Role Overview:
Job Title: Operations Director
Location: London (or within a commutable distance, flexibility available for the right candidate in surrounding areas)
Contract: Full-Time, Permanent
Reports to: CEO
Salary: Competitive + Company car or car allowance + Performance Bonus
About Busy Bees
Busy Bees are a global leader in early years education. We’re a values-driven organisation built on care, quality, service and people. With over 1000 centres globally, and ambitious growth plans in the UK and Europe, there’s never been a more exciting time to join our leadership team.
We’re now looking for a proven senior operations leader to take on a pivotal role within our UK leadership team as Operations Director, with responsibility for driving performance across a large, high-profile region that includes our London centres.
About the role
As Operations Director, you will be accountable for the overall performance, quality, compliance, and leadership of multiple early years education centres. This is a strategic and delivery-focused role that will work closely with the CEO and wider UK and European leadership team to drive growth, performance and transformation across your region.
Role Responsibilities:
What you will do
* Lead and inspire a team of senior operational leaders across a portfolio of centres
* Ensure operational excellence, safeguarding, compliance, and high-quality education delivery
* Be accountable for regional P&L, budget delivery and resource optimisation
* Drive performance across occupancy, compliance, engagement and profitability
* Shape and implement initiatives across employee engagement, retention and talent development
* Scope and support the rollout of tech solutions, new processes and acquisition integrations
* Collaborate cross-functionally with HR, L&D, Finance, and IT to deliver best-in-class services
* Act as a change leader, embedding a culture of high performance, care, and continuous improvement
Who We're Looking For
We are looking for a high-performing individual who is either currently operating at this level or above but ready to progress into a more complex, fast-paced, and high-growth environment.
Someone highly commercial, people-focused, and operationally rigorous. You’ll be confident making decisions at pace, navigating complex stakeholder environments, and delivering measurable results across a large, dispersed, service-based organisation.
Required Qualifications:
Essential experience
* Substantial leadership experience at Operations Director/COO level
* Demonstrated success managing multi-site teams and senior direct reports
* Background in retail, healthcare, childcare or other regulated service environments
* Strong understanding of the London market including cost dynamics, workforce supply, and customer expectations
* Proven experience leading transformation and strategic initiatives
* Strong track record in budget ownership, financial performance, and KPI delivery
Key capabilities
* Exceptional leadership and coaching skills, you get the best from your people
* A commercial mind, with a strong grasp of cost, value and performance levers
* Data-driven decision making and proven experience using insights to drive change
* Excellent communicator, able to engage at every level from frontline teams to Board
* Strategic thinker with operational discipline and attention to detail
* Passion for early years education, safeguarding, and improving outcomes for children.
* Flexible approach to working hours, including travel across the UK and occasional European visits
If you're ready to bring your experience to a purpose-led, high-impact leadership role we want to hear from you!