Area Manager – Montessori Childcare Nurseries
7 hours ago
Northwood
The Little Learners Montessori Job Type: Permanent, 30-40 hours TBD Salary: £45,000+ per year School type: Montessori Day nursery-Pre-School Work Location: Head Office based in Watford Company Overview The Little Learners Montessori is a family run business of four Montessori Nurseries across north-west London. We’re dedicated to nurturing and developing the early years sector, ensuring that the children within our settings receive the best possible start to life. We provide high quality early years education and care for children between the ages of 6 months to 5 years of age and believe fully in the ethos of Montessori education, as it offers an exceptional level of care and respect for young children. Summary We are seeking an Area Manager to join our management team. The Area Manager will oversee the operational excellence, compliance, and leadership of a group of Montessori nurseries. This role ensures that each setting upholds the highest standards of education, care, and Montessori practice while meeting regulatory and business performance goals. For this role, we are considering full-time and part-time candidates, from 30-40 hours per week. Key Responsibilities Operational Leadership: • Oversee day-to-day operations across 4 Montessori nurseries, ensuring smooth and compliant delivery of the EYFS and Montessori curriculum., • Conduct regular site visits, audits, and inspections to monitor quality, staffing, and compliance., • Support Nursery Managers with action plans following internal reviews, Ofsted inspections, and EQA or funding audits., • Line manage and mentor Nursery Managers, supporting leadership development and effective team performance., • Oversee recruitment and retention strategies in collaboration with HR., • Lead on performance management, including appraisals, supervision, and capability processes where needed., • Ensure all nurseries meet or exceed Ofsted and local authority standards., • Monitor health & safety, safeguarding, and statutory requirements, maintaining up-to-date records and reporting systems., • Liaise with external agencies, local authorities, and parents when required., • Work with the Directors and Finance team to monitor budgets, fee income, and expenditure across sites., • Contribute to setting occupancy and revenue targets and support managers in achieving them., • Attend termly Director meetings to provide operational updates, KPI reports, and improvement plans., • Cascade company communications effectively to all managers and staff., • Collaborate with Marketing, HR, and Training teams to support growth and development across the business. Person Specification Essential: • Minimum Level 3 Early Years qualification (Level 5+ desirable)., • Strong knowledge of the EYFS, Montessori principles, and Ofsted requirements., • Proven experience managing multiple settings or large teams within Early Years., • Excellent leadership, organisational, and people management skills., • Strong understanding of safeguarding and compliance., • Montessori Diploma or experience in a Montessori setting., • Experience working in a family-run or growing multi-site organisation., • Passionate about Montessori education and nurturing environments for children and staff., • Calm, solution-focused, and professional under pressure., • Able to balance care, compliance, and commercial thinking., • Committed to growth, collaboration, and long-term impact.