Five days or four longer days?
That's one of the first decisions you can make with this role.
Tiny Tots Recruitment is recruiting an experienced Deputy Nursery Manager in South Croydon for an established independent nursery.
The employer currently offers two full-time working patterns:
Option 1 45 hours across Monday to Friday, rotating between 7:15am to 5pm and 9am to 6:45pm.
Option 2 42 hours compressed into four days per week, working 7:15am to 6:45pm.
And the salary?
£35,100 per year.
No "up to". No market estimate. That's the salary the nursery itself is currently advertising.
This is a hands-on Deputy role
If you're hoping to spend the whole week behind an office door, it probably isn't the right job.
The current position is room based, so you'll be part of everyday nursery life while also supporting the Manager with the wider running of the setting.
Think of the role as the bridge between management and the rooms.
You'll be helping to:
Support the Nursery Manager with day-to-day operations Take additional responsibility when the Manager is unavailable Lead and support practitioners within the rooms Maintain strong standards across the EYFS Make sure safeguarding remains everyone's responsibility Support staff performance, development and confidence Keep staffing and deployment working effectively Monitor children's experiences across the nursery Support planning, observations and assessment Build positive relationships with parents and carers Help maintain consistency between different age groups Challenge weak practice constructively Support policies, procedures and regulatory requirements Help the nursery continue improving rather than simply maintaining standards You need to have done this before
The employer is specifically looking for somebody with previous Deputy Manager experience and a Level 3 Childcare qualification or above.
So this isn't really a first leadership step.
It is much better suited to somebody who already understands what it feels like when three things need solving at once, a member of staff has called in sick and a parent wants to speak to management at the door.
You'll need to be organised without becoming rigid, supportive without avoiding difficult conversations, and confident enough to lead when the Manager isn't there.
What's the nursery actually like?
The South Croydon setting cares for children from six weeks to four years and operates from a detached building arranged across two floors.
The youngest children have two dedicated rooms with direct access to their own separate baby garden.
Older children have access to creative provision including paint, playdough, drawing, sand and water, alongside a dedicated Maths and Science area where they can investigate and experiment with different resources.
The nursery relocated to its larger South Croydon premises in 2014, although the organisation itself has roots going back to 1991.
So you're joining an established setting, not somewhere still figuring out the basics.
And the benefits are actually published
The current employer package includes:
£35,100 per year Choice of a five-day or four-day full-time working pattern Your birthday off One additional day's annual leave for every completed year of service, up to eight years £25 birthday bonus £125 anniversary bonus £250 anniversary bonus at every five-year milestone Monthly attendance bonuses where qualifying criteria are met Employee discount Free flu vaccinations Health and wellbeing programme Training and CPD opportunities
That annual-leave arrangement is particularly worth noticing.
Someone who stays with the nursery can gradually build up to eight additional days of annual leave, on top of having their birthday off.
There's a clear retention angle to the package rather than everything being focused on getting somebody through the door.
Could this be your next move?
This would make particular sense if you're already a Deputy Manager but want:
More flexibility in your working week. That four-day option is unusual at management level.
A role that keeps you connected to practice. You're still room based rather than disappearing completely into administration.
An independent nursery rather than a huge national chain.
A package that increasingly rewards you for staying.
If you're looking for a Deputy Nursery Manager job in South Croydon, nursery management role in CR2 or early years leadership opportunity near Purley and Croydon, we'd love to hear from you.
Apply today through Tiny Tots Recruitment for a confidential conversation about the opportunity.