Nursery Manager

Job summary

About Us

At The Old Forge Day Nursery, we believe in more than just early education — we believe in shaping futures. Our settings are warm, vibrant, and filled with compassion, purpose, and play. We’re proud of our nurturing, inclusive environment and are now looking for a passionate, experienced Nursery Manager to lead our flagship 100-place setting.

The Old Forge Day Nursery is part of the DEN Nursery Group. At The DEN, we’ve spent decades building an approach that allows the children and staff in all our nurseries to thrive.

With our unique approach to staff development, a completely bespoke learning curriculum and a commitment to physical and mental health, our nurseries are full of smiles, laughter, learning and play!

We are looking for a Nursery Manager who lives and breathes our values, and is ready to shape the lives of children, families, and our team.

?? You’ll thrive with us if you:

• Love Loudly - Every cuddle, every giggle, every scraped knee kissed better - love is at the root of everything we do. We don’t just care, we nurture with passion, building the deep bonds little hearts need to flourish.
• Protect their world- Tiny hands need big protection - from safeguarding to clean play spaces, we defend childhood like it’s sacred.
• Champion every child - No one-size-fits-all. No favourites. Just the fierce belief that every child matters. Whether shy, spirited, or still finding their voice — we see them, we hear them, we lift them.
• Ignite wonder - We chase butterflies, ask wild questions, and make mud pies magical. Curiosity isn’t just encouraged — it’s celebrated. We build explorers, not followers.
• Grow with families - Parents aren’t drop-offs — they’re partners. We listen, we share, we team up. Together, we create something bigger than childcare — we build a village.
• Celebrate the spark - Every child has their own rhythm. We dance to it. From first steps to fearless leaps, we honour their journey, not the timetable.
• Stay wild, stay kind - Nature teaches. Play teaches. Mistakes teach. We raise children who are resilient, joyful, and kind to their world — and each other.
• Be magic makers - We don’t just supervise — we story-tell, sing too loud, and believe in unicorns. Our staff are more than educators — they’re the memory makers of childhood.

About the Role

As our Nursery Manager, you’ll:

• Lead and inspire a large, experienced team with warmth and confidence
• Champion safeguarding, wellbeing, and high-quality early years practice
• Build strong, positive relationships with families and the local community
• Oversee day-to-day operations, compliance, budgets, funding and staff development
• Drive excellence through reflective practice, quality improvement, and team engagement

What You’ll Bring

• Level 3 or above in Early Years (or equivalent)
• Minimum 2 years' experience in a management or leadership role
• Strong understanding of EYFS, Ofsted requirements, and safeguarding standards
• Confident, people-first leadership with a genuine love for early childhood education
• Ability to create a culture where children and staff thrive

As a nursery we are very committed to child and staff wellbeing and we offer an extensive wellbeing program including a wellbeing app. We regularly reward our team with appreciation days, and offer a wealth of staff benefits which include:

• FREE Health club membership
• Your birthday off - we love birthdays and think you should have the day off to celebrate!
• 34 days holiday - Including Christmas closure for well deserved rest and family time
• Increasing holidays up to 5 extra days with long service
• In-house training and development

If you are ready to take the next step in your career and lead a dedicated team at The Old Forge Day Nursery, we would love to hear from you!

Come and work for a nursery that’s different!