kiku is a brand-new independent day nursery opening in Tupton, Chesterfield, and we're looking for our founding Nursery Manager.
This isn't an opportunity to step into an established nursery and simply continue what's already there. You'll help us build it.
Working closely with our directors, you'll play a leading role in recruiting our founding team, shaping our learning environments and bringing our curiosity-led, Reggio Emilia-inspired philosophy to life.
We're looking for someone who brings experience, creativity, fresh ideas and the confidence to challenge established ways of working.
At kiku, we listen, we ask and we learn. We believe that philosophy should apply to our team just as much as the children in our care.
Key Responsibilities
- Recruit, lead and develop kiku's founding early years team.
- Help shape our learning environments, curriculum and everyday nursery practice.
- Create a positive, ambitious and supportive staff culture.
- Maintain consistently high standards of early years education, safeguarding and EYFS compliance.
- Build meaningful relationships with children, parents and families.
- Oversee staffing, deployment, supervision, records and quality assurance.
- Support enrolment, occupancy and children's transitions.
- Work closely with the directors throughout Ofsted registration, opening and future inspections.
- Encourage reflective practice, fresh thinking and continuous improvement.
Required Skills & Qualifications
- A full and relevant Level 3 Early Years qualification or above.
- Strong experience working within an early years setting.
- Previous leadership or management experience, either as a Nursery Manager or Deputy Nursery Manager.
- Excellent knowledge of the EYFS statutory framework and safeguarding requirements.
- A sound understanding of child development from birth to five.
- Experience supporting, mentoring and developing early years practitioners.
- Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.
- Strong organisational and digital skills.
Nice to Have
- Knowledge or experience of Reggio Emilia-inspired practice.
- Experience helping establish or develop an early years setting.
- A creative, reflective approach to early years education.
- Confidence to question existing practices and suggest better ways of working.
- A genuine interest in building a nursery culture that supports children, families and colleagues.
- Experience with Reggio Emilia-inspired practice is welcomed but isn't essential. What matters most is being curious, adaptable and open to new ideas.
What We Offer
- £32,000–£34,000 per annum, depending on experience.
- 20 days' annual leave plus bank holidays, with equivalent time off provided where attendance is required for bank holiday staff development days.
- Your birthday off, giving you an additional day to celebrate however you choose.
- Wellbeing matters — a supportive working culture where colleagues feel valued, listened to and able to enjoy their work.
- Investing in you — opportunities for ongoing professional development, training and growth.
- The freedom to lead — work directly with our directors, with genuine autonomy and a meaningful voice in nursery decisions.
- The opportunity to build — join before opening and help recruit your team, prepare the environment and establish our culture.
- The opportunity to grow — as kiku develops beyond its first nursery, we want the people who helped build it to grow with us.
You’ll feel at home at kiku if...
- You enjoy creating things rather than simply maintaining them.
- You have ideas and want the opportunity to contribute them.
- You're comfortable asking why something is done a certain way — and suggesting something better.
- You care about creating exceptional experiences for children while recognising the importance of supporting their families.
- And you want your next role to feel like something you've genuinely helped build.
Safeguarding
kiku is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects everyone who works with us to share this commitment.
This role is subject to safer recruitment procedures, including an enhanced DBS check and appropriate pre-employment checks.
Safeguarding training is an essential part of every role at kiku.
