Centre Manager

Journey Early Learning Careers; Traralgon; On-site; AUD 113,000 - 138,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

12% superannuation

Annual bonus

Relocation assistance

Journey Academy professional dev.

Centre Quality Manager support

Birthday leave

Childcare discount

Job summary

Journey Early Learning Careers in Traralgon, Victoria, seeks an inaugural Centre Manager to lead a brand-new Journey centre. You will build your founding team, shape the centre culture and establish a service where children and families feel belonging.

You'll be supported by a Centre Quality Manager and specialists across Journey’s Support Office, driving occupancy, quality and safeguarding from day one.

Qualifications

• Diploma or Bachelor in Early Childhood Education and Care or ACECQA-equivalent.
• National Child Safety Certificates (Foundation and Advanced).
• Experience as Centre Manager/Director or readiness to step up.
• Commitment to child safety and safeguarding.
• Strong knowledge of the National Quality Framework, National Law and Regulations, and EYLF.
• Demonstrated experience leading, coaching and developing teams.
• Confidence in driving occupancy and enrolments.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to balance educational quality, people leadership, compliance and operational priorities.

Responsibilities

• Recruit, develop and retain your founding team.
• Shape the centre culture, expectations and ways of working from day one.
• Build strong relationships with children, families and the community.
• Lead the centre through opening, enrolment growth and establishment.
• Develop your Centre Leadership Team and coach future leaders.
• Partner with Educational Leader and Early Childhood Teachers to support quality practice.
• Lead staffing, occupancy, enrolment growth and overall centre performance.
• Maintain high standards of quality, compliance and safeguarding.

Skills

Leadership

Staff coaching

Team development

Communication

Relationship building

Strategic occupancy growth

Educational quality focus

Compliance knowledge

Education

Diploma/Bachelor in Early Childhood Education and Care

ACECQA-approved equivalent

National Child Safety Certificates (Foundation & Advanced)

Job description

Centre Manager | Traralgon

Lead a brand-new centre. Build your team. Shape your culture.

A rare opportunity to lead a brand-new Journey Early Learning centre in Traralgon, Victoria.

At Journey, we believe great centres start with great people. As our inaugural Centre Manager, you'll have the opportunity to build your founding team, create a positive centre culture and establish a service where children, families and educators feel a genuine sense of belonging.

And while you'll be building something new, you won't be doing it alone.

What's in it for you?

• Earn up to $125,000 p.a. plus 12% super and annual bonus
• Journey Childcare Discount, subject to eligibility and applicable terms
• Paid Birthday Leave
• Relocation support may be available for the right candidate
• Dedicated professional development through Journey Academy
• Genuine leadership and career progression opportunities
• A dedicated Centre Quality Manager to partner with you
• Direct access to specialists across Journey’s Support Office, including Quality, Safeguarding, Pedagogy, Marketing, Capability and Culture, Finance and IT

Build it. Lead it. Make it yours.

This is your opportunity to do more than manage a centre. You'll help shape its identity from day one, build a team that shares your vision and create the foundations for a thriving early learning community.

As Centre Manager, you will:

• Recruit, develop and retain your founding team
• Shape the centre culture, expectations and ways of working from the beginning
• Build strong, trusted relationships with children, families and the local community
• Lead the centre through opening, enrolment growth and establishment
• Develop your Centre Leadership Team and coach future leaders
• Partner with your Educational Leader and Early Childhood Teachers to support quality educational practice
• Lead staffing, occupancy, enrolment growth and overall centre performance
• Maintain high standards of quality, compliance and child safeguarding

We're looking for someone who enjoys being visible, connected and hands‑on. Someone who can bring people together, build confidence in their team and create an environment where educators feel supported to do their best work.

You lead the centre. We build the support around you.

At Journey, our Centre Managers have genuine ownership of their services, but we don't expect you to be the expert in everything.

You'll partner closely with your dedicated Centre Quality Manager and have access to specialists across our Support Office who can provide guidance and expertise when you need it.

From safeguarding and pedagogical strategy to marketing, finance and people development, you'll have a broader team behind you as your centre grows.

Our approach is built on partnership, giving you more space to focus on your people, families and the quality of your service.

What you'll bring

We're looking for an early childhood leader who is passionate about creating a great centre culture and delivering quality outcomes for children and families.

Ideally, you will have:

• A Diploma or Bachelor qualification in Early Childhood Education and Care, or an ACECQA-approved equivalent
• National Child Safety Certificates (Foundation and Advanced Certificates)
• Experience as a Centre Manager, Centre Director or Service Manager, or strong Assistant Centre Manager experience with demonstrated readiness to step up
• A genuine commitment to child safety and safeguarding
• Strong knowledge of the National Quality Framework, National Law and Regulations, and EYLF
• Demonstrated experience leading, coaching and developing teams
• Confidence in driving occupancy, enrolments and centre performance
• Strong communication and relationship‑building skills
• The ability to balance educational quality, people leadership, compliance and operational priorities

Most importantly, you'll bring a genuine passion for early childhood education and the confidence to lead a team through the exciting challenges and opportunities of establishing a new centre.

Why Journey Early Learning?

At Journey, our people are at the heart of everything we do. We believe in creating environments where children can thrive, educators feel supported and leaders have the opportunity to make a meaningful difference.

Through our commitment to Trust & Belief, Support & Wellbeing, Growth & Development, and Passion & Possibilities, we want our leaders to feel trusted, supported and empowered to lead.

For Traralgon, you'll have the opportunity to:

• Build a team from the ground up
• Establish a centre culture you're proud of
• Make a genuine impact on children, families and educators
• Grow your leadership capability with the support of an established early learning provider

Ready to build something of your own?

If you're an experienced early childhood leader looking for a new challenge, genuine ownership and the opportunity to shape a centre from day one, we'd love to hear from you.

Child safety at Journey

Journey Early Learning is committed to being a Child Safe Organisation and to creating environments where every child is safe, supported, respected and heard.

As a Victorian Early Childhood Employer, we expect all employees and leaders to actively uphold the Victorian Child Safe Standards, applicable child protection obligations and Journey's safeguarding requirements.

For our Centre Managers, child safety is a core leadership responsibility. You will be expected to:

• Role model a strong child safe culture across the service
• Ensure safeguarding expectations are understood and embedded in everyday practice
• Act promptly on concerns, disclosures or indicators of harm
• Support employees to understand their reporting and escalation obligations
• Maintain professional boundaries and safe practices
• Ensure children's rights, wellbeing and safety remain central to decision-making

Journey's See, Act, Tell safeguarding framework supports our teams to recognise concerns, respond appropriately and speak up when something does not feel right.

All appointments are subject to Journey's pre-employment screening and child safety requirements, including the relevant Working with Children Check and any other checks, qualifications or clearances required for the role.

Journey Early Learning is a Child Safe Organisation and is committed to the safety, wellbeing and protection of all children in our care.