Early Years Team Manager

Are you a confident and compassionate leader with a deep understanding of early years education? Do you thrive in a collaborative, values‑led environment where kindness, care, and excellence are at the heart of everything? Loughborough University Nursery are looking for an Early Years Team Manager to lead and inspire a team of dedicated early years professionals. This is a unique opportunity to shape practice, support professional growth and contribute to a sector‑leading nursery that celebrates every child and values every voice.

This is a full‑time position working 37.5 hours per week. Rate of pay: £29,105 per annum.

Benefits:

• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays
• Paid leave day for your birthday
• Discounted nursery fees
• Free access to our on‑campus gym and pool facilities at Burleigh Springs
• Free car parking
• Free meal & enrolment into company pension scheme

Responsibilities:

• Lead and manage a team of Early Years Educators and Foundation Practitioners, monitoring and maintaining operational functions including safeguarding, health and safety, and daily routines.
• Champion high‑quality curriculum delivery and collaborate with the Early Years Teacher to evaluate impact.
• Model expert knowledge of early years pedagogy and ensure consistent implementation of the EYFS framework.
• Build strong relationships with children, families, and colleagues, promoting a culture of kindness and inclusion.
• Coach, mentor and supervise team members to support their professional development.
• Contribute to team recruitment, induction, and performance reviews.
• Lead a specific area of responsibility or specialism, driving continuous improvement.

Qualifications & Experience:

We are looking for a confident leader with strong communication and decision‑making skills, who can mentor others, lead with emotional intelligence, and foster a culture of growth. You must have significant experience in early years education, and be skilled in EYFS, safeguarding, and inclusive practice. Together with your Level 3 qualification in Early Years or equivalent, you will have proven experience in leading teams and managing nursery operations.

You will be supported in your role and work alongside a passionate team in a well‑resourced nursery that values your expertise and ideas. Successful appointment is subject to satisfactory references and enhanced DBS check.

About Us:

Recently rated outstanding by OFSTED in all aspects, our vision is simple…to build a world class nursery that consistently delivers fabulous learning, play and fun. At Loughborough University Nursery, we bring families and children together – to create a place where children love to be. We deliver an exemplary service that respects and honours the needs of every child, celebrates their contribution, and builds on our key values of care, education, and play.

Our 100‑place nursery is found in the heart of campus providing education and care to the children of university employees, students, and the local community. We are a diverse and vibrant community recognised for our excellence in inclusion, teaching, and learning.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our children and expect our employees to share this commitment. We are part of the Imago Venues family, and we contribute to making Imago Venues a fabulous place to work. We care about our people and we’re kind to each other. We’re ambitious, ethical, sustainable and, most importantly, we’re accountable.

We take workplace engagement seriously and are proud to have been awarded the Best Companies accreditation as very good to work for 2025. If you would like to come and meet the team and look around the nursery, please contact us at.

Come and join our team and be part of an outstanding university nursery with a reputation for excellence and lead meaningful change. To find out more about the role and apply for the position please log onto the Imago Venues website.