Early Childhood Teacher & Mentor - Eylf/Nqs Expert

Young Academics; Sydney; Hybrid; AUD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Executive salary package

Salary packaging

Gifted leave

Personal leave

Hybrid work

Vehicle leasing

EAP program

Professional development

Job summary

Lifestart is seeking a GM – NDIS Early Childhood Approach to lead the program across five NSW regions on a 12‑month fixed‑term contract. You will guide an experienced Early Childhood leadership team and align services with NDIA requirements, governance standards and stakeholder expectations.

Reporting to the CEO, you will shape strategy, manage budgets and drive continuous improvement while delivering strong outcomes for children and families. Flexible, hybrid work arrangements are available.

Qualifications

• Senior leader with strategic thinking and people leadership experience.
• Experience in NDIS, disability or early childhood sectors.
• Strong governance and stakeholder management.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and operational leadership across five NSW regions.
• Coach and develop five Service Area Managers and leadership team.
• Drive NDIA contractual performance and financial sustainability.
• Lead through NDIS reforms and change management.
• Oversee budgets and workforce planning.

Job description

GM – NDIS Early Childhood Approach

2138 Rhodes Lifestart Disability Services

Posted 4 days ago

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Job Description

AboutLifestart

Build your future while empowering children, families and communities.

At Lifestart, you will join one of Australia’s leading disability service providers and contribute to work shaped by strong values and lived experience. Founded in 1996 by eight families, Lifestart now operates across eight NSW locations and supports more than 13,000 children, young people, families and carers across Australia.

We deliver the NDIS Early Childhood Approach across five NSW regions, partnering with families and communities to connect children with disability, developmental delay or developmental concerns to the supports they need to reach their potential.

The Opportunity

This is an opportunity for an experienced, values-driven General Manager to join Lifestart on a 12-month fixed‑term contract and lead our Early Childhood Approach programme across five NSW service areas.

Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer and working as a key member of Lifestart’s Executive Team, you will guide an experienced Early Childhood leadership team, including five Service Area Managers and key program‑wide leadership roles.

You will have the scope to influence the future of Lifestart’s Early Childhood services during a period of continued evolution across the NDIS and disability sector. Bringing together strategy, people leadership and operational expertise, you will strengthen services and help deliver meaningful outcomes for children and families.

What You’ll Lead

• Provide strategic and operational leadership across the Early Childhood Approach, supporting consistent, high‑quality service delivery across all five NSW regions.
• Lead, coach and develop five Service Area Managers and the broader Early Childhood leadership team, building leadership capability and a high‑performing culture.
• Drive performance against NDIA contractual requirements and the Performance Management Framework, helping achieve key service and organisational outcomes.
• Guide the department through NDIS reform and change, translating sector changes into effective operational practice while supporting leaders and teams through transition.
• Oversee budgets, workforce planning and resource allocation to enable operational performance and financial sustainability.
• Use data and performance insights to identify opportunities, respond to challenges and drive continuous improvement across the programme.
• Maintain strong governance across quality, safeguarding, child safety, risk, compliance and regulatory requirements.
• Build and maintain strategic relationships with the NDIA, government agencies and sector stakeholders, representing Lifestart in key forums and meetings.
• Partner with the CEO and Executive Team to contribute to Lifestart’s broader strategy and organisational priorities.

About You

You are a senior leader who combines strong operational capability with strategic thinking and a genuine commitment to improving outcomes for children and families.

You are confident leading at scale, navigating complexity and change, and working collaboratively with executives, government agencies and multidisciplinary teams.

What You’ll Bring

• A recognised tertiary qualification in Education, Allied Health, Social Sciences or another relevant discipline.
• Extensive leadership and management experience within the NDIS, disability, early childhood or broader community services sector.
• Strong knowledge of the NDIS and Early Childhood Approach, with NDIA/PITC experience highly regarded.
• Demonstrated experience leading large, multidisciplinary teams through senior leaders and managers.
• Strong experience in strategic, operational, financial and resource management.
• Demonstrated success leading organisational change and navigating reform, policy or legislative change.
• Experience driving performance, accountability and continuous improvement using data and operational insights.
• Strong understanding of quality, safeguarding, risk and compliance within a regulated service environment.
• Exceptional stakeholder management skills, with the ability to build credible relationships at executive, government and sector level.

You will also require full Australian working rights, a current Working with Children Check, NDIS Worker Screening Check, Driver Licence and access to a reliable, insured vehicle.

Why Join Lifestart

At Lifestart, your leadership will help children and young people living with disability participate inclusively and meaningfully in their communities. Our organisation was founded by families, and 30 years later, working in partnership with children, families and communities remains central to everything we do.

You will be part of an organisation guided by Empowerment, Equity, Collaboration and Impact—values that shape how we work, how we lead and the outcomes we seek to achieve.

You will also benefit from:

• A competitive executive salary plus superannuation.
• NFP salary packaging of up to $15,900 tax‑free, plus a meals and entertainment allowance of up to $2,650.
• One week of paid gifted leave each year.
• An additional week of personal leave, providing 15 days in total, plus Cultural & Ceremonial leave.
• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements.
• Access to novated vehicle leasing and travel allowances.
• An Employee Assistance Program with complimentary counselling sessions.
• Professional development and leadership support.
• The opportunity to influence the future direction of one of Lifestart’s largest service areas and make a meaningful impact for thousands of children and families.

Ready to Apply

If you are a senior leader who is passionate about building high‑performing services and improving outcomes for children and families, we would love to hear from you.