Nursery Manager

• Portsmouth, UK
• Posted 21 hours ago
• Up to £34,000 GBP / Year
  
  

Happy Days Nurseries are seeking a Nursery Manager for our delightful Dolls House Day Nursery in the Cosham area of Portsmouth.

What You Will Be Doing –

As Nursery Manager, you’ll inspire futures—both for the children in our care and the incredible team you’ll be leading. You’ll be the heartbeat of the setting, using our unique “Where Children Shine” curriculum to deliver outstanding care and education. Your leadership will shape best practice, guide professional development, and ensure we’re always meeting and exceeding regulatory standards.

You’ll bring with you a strong background in the commercial aspects of nursery management, confidently handling everything from parent enquiries and nursery tours to budgeting, team rostering, and recruitment. You’ll be someone who leads with integrity and positivity—an empowering presence for colleagues and families alike. A track record of successful OFSTED inspections and deep familiarity with statutory frameworks are essential for this role.

At Happy Days, our SHINE values—Support, Honesty, Inspiration, Nurturing and Empowerment—are at the core of everything we do. You’ll live and breathe these values as you drive the nursery’s performance forward. Whether it’s planning effectively, managing day-to-day operations, mentoring new staff, or delivering exceptional service to parents and carers, you’ll approach every challenge with initiative, warmth, and a “can-do” spirit. A recognised Level 3 qualification in childcare is a must, alongside experience in managing team appraisals, inductions, and supervisions.

Your leadership will ensure every child thrives. Through our curriculum, you’ll observe, plan, and assess engaging learning opportunities, while also safeguarding their wellbeing with rigorously upheld health and safety practices. You’ll be confident navigating OFSTED inspections and regulatory visits, championing excellence at every turn.

You’ll also be a natural collaborator, valuing the perspectives and experiences of your team. Supporting colleagues with empathy, managing staff development, and coordinating with our Support Centre will be second nature. From recruitment and selection to day-to-day problem solving, you’ll help foster a culture where both children and staff shine.

Why work for Happy Days Nurseries?

In return, we offer a competitive salary of up to £34,000 per annum, along with a host of benefits designed to support your growth and wellbeing. These include continuous training and career progression opportunities, flexible working patterns, generous childcare discounts, and access to our Employee Assistance Programmes. Our management team is nurturing and supportive—we take immense pride in empowering our people.

Our teams, whether in our nurseries or our support centre SHINE, they ensure we are delivering outstanding childcare to every child in our settings every day, this helps to make Happy Days a great place to work. By ensuring we are always recruiting, retaining and promoting a diverse mix of colleagues, who are representative of the communities within which our nurseries sits gives us the best opportunity to continue to deliver outstanding childcare

“Happy Days Nurseries are committed to the safety and wellbeing of the children in our care, as such the successful post holder will be required to undergo a robust vetting process, including an enhanced DBS Check and Reference History Checks”

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