Centre Director Brand New Service

Meraki ELC; Ballarat; Sur place; AUD 120 000 - 150 000; Plein temps

Avantages offerts par ce poste

Above-award wages

Bonus structure

Discounted childcare for your family

Paid professional development

Autonomy and ownership in leadership

Résumé du poste

Meraki ELC is opening a brand-new early learning service in Creswick in January 2027 and requires an experienced Centre Director to lead from the ground up.

You will shape culture, build a high-performing team and create a welcoming, home-like environment where children thrive and families feel connected. This role blends on-floor leadership with strategic oversight and compliance responsibilities.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in an early childhood leadership role is essential.
• Strong knowledge of the EYLF, NQF and National Quality Standard.
• A confident and motivating leader who can mentor, inspire and develop a team.
• Someone who enjoys building genuine relationships and creating a positive team culture.
• A genuine passion for children, early education and inclusion.
• A strategic and creative thinker who can respond calmly and positively when things don’t go to plan.
• Someone who can balance time on the floor with the team with the administrative, compliance and leadership responsibilities of the role.
• A leader who is comfortable working autonomously while knowing when to seek support.
• Someone who is excited by the opportunity to build something new and make their mark.

Responsabilités

• Leading, mentoring and supporting educators to deliver high-quality programs and outcomes for children.
• Helping to build a positive, collaborative and accountable team culture from the beginning.
• Supporting educators to grow in confidence, capability and professional practice.
• Ensuring the service maintains strong compliance while continuing to strive for Exceeding practice.
• Building meaningful relationships with children, families, educators and the wider community.
• Working alongside the Educational Leader to support curriculum, pedagogy and continuous improvement.
• Being visible and connected with the team while also making time for planning, reflection, compliance and strategic leadership.
• Taking ownership of the day-to-day operation of the service and contributing to its ongoing growth and development.
• Helping establish Napier Street ELC as a trusted and connected part of the Creswick community.

Formation

Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care

Description du poste

Napier Street ELC and Kindergarten Centre Director

Help us open something special.

We’re opening a brand-new early learning service in Napier Street, Creswick in January 2027, and we’re looking for an enthusiastic, experienced and people-focused Centre Director to lead us into this exciting new chapter.

This is an opportunity to do more than simply step into an established role. You’ll have the opportunity to help shape the culture, build a strong team and create a service that becomes a valued part of the Creswick community.

We’re looking for a proactive leader with a growth mindset. Someone who can create a vision, bring people along on the journey and genuinely enjoy the opportunity to build something from the ground up.

We’re a family-owned early learning service that believes childhood should be full of curiosity, creativity, connection and plenty of fun. We’re committed to creating a genuine home away from home, where children feel safe, valued and excited to learn, families feel welcomed and our educators feel supported, trusted and inspired.

At Napier Street, we want to celebrate the beauty of where new meets old, honouring the rich history and community spirit of Creswick while embracing a contemporary, purpose-built learning environment designed for exploration, creativity and connection.

Our commitment is to strive to Exceed the National Quality Standards and be a pillar of the community. We’re looking for a leader who shares that ambition.

What makes this role exciting - and challenging?

This is a role for someone who genuinely enjoys people, leadership and the fast-moving world of early childhood.

Opening a new service is exciting but it also requires a leader who is organised, resilient, adaptable and comfortable with the unexpected. You’ll have the opportunity to help build a team from the beginning, establish a positive workplace culture and set the tone for how educators work together, communicate and support one another.

We’re looking for someone who can bring people with them, someone who can build trust, have the difficult conversations when needed, celebrate the wins, mentor educators and create a culture where people want to do their best.

You’ll also need to balance the many demands of a leadership role: maintaining strong compliance, supporting children and educators on the floor, mentoring and guiding your team, building relationships with families and managing the day-to-day challenges that come with running a busy early learning service.

No two days will be the same!

This role requires someone who can step back and see the bigger picture while still being willing to roll up their sleeves and get involved.

What we’re looking for

Proven experience in an early childhood leadership role is essential.

Strong knowledge of the EYLF, NQF and National Quality Standard.

A confident and motivating leader who can mentor, inspire and develop a team.

Someone who enjoys building genuine relationships and creating a positive team culture.

A genuine passion for children, early education and inclusion.

A strategic and creative thinker who can respond calmly and positively when things don’t go to plan.

Someone who can balance time on the floor with the team with the administrative, compliance and leadership responsibilities of the role.

A leader who is comfortable working autonomously while knowing when to seek support.

Someone who is excited by the opportunity to build something new and make their mark.

Your role will include

Leading, mentoring and supporting educators to deliver high-quality programs and outcomes for children.

Helping to build a positive, collaborative and accountable team culture from the beginning.

Supporting educators to grow in confidence, capability and professional practice.

Ensuring the service maintains strong compliance while continuing to strive for Exceeding practice.

Building meaningful relationships with children, families, educators and the wider community.

Working alongside the Educational Leader to support curriculum, pedagogy and continuous improvement.

Being visible and connected with the team while also making time for planning, reflection, compliance and strategic leadership.

Taking ownership of the day-to-day operation of the service and contributing to its ongoing growth and development.

Helping establish Napier Street ELC as a trusted and connected part of the Creswick community.

What we offer

Above-award wages + bonus structure

Heavily discounted childcare fees for your family

A supportive and engaged management team

Genuine autonomy and ownership in your leadership role

Paid professional development and a strong commitment to ongoing learning

The opportunity to build and lead a brand-new service

The opportunity to shape the culture and direction of your team from the beginning

A workplace where your ideas, leadership and contribution are genuinely valued

The support and experience of an established, family-owned early learning organisation

Ready to build something special?

If you’re a local and experienced early childhood leader who wants more than simply ticking boxes, someone who wants to lead people, build culture, make a difference and have a little fun along the way, we’d love to hear from you.

This is an exciting opportunity to be part of something from the very beginning and help create a service where children thrive, educators love coming to work and families feel genuinely connected.

Napier Street ELC opens in January 2027.

Your application will include the following questions:

• Which of the following statements best describes your right to work in Australia?
• How many years' experience do you have as a centre director?
• Have you worked in a role which requires a sound understanding of the early years learning framework?
• Have you worked in a role which requires a sound understanding of the National Quality Framework?
• Have you completed a Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care?