Early Years Operations Manager

Lead. Inspire. Shape the future of early years. Are you an experienced multi-site leader looking for an opportunity to make a genuine impact? As an Early Years Operations Manager, you will have a unique opportunity to influence operational excellence, support our nursery leadership teams and play a key role in the next stage of our journey.

Working alongside our senior leadership team, you’ll provide strategic operational leadership across multiple nursery settings, ensuring exceptional quality, strong commercial performance and outstanding experience for children, families and colleagues. At Happy Days Nurseries, we believe great nurseries start with great leaders. As an Operations Manager, you’ll have the opportunity to shape how we continue to grow, influence operational excellence and make a meaningful difference across our nursery settings.

We offer:

• The opportunity to shape and influence operational excellence across a growing organisation
• Genuine autonomy to lead, make decisions and drive continuous improvement
• A supportive and collaborative approach from a senior leadership team committed to your success
• Ongoing professional development, coaching and opportunities to progress your career
• A values-led organisation where children, families and colleagues are at the heart of every decision.

What you’ll bring:

• Proven experience in an operational leadership role, ideally overseeing multiple nursery settings or multi-site operations
• A track record of developing and inspiring high-performing leadership teams
• A strong understanding of EYFS, safeguarding, Ofsted and regulatory compliance
• Commercial awareness, with experience managing budgets, occupancy, KPIs and operational performance
• The confidence to make informed decisions, solve problems and lead through change
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills with the ability to influence and collaborate at all levels
• A proactive, solutions-focused approach, always looking for opportunities to improve quality and performance
• A genuine passion for creating environments where children, families and colleagues can thrive.

We're building a workplace where our colleagues thrive. We offer a range of meaningful benefits designed to support your wellbeing, professional growth, and work-life balance. Our benefits aren’t just perks, they’re part of a culture that puts people first and we continue to build our range of benefits designed to support health, wellbeing and satisfaction of our workforce. Some of these include:

• Competitive annual salary
• Pension & Life Assurance*
• In addition to 25 days Annual Leave plus Bank Holidays and more!**
• An additional day each year to celebrate something personal to you*
• Funded DBS Update Service
• Funded Blue Light Card Membership
• Access to digital GP 24/7 with on-demand counselling services
• Extensive Health and Wellbeing services through the SPARK APP
• Recognition and celebration for Long Service

*Subject to eligibility criteria **up to an additional four gifted days off during Christmas closedown or if the setting is open 52-weeks of the year, an additional four days to your annual leave entitlement, pro rata.

These roles are remote, so it’s essential to live within the geographical footprint of Happy Days Group, due to the expectation of regular travel within the group.

For a confidential conversation about these opportunities, please email: Daniella.gokcay@happydaysnurprises.com

Safeguarding commitment: Happy Days Nurseries are committed to the safety and wellbeing of the children in our care. All successful candidates will undergo the required vetting process.