Deputy Director - First Steps Childcare Group
Chichester Nursery, with requirement to work and travel across the Group
£39,493 - £41,885 per annum
37 hours per week, 52 weeks per year
First Steps Childcare Group (FSCG) is seeking an experienced and inspirational Deputy Director to support the operational leadership and strategic development of our nurseries.
Working closely with the Director, you will oversee the day-to-day operational running of all FSCG settings and provide effective leadership and support to Nursery Managers. You will play a key role in ensuring consistently high-quality early years provision, strong safeguarding practice, regulatory compliance, and a culture of continuous improvement across the Group.
This is a senior leadership role suited to someone with strong early years expertise, proven managerial experience, and confidence supporting settings through inspection and ongoing development.
First Steps Childcare has nurseries in several locations across West Sussex and offers childcare options right from birth through to children ready to start school. The settings are open 51 weeks of the year, with core opening hours of 7.30am to 6.00pm, closed only for Bank Holidays and the period between Christmas and New Year. For further information please visit firststepschildcare.co.uk
Our Deputy Director will have:
1. Previous nursery managerial experience
2. Experience of coaching and mentoring staff
3. Experience working with external professionals, stakeholders & regulators
4. Experience as a Designated Safeguarding Lead
5. Detailed knowledge of the EYFS Statutory Framework and Ofsted EIF/Toolkit
6. Strong understanding of safeguarding, SEND processes, and early years pedagogy
7. Level 3 qualification or above in Early Years Care and Education
Our Staff Benefits:
We have a fantastic range of staff benefits, highly competitive against what is offered by the private sector and other organisations, including:
8. Competitive annual leave scheme plus bank holidays and closure days over the Christmas period which are not deducted from annual leave entitlement.
9. Significant discount at First Steps Childcare nurseries.
10. Other Discount schemes - including discounts on shopping, restaurants, travel and onsite facilities.
11. Family friendly policies - including enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption leave (dependant on continuous service).
12. Continuous professional development opportunities.
13. And much more - check out the Staff Benefits booklet attached to this advert for more information about our fantastic range of benefits available to staff.