The Operations Excellence Manager is a strategic, practice-focused leadership role responsible for driving high standards of education, care, and operational effectiveness within the nursery.
This role sits above the Nursery Manager and Deputy Manager, providing leadership, oversight, and accountability across all areas of practice.
The postholder will focus on strengthening leadership capacity, improving quality of provision, and ensuring consistent delivery against organisational expectations.
A key aspect of the role is to work alongside teams in practice, coaching, mentoring, and
modelling excellence to secure continuous improvement.
This role sits above the Nursery Manager and Deputy Manager, providing leadership, oversight, and accountability across all areas of practice.
The postholder will focus on strengthening leadership capacity, improving quality of provision, and ensuring consistent delivery against organisational expectations.
A key aspect of the role is to work alongside teams in practice, coaching, mentoring, and
modelling excellence to secure continuous improvement.
Key Responsibilities
1. Leadership & Oversight
Provide strategic leadership across the nursery, ensuring high standards in both quality of education and operational practice
Support the Nursery Manager (and indirectly the Deputy Manager), holding them accountable for performance
Ensure clear structures, expectations, and accountability across the management team
Maintain oversight of staffing, ratios, routines, and daily operations without directly managing these on a day-to-day basis
2. Quality of Education & Practice
Drive high-quality teaching and learning in line with the EYFS and organisational curriculum framework
Be highly visible in practice, regularly working across rooms to observe, support, and enhance provision
Model outstanding interactions, including sustained shared thinking, language development, and effective teaching strategies
Ensure environments are enabling, engaging, and reflective of children’s interests and developmental needs
Monitor and improve outcomes for children through consistent evaluation of practice
3. Coaching, Mentoring & Workforce Development
Coach and mentor the Nursery Manager and Deputy Manager to strengthen leadership capability
Provide in-the-moment coaching to practitioners, improving practice through realtime feedback
Identify training needs and work closely with the central training function to address gaps
Support a culture of reflective practice, professional curiosity, and continuous improvement
4. Performance & Improvement
Lead on nursery improvement planning, ensuring clear targets are set, monitored, and achieved
Track progress against quality audits, internal reviews, and inspection readiness
Analyse strengths and areas for development, implementing targeted actions to drive improvement
Ensure consistency in standards across all rooms and age groups
5. Operational Excellence
Maintain oversight of operational effectiveness including staffing structures,
occupancy, compliance, and customer experience
Work in partnership with the Nursery Manager to ensure smooth and efficient day-today operations
Intervene at a strategic level where improvements are required, without taking over operational responsibilities
6. Inspection Readiness & Compliance
Ensure the nursery is consistently inspection-ready, with strong practice embedded across all areas
Monitor compliance with statutory requirements, safeguarding, and company policies
Support the management team in confidently articulating practice and impact
7. Wider Organisational Contribution & Progression
Contribute to group-wide quality improvement initiatives
Support the induction and development of new managers across the organisation (as the role evolves)
Share best practice and contribute to training, coaching, and leadership development programmes
Gradually extend impact beyond the base nursery, supporting other settings as required
Provide strategic leadership across the nursery, ensuring high standards in both quality of education and operational practice
Support the Nursery Manager (and indirectly the Deputy Manager), holding them accountable for performance
Ensure clear structures, expectations, and accountability across the management team
Maintain oversight of staffing, ratios, routines, and daily operations without directly managing these on a day-to-day basis
2. Quality of Education & Practice
Drive high-quality teaching and learning in line with the EYFS and organisational curriculum framework
Be highly visible in practice, regularly working across rooms to observe, support, and enhance provision
Model outstanding interactions, including sustained shared thinking, language development, and effective teaching strategies
Ensure environments are enabling, engaging, and reflective of children’s interests and developmental needs
Monitor and improve outcomes for children through consistent evaluation of practice
3. Coaching, Mentoring & Workforce Development
Coach and mentor the Nursery Manager and Deputy Manager to strengthen leadership capability
Provide in-the-moment coaching to practitioners, improving practice through realtime feedback
Identify training needs and work closely with the central training function to address gaps
Support a culture of reflective practice, professional curiosity, and continuous improvement
4. Performance & Improvement
Lead on nursery improvement planning, ensuring clear targets are set, monitored, and achieved
Track progress against quality audits, internal reviews, and inspection readiness
Analyse strengths and areas for development, implementing targeted actions to drive improvement
Ensure consistency in standards across all rooms and age groups
5. Operational Excellence
Maintain oversight of operational effectiveness including staffing structures,
occupancy, compliance, and customer experience
Work in partnership with the Nursery Manager to ensure smooth and efficient day-today operations
Intervene at a strategic level where improvements are required, without taking over operational responsibilities
6. Inspection Readiness & Compliance
Ensure the nursery is consistently inspection-ready, with strong practice embedded across all areas
Monitor compliance with statutory requirements, safeguarding, and company policies
Support the management team in confidently articulating practice and impact
7. Wider Organisational Contribution & Progression
Contribute to group-wide quality improvement initiatives
Support the induction and development of new managers across the organisation (as the role evolves)
Share best practice and contribute to training, coaching, and leadership development programmes
Gradually extend impact beyond the base nursery, supporting other settings as required
Person Specification
Essential
Degree in Early Years Education or relevant equivalent
Significant experience in a leadership role within early years (e.g. Nursery Manager or equivalent)
Strong understanding of the EYFS, Ofsted expectations, and quality of education
Proven ability to improve practice and lead teams to higher standards
Experience in coaching, mentoring, and developing others
Excellent observational and analytical skills
Strong leadership presence with the ability to influence and challenge appropriately
Desirable
Experience supporting multiple settings or working at a group/quality level
Experience in training delivery or workforce development
Key Behaviours
Visible, hands-on leader who leads through practice
High expectations with a supportive, developmental approach
Solutions-focused and improvement-driven
Strong communicator with the ability to build trust and credibility
Resilient and confident in holding others to account
Progression Pathway
This role is designed as a senior leadership position with progression into a wider group role.
Over time, the postholder will:
Support additional nurseries
Lead on manager induction and development
Contribute to organisation-wide quality and training strateg
Degree in Early Years Education or relevant equivalent
Significant experience in a leadership role within early years (e.g. Nursery Manager or equivalent)
Strong understanding of the EYFS, Ofsted expectations, and quality of education
Proven ability to improve practice and lead teams to higher standards
Experience in coaching, mentoring, and developing others
Excellent observational and analytical skills
Strong leadership presence with the ability to influence and challenge appropriately
Desirable
Experience supporting multiple settings or working at a group/quality level
Experience in training delivery or workforce development
Key Behaviours
Visible, hands-on leader who leads through practice
High expectations with a supportive, developmental approach
Solutions-focused and improvement-driven
Strong communicator with the ability to build trust and credibility
Resilient and confident in holding others to account
Progression Pathway
This role is designed as a senior leadership position with progression into a wider group role.
Over time, the postholder will:
Support additional nurseries
Lead on manager induction and development
Contribute to organisation-wide quality and training strateg
