, leadership training, and sector events
Employee wellbeing support and recognition programme
A genuinely kind, people-first culture that will support your growth
HOW TO APPLY
We’d love to hear from Nursery Managers who are ready to take the next step.
Interviews will be conducted on a rolling basis — don’t wait.
St. George’s Nursery Group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All appointments are subject to an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references.
Pay: £40,000.00-£45,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company events
- Company pension
- Employee discount
- Free parking
- On-site parking
- Referral programme
Work Location: In person
