Happy Days Nurseries are opening a brand-new nursery in Boorley Green, Botley, and are seeking an experienced Nursery Manager to lead our setting!

Our brand-new purpose-built setting provides secure, calm, and nurturing environments, with wonderful outdoor spaces and free-flow access throughout the day. We pride ourselves on our unique curriculum, “Where Children Shine” which encourages exploration, learning, and growth – and we want our people to Shine just as much as our children.

This is an incredible opportunity to join us pre-opening, leading the marketing, recruitment and setup of your nursery.

We encourage our Nursery Managers to be at the heart of our Nursery, and be fully involved in supporting a well-established team and the children and families that attend the nursery.

What you’ll be doing:

As the Nursery Manager at Happy Days, you will lead your team with energy and passion to deliver exceptional care and education. You will oversee the daily operations of the nursery, ensuring strict adherence to all policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements. Building strong relationships with parents and families will be at the heart of your role, as you manage enquiries, conduct tours, and support new enrolments. You will mentor and coach staff, fostering their growth through tailored induction processes, regular supervision, and appraisals. You will be responsible for ensuring that the nursery consistently meets OFSTED standards, guiding the team through inspections with confidence and expertise. Additionally, you will manage recruitment, staff performance, and wellbeing while taking charge of the nursery’s commercial performance by monitoring budgets and schedules.

Who we’re looking for:

We are seeking a professional Nursery Manager with a recognised Level 3 qualification in childcare, or higher, and a solid background in nursery management. You will have experience leading OFSTED inspections with success, showcasing your expertise in maintaining high-quality standards. Strong leadership, organisational, and communication skills are essential, as is a proactive, confident, and positive attitude. Above all, you must have a genuine passion for early years education and a commitment to creating meaningful experiences that allow every child to thrive.

What we can offer you:

• Supportive Management Structure with specialist functional teams.
• Salary £40,000 to £42,500 per annum, depending on experience
• Competitive bonus structure – paid quarterly
• 25 days annual leave plus Bank holidays
• Up to 4 days gifted Christmas closedown
• 50% childcare discount
• Employee Assistant Programme
• Career growth and progression opportunities – including support to obtain Level 2 Maths and English if required

Our teams, whether in our nurseries or our support centre SHINE, they ensure we are delivering outstanding childcare to every child in our settings every day, this helps to make Happy Days a great place to work. By ensuring we are always recruiting, retaining and promoting a diverse mix of colleagues, who are representative of the communities within which our nurseries sits gives us the best opportunity to continue to deliver outstanding childcare

“Happy Days Nurseries are committed to the safety and well-being of the children in our care, as such the successful post holder will be required to undergo a robust vetting process, including an enhanced DBS Check and Reference History Checks”