Deputy Nursery Manager, Danbury & Bicknacre dual sites

We will ONLY CONSIDER APPLICATIONS THROUGH OUR ONLINE APPLICATION FORM for this role: 

“Everything is possible, even the impossible.” Mary Poppins

Experienced, motivated, highly organised person needed to support and inspire our semi-rural 'little nursery' at the heart of Bicknacre community and our co-located setting for pre-schoolers in the Old School House - Jesters Nursery School Danbury.

You will provide outstanding childcare, education, safeguarding and wellbeing, and act as a role model to elevate our hybrid teaching practice across the service. Promoting Jesters ethos of Curiosity, Hygge, Loose Parts, Forest Led and Monterssori inspired play and learning and delivering our exceptional School Readiness programme.

Minimum Level 3 childcare qualification and management experience required.

‘Here at Jesters we strive to offer the very best service, to be an exemplar place of learning through play, the ‘go to place’ for exceptional childcare. Therefore we only recruit people who excite us, have passion and stamina.’ Alison Doherty, Jesters Managing Director

We are an aspirational childcare service, ‘building futures’ not only for every child in our care, but for our dedicated employees too...

We offer a range of attractive incentives including:

• Flexible working
• Compressed hours
• Shift swaps
• 50% childcare discount from start date
• Management pathways to further your career - salary uplift on successful completion
• Apprenticeship opportunities - salary uplift on successful completion
• Upskilling, training & mentoring
• Good attendance rewards
• Strong staff retention rate
• Referral incentive of £250 (terms and conditions apply).
• Social events - Christmas party
• Bathroom care items
• Surprise treats
• Staff room snacks and treats
• Occupational Health support
• Warm, encouraging, supportive 'Jesters Family' environment

Job Overview

The role of the Deputy Manager is to provide outstanding childcare, education and wellbeing at Jesters settings. Effectively the role is to help to manage the day to day running of Jesters from an operational and childcare perspective and to act as a role model to elevate teaching practice across the service. They lead and inspire to achieve the highest standards of wellbeing, practice and education which promotes Jesters ethos; Curiosity, Hygge, Forest School Led and Monterssori inspired learning practices and delivers excellent outcomes against the 5 Jesters strategic priorities.

The Deputy Manager plays a key operational role supporting the Nursery Manager and will be responsible for all aspects of delivery while deputising in their absence.

Key accountabilities

• Support the Nursery Manager to ensure the setting delivers outstanding and inspirational childcare and education; to lead and grow the service towards best practice.
• Ensure that safeguarding is at the forefront of all working practices.
• Maintain exemplary parental engagement ensuring partnership with families is professional at all times.
• Ensure high standards of H&S, hygiene and infection control measures are actively maintained across the board.
• Maintain efficient, effective information governance to ensure compliance with legal, regulatory obligations including GDPR.
• Mentor and coach the team to realise their full potential and feel supported in their roles. To enable the team to deliver high standards of childcare and education in order that Jesters Vision, Ethos and Values are always promoted.
• Meet statutory obligations for Learning, Development and Wellbeing.
• Foster a performance management culture to deliver agreed KPIs.
• Support in sharing information on current trends and changes in the Early Years and Playwork sectors and recommend new learning paths and potential changes to policies and protocols.
• Be an advocate and champion for Jesters.
• Deliver childcare and education that supports equality and diversity.

“There’s nowhere to go but up.” Mary Poppins

Careers soar at Jesters – spread your wings today!