What if you could concentrate properly on preschool?
No baby-room sleep routines.
No trying to manage completely different developmental stages under one roof.
This Nursery Manager job in Andover is centred around a dedicated preschool provision for children aged three to five, giving the successful Manager the chance to focus heavily on high-quality early education, school readiness, team development and the overall experience children receive in those crucial final nursery years.
Tiny Tots Recruitment is looking for an experienced early years leader to take day-to-day ownership of a newly registered, well-resourced setting with an existing staffing structure already around them.
The foundations are already there
This isn't a role where you're being handed an empty building and told to somehow make it a nursery by Monday.
The setting was newly registered with Ofsted in October 2025, and the employer describes it as beautifully resourced, with an established team and clear staffing structure already in place.
What they need now is somebody who can take those foundations and lead the next stage.
You'll have responsibility for:
Day-to-day leadership of the preschool Leading, supporting and developing the staff team Maintaining consistently strong care and education Acting as Designated Safeguarding Lead Ensuring compliance with the EYFS and Ofsted requirements Supporting Room Leaders and practitioners Conducting supervisions and appraisals Identifying training and development needs Maintaining effective staffing and deployment Building strong partnerships with parents and carers Working with external professionals Monitoring children's learning and development Maintaining high standards across the nursery environment Developing the setting as occupancy and the team continue to grow
The employer is particularly clear that they want somebody who can hold staff accountable while still supporting and encouraging them.
That's a fairly good description of effective nursery management.
This isn't management from behind a closed door
You'll be the person the team looks to when decisions need making.
You'll need to understand what's happening in the rooms, know where standards are strong, recognise where somebody needs more support and spot problems before they become bigger ones.
You'll also act as the setting's Designated Safeguarding Lead, so strong safeguarding knowledge isn't simply desirable here. It's central to the role.
We're looking for somebody who can create a nursery culture where staff feel supported, but also know exactly what is expected of them.
Who could take this on?
You might already be a Nursery Manager looking for a fresh setting where you can have genuine influence.
Or you could be a particularly strong Deputy Manager who has built substantial leadership experience and is ready to take full responsibility.
You'll need:
A full and relevant Level 3 Early Years qualification or above Strong early years leadership experience Excellent EYFS knowledge Confident safeguarding knowledge The ability to lead and motivate a nursery team Experience supporting staff performance and development Strong organisational skills Confidence communicating with families and professionals The judgement to balance support with accountability
The employer's current management recruitment requires previous leadership experience rather than insisting that every applicant already holds the Nursery Manager title.
Why preschool leadership can be particularly rewarding
Three to five is a huge period of change.
You're overseeing children as they become increasingly independent, develop more complex friendships, strengthen their communication and start preparing for the move into school.
As Manager, you'll be responsible for making sure school readiness isn't reduced to worksheets and phonics activities.
It should also mean children becoming:
Confident.
Independent.
Curious.
Able to communicate their needs.
Ready to cope with a much bigger world.
That's the standard you'll be helping the team deliver.
The setting
The preschool is based at Church Close in central Andover and currently operates:
Monday to Friday 8:00am to 6:00pm
throughout the year, closing for bank holidays and Christmas.
It is part of an established local early years provider with another registered Andover setting, so although you'll have ownership of your own preschool, you aren't operating completely in isolation. Ofsted confirms both sites sit under the same registered provider.
What they're offering £42,500 to £50,000 per year Permanent, full-time position Leadership of a dedicated preschool setting Supportive senior leadership Ongoing professional development Free parking Well-resourced early years environment Established team structure Opportunity to shape a relatively new setting as it develops Genuine responsibility for staff development and quality improvement This is a role with something to build
Some Nursery Manager jobs are about inheriting a setting that's been run the same way for 15 years and making sure nothing changes.
This one feels different.
The preschool is new enough that its culture and direction are still being established, but developed enough that you aren't starting from zero.
For the right Manager, that's a pretty good place to come in.
If you're looking for a Nursery Manager job in Andover, Preschool Manager role in Hampshire or your first Nursery Manager opportunity after working as a strong Deputy Manager, we'd love to hear from you.
Apply today through Tiny Tots Recruitment for a confidential conversation about the opportunity.