Deputy Nursery Manager / Assistant Nursery Manager

Locations: Lewisham, Vauxhall, Tooting and Balham
Hours: Full-time, 40 hours per week
Shifts: Between 8:00 am and 6:00 pm, including 8:00 am–6:00 pm or 9:00 am–6:00 pm depending on the nursery
Salary: Competitive and dependent on location and experience

Are you an experienced Deputy Nursery Manager, Assistant Nursery Manager, Senior Room Leader or Early Years Manager ready for greater responsibility?

Perhaps you are already working as a Deputy Nursery Manager and want a more supportive environment, a more convenient location or clearer progression. You may also be an experienced Room Leader who is ready to step beyond leading one room and begin supporting the whole nursery.

This is a visible, hands-on leadership position. You will work alongside the Nursery Manager to keep the setting safe, organised and well led while ensuring Room Leaders and practitioners receive clear direction and practical support.

You should be comfortable moving between the nursery floor and operational responsibilities. One moment you may be supporting a Room Leader with staff deployment; the next, you may be speaking with a parent, checking compliance records, arranging room cover or leading the nursery in the Manager’s absence.

The impact you will make

As Deputy Nursery Manager, you will:

• Help create a positive nursery culture where staff feel supported and accountable
• Ensure Room Leaders understand their responsibilities and maintain high standards
• Identify gaps in practice and work with staff to make sustainable improvements
• Support consistent safeguarding, EYFS and health and safety practice across every room
• Help the nursery operate calmly during staff absence, changing ratios and busy periods
• Build strong relationships with children, families and the wider staff team
• Provide stable leadership when the Nursery Manager is unavailable

Supporting the Nursery Manager

Leading Room Leaders and practitioners

You will not simply tell staff what needs to improve. You will help them understand what strong practice looks like and how to achieve it.

Safeguarding and compliance

You will help ensure that safeguarding is understood as part of daily nursery practice rather than simply a policy.

Working with children and families

Although this is a management position, you will remain connected to daily nursery life.

What we are looking for

You should have:

• A recognised Level 3 or higher Early Years qualification
• Strong experience working within a nursery or Early Years setting
• Previous Deputy Nursery Manager, Assistant Nursery Manager, Room Leader or senior leadership experience
• A confident understanding of the EYFS and safeguarding
• Experience supporting or supervising nursery staff
• The ability to organise staff deployment and maintain ratio coverage
• Confidence having professional conversations about performance and standards
• A calm and practical approach to solving problems
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• The ability to balance operational responsibilities with being visible on the nursery floor

Previous experience as a Designated Safeguarding Lead or Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead would be beneficial, but training may be available.

The type of leader who will succeed

This role would suit someone who:

• Leads by example
• Remains calm when plans change
• Supports staff without avoiding difficult conversations
• Notices small issues before they become larger problems
• Communicates clearly with parents, Room Leaders and senior management
• Can make decisions while knowing when an issue must be escalated
• Wants to progress towards becoming a Nursery Manager

Why apply through Tendly?

We will discuss the nursery culture, management structure, salary, location and progression you want before introducing you to a setting.

Deputy Nursery Manager and Assistant Nursery Manager opportunities are available across Lewisham, Vauxhall, Tooting and Balham.

Apply today to discuss your next Deputy Nursery Manager, Assistant Nursery Manager, Senior Room Leader or Early Years Management opportunity

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