Assistant Centre Director (2IC)

Childcare Management Services Pty. Ltd.; City of Melbourne; On-site; AUD 58,000 - 61,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Family-friendly benefits

Paid learning & development

Wellbeing support

Career progression

Job summary

Busy Bees is seeking an experienced Assistant Centre Director for the Donvale service on a full-time fixed-term basis. You will support the Centre Director, mentor educators, and help create a safe, engaging environment for children and families.

You will contribute to curriculum planning and continuous improvement, with a pathway to leadership within the ECEC sector. The role emphasizes child safety, teamwork, and community partnerships in a Busy Bees centre.

Qualifications

• Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care (or higher) required.
• Current Working with Children Check for VIC or equivalent.
• Knowledge of EYLF, NQS, and Child Protection legislation.
• Leadership experience or strong desire to grow into leadership in ECEC.

Responsibilities

• Support the Centre Director in day-to-day leadership and operations.
• Lead, mentor and inspire educators to deliver high-quality education and care.
• Build strong partnerships with families and the local community.
• Support compliance with the National Quality Framework and National Regulations.
• Contribute to curriculum planning, reflective practice and continuous improvement.
• Step into the Centre Director role when required.

Skills

Leadership experience

Mentoring educators

Child safety commitment

Education

Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care

Job description

Assistant Centre Director | $41.72 – $43.08 per hour

Busy Bees is a leading global early learning provider, offering high-quality education in nurturing, purpose-built centres where educators are supported to grow, lead and make a real difference in children’s lives, with over 130 centres across Australia and around 3,000 employees.

Our Bee Safe Commitment: Child safety is at the heart of everything we do and is embedded in our people, places and processes. Help us give every child the Best Start in Life.

We’re seeking an experienced and supportive Assistant Centre Director to join our team at Busy Bees at Donvale on a full-time, fixed-term basis. You’ll play a key role supporting the Centre Director, mentoring educators and helping create a safe, engaging and high-quality environment for children and families.

What you’ll do

• Support the Centre Director in the day-to-day leadership and operations of the service.
• Lead, mentor, and inspire educators to deliver high-quality education and care.
• Build strong partnerships with families and the local community.
• Support compliance with the National Quality Framework (NQF) and National Regulations.
• Contribute to curriculum planning, reflective practice, and continuous improvement.
• Step into the Centre Director role when required.

What you’ll bring

• A genuine commitment to child safety, speaking up, always doing the right thing, and alignment with Busy Bees values.
• Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care (or higher).
• Current Working with Children Check for VIC.
• Sound knowledge of the EYLF, NQS, and Child Protection legislation.
• Leadership experience or a strong desire to grow into a leadership role within the ECEC industry.
• A collaborative, positive, and supportive leadership style.

Why Busy Bees?

Because we offer the B.E.E.S. advantage: Better pay. Everyday balance. Education for growth. Support you can rely on. We live by our values of Care, Quality, Service, and Value to make a real impact on child safety and quality.

• Family-friendly benefits; 50% childcare gap-fee discounts for permanent staff, because your family should benefit too.
• Paid learning & development; First Aid, CPR & mandatory training covered, ongoing professional development, and access to our Busy Bees learning platform and ACCCO RTO pathways.
• Supportive leaders & inclusive teams; hands‑on leadership, strong tenure and a culture built on trust, respect and collaboration.
• Career pathways that grow with you; opportunities & training to progress from Educator to leadership, management and area roles.
• Global & national opportunities; connect with leaders across Australia and apply for our Global Talent Exchange Program (UK, Canada and Asia).
• Wellbeing support that goes beyond work; free, confidential EAP access for you and your immediate family, when you need it most.

Employment is conditional on satisfactory, rigorous pre‑employment checks (including WWCC, ID, Qualifications, Gecko Training, Work Rights, NQAITS register/Prohibited Persons & References) and child safety training, reflecting our strong commitment to safeguarding, equity, diversity and inclusion.

We are proud to be a child safe organisation, putting child safety at the heart of everything we do through our Bee Safe commitment.

Why Work for Busy Bees?

If you’re passionate about early learning, Busy Bees is the place to be. Although we are part of a global organisation, our company was founded by three families looking for better, more enriching childcare. Three decades later, we still keep the same values at heart.

We know that we couldn’t do what we do without the important people in our teams. We invest in our people and work with them to build career pathways that inspire.

Whether you’re embarking on the exciting journey of your early educational career or striving to advance to the next level, Busy Bees presents an ideal opportunity for you!

We’re actively searching for enthusiastic and dedicated individuals who possess an authentic passion for Early Childhood Education and the well‑being of children, to fill a variety of roles across our Services and Support Office.

Early Childhood Education attracts a special type of person. You might possess creativity, nurturance, a focus on tasks, or a knack for problem‑solving. However, at its core, your affinity for Early Childhood Education arises from a profound devotion to nurturing the educational growth of the youngest members within our communities.

This resonates deeply with us, as our mission is to give every child the best start in life. We are driven to gather people who care deeply about quality and we empower people to bring their unique gifts and talents together for the benefit of our children.

We value each member of our team and know that by supporting you in your journey you’ll be the positive and supportive influence in theirs.