Job Title: M&A Manager

Location: Hybrid 2-3 days in our Burntwood head office with UK wide travel required

Reports To: Group M&A Director

Salary: DOE plus company car

About Busy bees and the role

Busy Bees is the UK’s leading childcare provider, operating over 1,000 nurseries globally in 10 countries, including nearly 400 nurseries across the UK and Ireland. Since our founding as a family-run nursery in 1983, we have grown through our passion for quality, delivering exceptional early years education and childcare to families around the world.

As a Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) Manager, you will play a vital role in helping Busy Bees grow, enabling us to provide high-quality childcare and early years education to even more children across the UK.

At Busy Bees, our mission is to give every child the best start in life. This role is central to achieving that vision by identifying and acquiring nurseries that align with our values and commitment to Quality.

Your work will directly support the expansion of Busy Bees, allowing us to bring our outstanding standards of care, education, and operational excellence to even more families. From sourcing opportunities to building relationships with nursery owners, you will help ensure that every acquisition fits seamlessly into the Busy Bees family and upholds our reputation for quality.

About the Benefits

• Sector leading Family Leave.
• Annual salary bonus 
• Big Benefits. Dedicated 24/7 employee benefits platform 
• Childcare discounts.
• 33 days holiday including bank holidays and your birthday off.
• Health and Wellbeing - Employee Assistance Program and our Peppy and Mental Health Apps
• Further Training and development. 

Key Responsibilities:

• Originate Acquisition Opportunities: Use outreach methods such as email, phone calls, social media, and industry events to connect with nursery owners.
• Pipeline Development: Conduct research to identify, prioritise, and maintain a robust pipeline of potential acquisition targets.
• Relationship Building: Build long-term relationships with nursery owners, effectively communicating Busy Bees’ vision and values.
• Financial Analysis: Review and analyse financial data, KPIs, and operational measures of potential targets.
• Negotiation: Draft tailored offer letters and lead discussions with owners.
• Internal Reporting: Prepare detailed briefings, reports, and board papers to support M&A proposals and strategic growth plans.
• Due Diligence: Support due diligence processes alongside advisors and team members.
• Strategic Support: Contribute to refining Busy Bees’ M&A strategy and ensure alignment with the company’s growth objectives.

What We’re Looking For

• Experience in the early years sector (operations/finance) and/or previous M&A experience in a multi-site business
• Passion for early years education and the ability to build meaningful, lasting relationships with nursery owners.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills to convey Busy Bees offering in a warm and engaging way.
• Proven experience with reviewing financial reports and KPIs.
• Ability to assess acquisition opportunities for strategic alignment and with a commercial mindset.
• Skilled in using Excel and PowerPoint for reporting and presentations.
• Ambitious, driven, and proactive with a results-oriented mindset.
• Dependable and reliable with high integrity.
• Empathetic and able to build positive relationships with stakeholders.
• Valid UK driver’s license with the flexibility to travel nationwide.
• Willingness to work flexible hours, including early mornings and evenings if needed.

Why Join Busy Bees?

• Be part of the UK’s leading nursery group, with a clear mission to give every child the best start in life.
• Play a key role in shaping the future of early years education.
• Enjoy a dynamic, flexible role that offers variety, nationwide travel, and opportunities to make an impact.
• Collaborate with passionate, like-minded professionals in a supportive and innovative environment.