Deputy Vice Chancellor Nurseries / Early Years

Role Overview

The Deputy Vice Chancellor – Nurseries / Early Years is a senior executive leadership role responsible for the strategic direction, operational oversight, and quality assurance of early years and nursery education. The role ensures excellence across education delivery, safeguarding, regulatory compliance, and organisational performance, while supporting long -term growth and innovation within the early years portfolio.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership and oversight for all nursery and early years operations
  

• Translate organisational vision into effective early years strategies, policies, and delivery plans
  

• Ensure the highest standards of early childhood education, care, and wellbeing
  

• Oversee compliance with all relevant regulatory, safeguarding, and quality assurance frameworks
  

• Lead and support senior leadership teams across nursery settings
  

• Monitor performance, quality indicators, and operational outcomes across the early years portfolio
  

• Drive continuous improvement, innovation, and best practice in early childhood education
  

• Build strong relationships with regulators, partners, and external stakeholders
  

• Represent the organisation in senior -level meetings, forums, and partnerships
  

• Support workforce development, leadership capability, and talent succession planning
  

Requirements

Qualifications & Experience

• Postgraduate qualification in Education, Early Childhood Studies, Educational Leadership, or a related field
  

• Significant senior leadership experience within early years, nursery education, or education systems
  

• Proven experience overseeing multiple sites or complex education operations
  

• Strong understanding of early years frameworks, safeguarding, and regulatory compliance
  

• Demonstrated experience in strategic planning, governance, and performance management
  

• Track record of leading large teams and senior leaders in education environments
  

• Experience working with regulators, inspection bodies, or accreditation frameworks
  

• Excellent communication, leadership, and stakeholder management skills
  

Skills & Competencies

• Strategic and systems -level thinking
  

• Executive leadership and decision -making capability
  

• Strong governance and risk management awareness
  

• Ability to lead change and continuous improvement
  

• High level of professionalism, integrity, and judgement
  

• Strong interpersonal and influencing skills
  

• Commitment to child -centred, inclusive, and high -quality early years provision
  

Preferred Experience

• Experience leading early years provision at regional, group, or network level
  

• Exposure to international or multicultural education environments
  

• Experience contributing to organisational growth or expansion initiatives
  

• Familiarity with inspection, accreditation, or quality rating frameworks