Nursery Area Manager

Katey’s House Nursery & Pre-School, part of Chalk Nursery Group, are seeking an experienced and inspirational Area Manager for five settings across South West London.

This is a senior leadership role with genuine ownership. You will lead an area of five nurseries, line manage the Nursery Managers and hold accountability for both commercial performance and quality of provision.

Benefits as Area Manager:

• Salary: Circa £60k plus £5k Car Allowance + Bonus
• Up to 36 days of annual leave (including paid time off at Christmas)
• Company car allowance
• Performance bonus
• Regular staff social events and recognition initiatives
• Free access to expert wellbeing support, daily check-ins, and virtual health consultations via the Symbio app
• Discounted childcare
• Ongoing training and development opportunities
• A genuinely supportive team and leadership structure

Key Responsibilities of Area Manager:

• Commercial Performance: Drive occupancy, revenue, and EBITDA against budget while managing staff costs, site expenses, and room capacity.
• Education & Care Quality: Monitor nursery rooms firsthand to ensure curriculum delivery, identify weak practices early, and support staff development.
• Compliance & Safeguarding: Act as Deputy DSL, lead inspection readiness, and ensure total compliance with EYFS, health and safety, and safer recruitment.
• Team Leadership: Line-manage and coach Nursery Managers to build their commercial literacy and leadership capability, ensuring high standards across the area.

Essential requirement for the Area Manager:

• Experience: Minimum 2 years as a Nursery Manager with statutory setting responsibility, plus proven experience line-managing multi-site settings.
• Leadership & Commercial Track Record: Strong background in driving occupancy, managing budgets, handling performance management, and turning data into targeted interventions.
• Regulatory Expertise: Deep, practical knowledge of EYFS, Ofsted, and safeguarding legislation with the confidence to challenge judgements and maintain high compliance standards.
• Qualifications: Minimum Level 3 Early Years qualification (Level 5, Early Years degree, or NPQEY preferred). Note: Managers appointed after January 2024 must hold or obtain Level 2 Maths within two years.
• Compliance Checks: Full clean driving licence, comfort working within a growing group, and the ability to pass enhanced DBS and suitability checks.

Pay: £60,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Childcare
• Company events
• Company pension
• Employee discount
• Health & wellbeing programme
• Referral programme

Experience:

• Leadership: 2 years (required)
• nursery leadershuip: 2 years (required)

Work authorisation:

• United Kingdom (required)

Work Location: In person