At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and inspire multiple nursery settings, ensuring high-quality education and care for children.
- Company: A growing early years education provider focused on nurturing and development.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, comprehensive benefits, and opportunities for career growth.
- Other info: Collaborative environment with a focus on operational excellence and community engagement.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in children's lives while shaping the future of early years education.
- Qualifications: Experience in early years education and strong leadership skills required.
The predicted salary is between 50000 - 60000 € per year.
A growing early years education provider is partnering with NET Recruit to appoint an Operations/General Manager on a permanent basis, overseeing multiple nursery settings across South East London. This well-established childcare organisation operates a network of high-quality early years settings, delivering safe, nurturing and development-focused environments for children. With a strong emphasis on emotional intelligence, creativity and exploration, the organisation works closely with families and local communities to support positive outcomes for every child.
With a clear focus on operational excellence, regulatory compliance and continuous improvement, the organisation invests heavily in leadership capability and performance management across its settings. The group is recognised for maintaining high standards of care, strong safeguarding practices and a consistent drive toward outstanding Ofsted outcomes.
Your Role and Responsibilities:
- Providing strategic and operational leadership across multiple nursery settings within the region
- Leading, coaching and developing Nursery Managers to drive accountability, performance and team effectiveness
- Driving operational excellence, ensuring consistency in service delivery, educational standards and safeguarding practices
- Overseeing staffing structures, recruitment, retention and performance management across the nursery portfolio
- Monitoring key performance indicators including occupancy, revenue, staffing ratios and cost control
- Conducting regular site visits, audits and performance reviews to identify risks and improvement opportunities
- Implementing and embedding operational processes, policies and best practices across all locations
- Ensuring full compliance with EYFS, Ofsted requirements and safeguarding regulations
- Acting as a Designated Safeguarding Lead and providing oversight on safeguarding matters and investigations
- Supporting nurseries to achieve and maintain strong Ofsted ratings
- Collaborating with senior leadership to analyse data, drive decision-making and deliver business improvements
- Leading the integration and operational setup of new nursery settings within the region
- Building strong stakeholder relationships with parents, teams and the wider community
- Representing the organisation in external meetings, inspections and sector engagements
What You Will Need To Apply:
- Significant experience in early years education, ideally within a multi-site, regional or senior leadership role
- Proven track record of managing operations across multiple locations or driving performance improvements at scale
- Degree educated, ideally in Early Years Education, Child Development, Education Leadership or a related discipline
- Strong working knowledge of EYFS, Ofsted frameworks and safeguarding requirements
- Demonstrated leadership capability with experience coaching and developing managers
- Strong commercial and operational awareness, including financial performance and resource management
- Excellent analytical skills with the ability to interpret data and translate insights into action
- Confident communicator with the ability to influence at all levels
- Designated Safeguarding Lead training and Paediatric First Aid (desirable)
- Full UK working rights and willingness to travel regularly across sites
What You Will Get In Return:
The successful candidate will receive a competitive salary and access to a comprehensive benefits package designed to support wellbeing, career development and professional growth. This organisation offers a collaborative and forward-thinking environment, with a strong emphasis on leadership development and operational excellence. You will have the opportunity to make a tangible impact across multiple settings, shaping performance, culture and outcomes within a growing, mission-driven organisation.
Operations/General Manager employer: NET Recruit
As a leading early years education provider in South East London, our organisation is dedicated to fostering a collaborative and innovative work culture that prioritises employee growth and wellbeing. We offer a competitive salary and a comprehensive benefits package, alongside ample opportunities for professional development and leadership training, allowing you to make a meaningful impact across multiple nursery settings while supporting the positive outcomes of children and families in our communities.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Operations/General Manager
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the early years education sector. Attend local events or webinars, and don’t be shy about introducing yourself. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the organisation thoroughly. Understand their values, mission, and recent achievements. This will not only help you answer questions but also show that you’re genuinely interested in being part of their team.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your leadership skills during interviews. Be ready to share specific examples of how you've driven performance improvements or managed teams effectively. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your responses.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive and engaged with our platform. Let’s get you that Operations/General Manager role!
We think you need these skills to ace Operations/General Manager
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experiences that match the Operations/General Manager role. Highlight your leadership experience in early years education and any multi-site management you've done. We want to see how you can bring operational excellence to our nurseries!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to tell us why you're passionate about early years education and how your background aligns with our mission. Be sure to mention specific achievements that demonstrate your ability to drive performance improvements.
Showcase Your Understanding of EYFS and Ofsted:We’re looking for someone who knows their stuff when it comes to EYFS and Ofsted requirements. In your application, make sure to mention your experience with these frameworks and how you've ensured compliance in previous roles. This will show us you’re ready to hit the ground running!
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you don’t miss out on any important updates. Plus, it shows us you’re keen to be part of our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at NET Recruit
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you’re well-versed in the EYFS and Ofsted frameworks. Brush up on the latest regulations and best practices in early years education, as this will show your commitment to operational excellence and safeguarding.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Prepare examples of how you've successfully led teams or improved performance in previous roles. Think about specific situations where you coached managers or implemented effective processes, as these will highlight your leadership capability.
✨Be Data Savvy
Familiarise yourself with key performance indicators relevant to nursery settings. Be ready to discuss how you’ve used data to drive decision-making and improve outcomes, as this is crucial for the role.
✨Engage with Stakeholders
Think about how you’ve built relationships with parents, teams, and the community in past roles. Be prepared to share your strategies for collaboration and communication, as this will demonstrate your ability to represent the organisation effectively.
