Head of Quality & Safeguarding - Nursery & Early Years Group
£55-60k (experience dependent) + car allowance
Location: Field-based from Bracknell, Berkshire, with regular travel across UK-wide nursery and crèche settings
Our client is a growing group of UK-wide nurseries and crèche settings, with a head office based in Bracknell, with one clear purpose: giving every child an outstanding start in life. As they continue to expand, they're looking for an experienced quality and safeguarding leader to join the senior leadership team as Head of Quality & Safeguarding, reporting directly into the CEO.
This isn't a desk-based compliance role. You'll be out in settings regularly, working alongside Nursery Managers and operational teams, spotting risks early, coaching people to be their best, and building the kind of trust that makes real improvement possible. It's a genuinely senior seat at the table, sitting independently from Operations so you can provide honest, objective assurance to the Board, while also representing the organisation externally with Ofsted, safeguarding partnerships and local authority contacts.
On offer is a salary of £55-60k plus car allowance, a true senior leadership role shaping a function from the ground up, and a values-led team who care deeply about doing right by children and families.
Working pattern: Field-based across settings, with regular time spent at the central support office in Bracknell, and the flexibility this kind of multi-site leadership role demands.
Key responsibilities:
- Safeguarding leadership: Own group-wide safeguarding oversight, manage concerns, and build a culture where safeguarding is everyone's priority and responsibility.
- Quality assurance: Develop and deliver a quality audit framework, lead mock Ofsted inspections, and play a central role in regular post-opening reviews for new settings.
- EYFS, curriculum, and SEND oversight: Work alongside the Operations Director to assure EYFS practice, curriculum implementation, and SEND provision across all settings.
- Board reporting: Report to the CEO, SLT and Board with clear, independent insight on quality, safeguarding, and emerging risk, backed by strong analysis of trends and risk across the Group.
- Coaching and challenge: Be a visible, credible presence for Nursery Managers, offering honest advice, practical support, and real challenge when it's needed.
About you:
- Experienced: Significant background in quality assurance, safeguarding leadership, or regulatory compliance within early years or childcare, ideally across a multi-site organisation.
- Knowledgeable: A thorough and current understanding of the EYFS, Ofsted inspection frameworks, safeguarding legislation, and SEND requirements.
- Credible: Comfortable providing independent challenge to operational leaders while maintaining strong, collaborative relationships.
- A confident communicator: Able to report to the Board one day and inspire a room full of nursery practitioners the next.
- Values-driven: A genuine commitment to outstanding outcomes for children, every single day.
- Great to have: DSL experience is a real plus, though not essential.
What's in it for you:
- A senior leadership role reporting directly to the CEO.
- The rare chance to build a quality and safeguarding function from the ground up in a growing organisation.
- Car allowance.
- 25 days holiday including bank holidays.
Your recruiter for this role is Steve Brennan, Recruitment Director at Love Childcare Recruitment, and can be contacted simply by applying for the role below.
Steve and Love Childcare Recruitment specialise in recruitment across the childcare and early years sector, including nurseries, wraparound care, and children's activity providers. If you're keen to be considered, please 'Apply Now'.