Managing Director

Location: London — working across Wembley, Kilburn and Hackney

FTE: 3 Days a week

Salary: £50k FTE (£30k for 3 days, pro rata)

Reporting to: Board

About Parents & Co

Because it takes a village.

At Parents & Co, we're putting the village back into family life by transforming primary schools into welcoming spaces where families can connect, play and access childcare.

We're building a new model of family support: local, affordable and rooted in the communities we serve. From parent-and-child classes to nature-based childcare, we bring community, classes and childcare together in one familiar place, within pram-pushing distance.

We're now piloting this model across two London primary schools, with ambitions to bring it to many more neighbourhoods.

The opportunity

We're looking for an exceptional, hands-on leader to take ownership of our pilot programme and help turn an ambitious idea into a thriving, sustainable model.

This is a rare opportunity to help build something from the ground up.

You'll oversee our two pilot villages, support the people delivering our services, strengthen relationships with schools and families, and ensure our operations run smoothly.

You'll work closely with our Board, but will have the independence and authority to lead day-to-day delivery, make decisions and solve problems.

We're a small, mission-led organisation, so this isn't a role for someone who only wants to manage from behind a desk. You'll be equally comfortable building a financial forecast, supporting a team member, meeting a headteacher or welcoming families into a session.

What you'll be responsible for

1. Leading our pilot programme

• Take overall responsibility for the successful delivery of our pilots in Wembley and Kilburn.
• Develop and manage clear operational plans, priorities and milestones for each site.
• Coordinate launches, childcare provision, classes and community activities.
• Identify challenges early, make decisions and keep delivery moving.
• Develop practical systems and processes that can be replicated as Parents & Co grows.

1. Leading and supporting our people

• Line-manage and support our Pilot Leads and delivery teams.
• Oversee recruitment, onboarding, training, rotas and staff performance.
• Build a warm, supportive culture where practitioners feel valued and empowered.
• Ensure clear accountability, effective communication and appropriate staffing across sites.

1. Delivering high-quality childcare and family experiences

• Oversee the quality and consistency of our childcare, crèche, classes and community offer.
• Ensure each village reflects our values: welcoming, personal, inclusive and rooted in nature and play.
• Work with appropriately qualified practitioners to maintain safeguarding, EYFS and Ofsted requirements.
• Monitor parent feedback and continually improve the experience for families.

1. Growing our villages

• Work with site teams to attract, welcome and retain local families.
• Build strong relationships with headteachers, school staff, local organisations and community partners.
• Oversee local outreach, enquiries, tours and enrolments.
• Help each village become a trusted and valued part of its neighbourhood.

1. Managing finances and performance

• Take responsibility for delivering the pilot within its agreed budget.
• Monitor income, expenditure, enrolments, staffing costs and cash flow against forecasts.
• Identify opportunities to improve financial sustainability without compromising quality.
• Produce concise performance updates for the Board.
• Track outcomes, learnings and evidence to inform future investment and expansion.

1. Building a model that can scale

• Document what works, what doesn't and what needs to change.
• Develop repeatable approaches to opening and operating new villages.
• Help shape the operational model, staffing structure and financial assumptions.
• Contribute to the evaluation of the pilot and recommendations for the next phase of Parents & Co.

Who we're looking for

We're looking for someone who combines operational discipline with warmth, initiative and a genuine commitment to families.

Essential

• Significant experience leading operations, programmes or multiple sites.
• Experience managing people, budgets and competing priorities.
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to turn plans into action.
• Confidence working independently and making sound decisions.
• Excellent relationship-building and communication skills.
• A practical, solutions-focused approach and willingness to get involved in day-to-day delivery.
• Commitment to safeguarding, inclusion and high-quality services for children and families.
• Experience launching new services or working in an early-stage organisation.

Desirable

• Experience in early years, childcare, education or family services.
• Understanding of EYFS, Ofsted and childcare safeguarding requirements.
• Experience in the charity, social enterprise or community sector.
• Experience developing operational systems across multiple locations.

What success looks like

By the end of the pilot, we want to see:

• Two well-run villages with strong relationships with their host schools.
• An additional village
• Growing communities of families regularly attending and using our services.
• High-quality childcare and classes delivered by confident, supported teams.
• Clear oversight of finances, performance and operational risks.
• Evidence of what works, what needs improving and what it costs to operate.
• A documented, repeatable model that can support the next stage of growth.

Above all, success means building an organisation that delivers consistently without depending on its founder to manage every detail.

Why join us?

You'll be joining Parents & Co at a formative moment, with the opportunity to make a meaningful difference to how families experience their early years.

You'll have the freedom to shape how we work, the support of a committed Founder and Board, and the chance to help build a model that could transform family life in communities across the country.

Pay: From £50,000.00 per year

Work Location: In person