At a Glance
- Tasks: Inspire and coach nursery teams to deliver exceptional early years education.
- Company: Join Family First Nurseries, a rapidly growing organisation dedicated to quality care.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary of £55,000 plus a £5,000 car allowance.
- Other info: Be part of a passionate team committed to professional development and innovation.
- Why this job: Make a lasting difference in children's lives while driving quality improvements.
- Qualifications: A Level 5 qualification in Early Years and experience managing nurseries required.
The predicted salary is between 55000 - 55000 £ per year.
- Southampton, United Kingdom | Posted on 31/07/2026
- Location Woodberry Day Nursery Waterlooville
- Job Type Full time
- Province Hampshire
- City Southampton
- Postal Code PO7 7AN
- Country United Kingdom
Job Description
- Early Years Specialist
- Field Based | Family First Nurseries | Full Time
Inspire Excellence. Shape Outstanding Practice. Make a Lasting Difference.
At Family First Nurseries, we're passionate about giving every child the very best start in life.
Since 2019, we've grown from just four nurseries to over 100 settings across the UK, but one thing has never changed – our commitment to delivering exceptional early years education and care while putting children, families and our colleagues first.
We're looking for an experienced
Early Years Specialist to join our Quality Team.
This is an exciting opportunity for an inspirational early years professional who thrives on coaching others, driving quality improvements and supporting nursery teams to achieve outstanding outcomes.
Offering a competitive salary of £55,000 plus a £5,000 annual car allowance
, this is a fantastic opportunity for someone who is passionate about driving excellence across multiple nursery settings while enjoying the autonomy of a field-based role.
The Role
As an Early Years Specialist, you'll work closely with Nursery Managers, Area Managers and operational teams across your region to champion exceptional teaching, learning and care.
This is a varied, hands-on role where you'll visit nurseries, coach and mentor leadership teams, support Ofsted readiness, strengthen safeguarding and compliance, and help embed our curriculum and best practice across every setting.
Your expertise will directly influence the quality of education children receive while supporting our teams to grow in confidence and capability.
- What You'll Be Doing
- Supporting nursery leaders to deliver exceptional care, education and outcomes for children.
- Coaching, mentoring and developing Nursery Managers and Early Years Practitioners.
- Driving continuous quality improvement across multiple nursery settings.
- Supporting nurseries through Ofsted inspections and helping teams prepare for successful outcomes.
- Embedding the Family First Curriculum, SEND strategy and emotional wellbeing initiatives.
- Monitoring quality, compliance and safeguarding standards while ensuring statutory requirements are consistently met.
- Delivering training and identifying development opportunities across nursery teams.
- Working collaboratively with Operations, HR, Safeguarding and Health & Safety teams to support nursery success.
- Leading on quality improvement initiatives and helping create outstanding learning environments.
- Building strong relationships with parents, local authorities and external agencies to achieve the very best outcomes for children.
About You
You'll be an experienced early years leader who enjoys inspiring others and creating positive change.
You'll ideally have
- A Level 5 qualification (or above) in Early Years or a related subject.
- A full and relevant Level 3 Early Years qualification.
- At least two years' experience managing a nursery, with exposure to supporting multiple settings.
- A proven track record of improving quality and achieving strong inspection outcomes.
- Excellent knowledge of the EYFS, safeguarding legislation and Ofsted requirements.
- Experience coaching, mentoring and developing nursery teams.
- Outstanding communication and relationship-building skills.
- A proactive, organised and solutions-focused approach.
- A full UK driving licence and the flexibility to travel across your region.
Additional qualifications such as Early Years Teacher Status (EYTS), Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) or Early Years Professional Status are welcomed but not essential.
Why Join Family First?
At Family First, our people are at the heart of everything we do. We believe that when we invest in our teams, children thrive.
- Alongside a
- £55,000 salary and £5,000 car allowance
, you'll become part of a growing organisation that genuinely values quality, innovation and professional development, where your expertise will influence practice across multiple nurseries and make a meaningful difference every single day.
You'll work alongside passionate professionals who share one goal: providing exceptional early years experiences for every child.
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Early Years Specialist in Southampton employer: Family First
At CherryField Nursery, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer that prioritises the well-being and development of our team. Located in the vibrant area of Epsom, our newly refurbished nursery offers a supportive work culture with tailored learning opportunities, generous annual leave, and significant childcare discounts. Join us to make a meaningful impact in children's lives while enjoying a rewarding career in a nurturing environment.
