Happy Days Nurseries & Pre-Schools
Early Years Operations Manager & Area Manager
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Area Manager - Happy Days Nurseries
Lead. Inspire. Shape the future of early years.
Are you an experienced multi-site leader looking for an opportunity to make a genuine impact?
Due to continued growth, we’re excited to introduce a newly created Area Manager position within Happy Days Nurseries. This is a unique opportunity to help shape the role, influence operational excellence and play a key part in the next stage of our growth.
You’ll work alongside an experienced Operations Manager and a supportive Operations Team, providing leadership across a portfolio of nurseries. This isn’t simply about maintaining standards. It’s about developing exceptional leaders, driving continuous improvement and ensuring every child receives the very best start in life.
If you’re passionate about developing people, improving quality and creating high-performing teams, we’d love to hear from you.
Why join Happy Days?
At Happy Days Nurseries, we believe that great nurseries start with great leaders. As one of our Area Managers, you’ll have the autonomy to make decisions, the support to develop professionally and the opportunity to influence how we continue to grow.
We offer:
- A newly created role with the opportunity to shape how it evolves.
- A supportive, collaborative Operations Leadership Team.
- Coaching and mentoring from experienced Operations Manager.
- Genuine autonomy to lead your region.
- Ongoing professional development and leadership opportunities.
- A values-led organisation where children, families and colleagues are at the heart of every decision.
- The opportunity to influence quality, culture and operational excellence across multiple settings.
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What you’ll bring
You’ll be an experienced operational leader who enjoys developing people and building high-performing teams.
You’ll have:
- Experience managing multiple nursery settings or similar multi-site operations.
- A strong understanding of EYFS, safeguarding and Ofsted requirements.
- Commercial awareness, including occupancy, budgets and workforce planning.
- Excellent coaching and people leadership skills.
- Confidence influencing and building relationships with a range of stakeholders.
- A collaborative, positive and solutions-focused approach.
- The ability to balance operational priorities while maintaining exceptional quality.
We're building a workplace where our colleagues thrive
We offer a range of meaningful benefits designed to support your wellbeing, professional growth, and work-life balance. Our benefits aren’t just perks, they’re part of a culture that puts people first and we continue to build our range of benefits designed to support health, wellbeing and satisfaction of our workforce. Some of these include:
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- Competitive annual salary
- Pension & Life Assurance*
- In addition to 25 days Annual Leave plus Bank Holidays and more!**
- An additional day each year to celebrate something personal to you*
- Funded DBS Update Service
- Funded Blue Light Card Membership
- Access to digital GP 24/7 with on-demand counselling services
- Extensive Health and Wellbeing services through the SPARK APP
- Recognition and celebration for Long Service
*Subject to eligibility criteria
***up to an additional four gifted days off during Christmas closedown or if the setting is open 52-weeks of the year, an additional four days to your annual leave entitlement, pro rata
These roles are remote, so it’s essential to live within the geographical footprint of Happy Days Group, due to the expectation of regular travel within group.
For a confidential conversation about these opportunities, please email: Daniella.gokcay@happydaysnurseries.com
Safeguarding commitment:
Happy Days Nurseries are committed to the safety and wellbeing of the children in our care. All successful candidates will undergo the required vetting process.
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