Compass Associates
Nursery Manager
How your CV stacks up
Upload your CV to see how well it fits this job role
?%
Nursery Manager | Registered Manager
South London
Very competitive salary - £75,000 plus earning potential of up to £100,000
I’m working with a leading early years organisation on an exciting opportunity for an exceptional Nursery Manager / Registered Manager to take full ownership of a significant nursery setting in South London.
This is not a traditional Nursery Manager position.
With approximately 70 staff, this is a substantial leadership appointment for someone who wants genuine autonomy, the opportunity to shape culture and standards, and the platform to make a meaningful impact over the next 2–3 years.
The Opportunity
The setting is looking for a fresh approach and stronger leadership, with this appointment being viewed as an investment hire.
You will have full operational responsibility for the setting, leading a large team while driving improvements across:
- Leadership, culture, and team performance
- Quality of provision and educational standards
- Safeguarding and regulatory compliance
- Staff engagement, development, and retention
- Parent experience and relationships
- Financial and operational performance
- Continuous improvement across the nursery
Reasons to use Rodeo
Start with a chat, not a search bar
Grad scheme, placement, apprenticeship? Not sure what you want yet — that's fine. Your agent talks it through with you and turns "I have no idea" into a shortlist.
It searches the market for you
Every day your agent scans the market matching roles against what actually matters to you, not just keywords on a CV.
Only hits
No noise. No "maybe this fits." Just roles with a clear explanation of why they're right — and where to focus when applying.
You will be given the autonomy and support to genuinely make your mark.
What we're looking for:
We're looking for an experienced Nursery Leader who has the presence, commercial awareness, and leadership capability to run a large and complex setting.
You will ideally have:
- Previous experience leading a sizeable nursery or early years setting
- Experience as a Registered Manager / Nursery Manager
- A strong track record of leading and developing large teams
- Excellent knowledge of Ofsted, safeguarding, and regulatory requirements
- Evidence of improving quality, standards, and operational performance
- Strong commercial and financial understanding
- The confidence to challenge, influence, and drive change
- Ideally, experience across multiple Ofsted inspections, with at least one Outstanding inspection being highly desirable
Get help with your application
Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
Most importantly, we're looking for someone who sees this as more than simply managing a nursery - someone who wants to take ownership, build a high-performing team, and leave a lasting legacy within the setting.
Salary: Up to £100,000 for the right individual
The package will be dependent on experience and the calibre of the individual.
If you're an ambitious Nursery Manager, Senior Nursery Manager, Registered Manager, or Early Years Leader looking for a genuinely senior opportunity where you can make a significant impact, I'd be keen to speak with you.
Apply now or message me directly for a confidential conversation:
“It took my CV and asked me questions relevant to understanding what kind of jobs to suggest for me. Suggestions were almost perfect. Jobs were exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
Jessica, London
Skills
Location