Operations Manager

ODIN Childcare is recruiting an experienced Early Years Operations Manager to oversee a portfolio of nursery settings across the South. This is a senior, multi-site position offering responsibility for operational performance, quality, compliance, team development and commercial success across a geographically dispersed group of nurseries.

Please note: Recent experience managing multiple nursery or early years settings is essential. Applications from candidates whose experience is solely within one nursery setting cannot be considered for this position.

The role involves working closely with Nursery Managers and senior leadership to ensure that each setting delivers consistently high standards of education and care while operating safely, efficiently and sustainably. You will provide visible, practical leadership across your portfolio, supporting Nursery Managers to improve performance, address challenges and deliver agreed operational, quality and commercial objectives.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Providing operational leadership across multiple nursery settings.
• Leading, mentoring and developing Nursery Managers.
• Monitoring quality, compliance and safeguarding standards.
• Ensuring settings consistently meet EYFS, Ofsted and statutory requirements.
• Supporting nurseries to remain fully prepared for inspections.
• Driving occupancy, enquiry conversion and overall commercial performance.
• Monitoring budgets, staffing expenditure and financial sustainability.
• Reviewing staffing structures, deployment, recruitment and retention.
• Developing clear improvement plans for settings requiring additional support.
• Using performance data to identify trends, risks and opportunities.
• Improving consistency, accountability and operational standards across the portfolio.
• Supporting employee engagement, performance and professional development.
• Building productive relationships with families, stakeholders and external agencies.
• Supporting organisational projects and wider business initiatives.

Essential experience required includes:

• Recent and substantial multi-site management experience within nurseries or early years provision.
• Experience overseeing a sizeable portfolio of settings, ideally ten or more.
• A successful record of leading and developing Nursery Managers.
• Strong knowledge of the EYFS, Ofsted requirements, safeguarding and relevant statutory frameworks.
• Experience improving quality, occupancy, staffing and financial performance.
• The ability to manage performance across a wide geographical area.
• Strong analytical and reporting skills.
• Excellent communication, leadership and influencing abilities.
• A relevant early years qualification, with degree-level study preferred.
• A full UK driving licence and the flexibility to travel regularly.

This role involves weekly travel between nursery settings, attendance at the organisations Leicester headquarters when required and occasional overnight stays.

The successful candidate will receive:

• A salary of £50,190 per annum.
• An electric company car.
• 33 days annual leave, including public holidays and a Christmas closure.
• Childcare discounts.
• Employee Assistance Programme.
• Flexible working and travel support.
• Free on-site parking and shower facilities at the organisations headquarters.

This is an excellent opportunity for an established Area, Regional or Operations Manager who wants to influence the performance and development of a growing portfolio of early years settings. Applications without recent multi-site nursery or early years management experience will not be progressed.