Educational Leader

Cuddly Bear; City of Melbourne; On-site; AUD 55,000 - 72,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Two off‑floor leadership days per week

Three on‑floor mentoring days

Monthly RDO

Up to 95% discount on childcare fees

Extensive mentoring and professional发展

Employee Assistance Program

Job summary

Cuddly Bear in Heathmont, VIC invites an experienced Educational Leader to shape learning across five rooms with hands‑on mentoring and active collaboration with educators and children.

You will balance two off‑floor leadership days with three on‑floor mentoring days, 38 hours per week, and a flexible roster within 6:45 am–6:30 pm, Monday to Friday, plus a monthly RDO and a supportive leadership team.

Qualifications

• Hold a suitable, recognised early childhood qualification and substantial educational leadership experience.
• Demonstrate an established educational audit and mentoring program with sustained improvements.
• Strong understanding of the National Quality Framework, EYLF and VEYLDF.

Responsibilities

• Lead audits, room goals, mentoring and follow‑up across five rooms.
• Strengthen educators’ understanding of EYLF/VEYLDF and service philosophy.
• Support planning, intentional teaching, documentation and critical reflection.
• Model high‑quality interactions and inclusive learning environments.
• Guide behaviour guidance plans with children, families and educators.
• Strengthen participation and connections across indoor/outdoor/Bush Kinder programs.

Skills

Educational leadership

Mentoring

EYLF/VEYLDF knowledge

Bronfenbrenner theory

Behaviour guidance

Education

Early childhood qualification

Job description

Cuddly Bear Child Care & Kindergarten | Heathmont, Melbourne VIC

$40.57–$52.50 per hour + superannuation | Permanent full-time

Lead educational practice across five rooms | Two off-floor leadership days | Monthly RDO available

Lead learning. Develop educators. Make a lasting difference.

Cuddly Bear Child Care & Kindergarten is an award-winning, family-owned early learning service in Heathmont.

Rated Victoria’s #1 Childcare Centre by KindiCare in 2024, recognised as a Maroondah Business Excellence Awards finalist in 2023 and 2025, and rated Exceeding across all seven National Quality Standard Quality Areas, we are committed to exceptional outcomes for children, families, educators and our wider community.

We’re looking for an experienced, knowledgeable and approachable Educational Leader who can inspire educators, strengthen educational practice and turn great ideas into measurable improvements across our service.

This is a hands‑on leadership position for someone who enjoys being alongside educators and children—not simply reviewing programs from an office.

About the philosophy: Our Community at Our Core

Our philosophy is informed by Urie Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory. We recognise that children develop through their relationships with families, educators and the wider community. Our mantra, “Our Community is Our Family,” reflects our commitment to strong partnerships, belonging and shared responsibility for children’s wellbeing.

We are Reggio Emilia-inspired and see children as capable, curious and active participants in their learning. We embrace the Hundred Languages of Children, recognising the many ways children communicate, explore and express their thinking through art, movement, music, construction, dramatic play, nature and more.

Our educational program brings together child‑led inquiry and purposeful intentional teaching. Educators observe children’s interests, collaborate with families, create meaningful learning goals and extend children’s thinking through play, conversation and investigation.

Our indoor–outdoor program, Bush Kinder experiences, open‑ended resources and thoughtfully designed environments encourage children to explore, connect with Country, take developmentally appropriate risks and develop a sense of belonging in their community.

Our vision is to become a Lighthouse childcare centre: a service that continues to learn, improve and share effective practice with the wider early childhood community.

We want an Educational Leader who can bring this philosophy to life across every room.

About the role

This is a permanent full-time position, combining dedicated educational leadership time with practical, on‑floor mentoring.

Your usual week will include:

• Two days off the floor for educational audits, mentoring, program reviews, reporting and continuous improvement.
• Three days on the floor working alongside educators to model practice, strengthen learning environments and support children’s learning and wellbeing.

You will work 38 hours per week on average, and the individual is required to have full roster flexibility between 6:45 am and 6:30 pm, Monday to Friday. You will work rostered shifts within these hours, not the entire opening‑to‑closing period. A monthly RDO arrangement is available.

Working closely with the Centre Director, Assistant Director and Room Leaders, you will

• Lead a structured cycle of educational audits, room goals, mentoring and follow‑up across our five rooms.
• Strengthen educators’ understanding and application of the EYLF, VEYLDF, educational theory and our service philosophy.
• Support meaningful planning, intentional teaching, educational documentation and critical reflection.
• Model high‑quality interactions and support educators to create engaging, inclusive learning environments.
• Guide the development, implementation and review of individual behaviour guidance plans in partnership with children, families and educators.
• Strengthen children’s participation, community‑based learning and connections between the indoor, outdoor and Bush Kinder programs.
• Prepare accurate reports, audit findings, Quality Improvement Plan contributions and information for VECRA and other relevant bodies.
• Support child‑safe practice, educator capability and continuous improvement across all seven NQS Quality Areas.

About you — our five key selection criteria

1. Qualifications, educational leadership and proven improvement outcomes

You hold a suitable, recognised early childhood qualification and have substantial relevant experience in educational leadership. You can demonstrate how you have established and implemented an educational audit and mentoring program, supported educators and achieved sustained improvements in practice. You have a strong understanding of the National Quality Framework, EYLF, VEYLDF and Victorian Child Safe Standards.

2. Pedagogical expertise, educational philosophy and learning environments

You have strong knowledge of early childhood theorists—including Bronfenbrenner—and can apply Reggio Emilia-inspired principles in practice. You know how to combine child‑led learning with intentional teaching, critically review an educational philosophy and create inviting, inclusive environments that encourage children to investigate, express ideas and learn.

3. Behaviour guidance, relationships and family partnerships

You have proven experience assessing behaviours of concern and working collaboratively to develop, implement and monitor positive, individualised behaviour guidance plans. You can demonstrate improved outcomes for children. You build trusting relationships with children, families and colleagues and can navigate sensitive or challenging conversations with empathy, clarity and professionalism.

4. Mentoring, communication and professional influence

You are skilled at developing educators through observation, practical modelling, constructive feedback and follow‑up. You have excellent written and verbal communication skills, including report writing, critical reflection and preparing accurate information for regulatory and other important bodies. You can communicate clear expectations while maintaining respectful, supportive relationships.

5. Time management, prioritisation and leading change

You can manage competing responsibilities across on‑floor practice, audits, mentoring and documentation. You organise your time effectively, follow actions through to completion and evaluate whether improvements have been sustained. You can lead change collaboratively and help educators translate new expectations into everyday practice.

We are particularly interested in specific examples of improvements you have personally led and how you measured their impact.

What we offer

• $40.57–$52.50 per hour plus superannuation, depending on qualifications, experience and applicable employment entitlements. The proposed remuneration includes the applicable Worker Retention Payment and Educational Leader allowance.
• Two dedicated off‑floor educational leadership days each week.
• Three on‑floor days to mentor educators and work directly with children.
• A monthly RDO arrangement.
• Above‑ratio staffing across our classrooms.
• Extensive mentoring, paid training and professional development.
• Access to experienced external industry consultants.
• A collaborative leadership team committed to continuous improvement.
• Employee Assistance Program, wellbeing initiatives and staff recognition.
• Refer‑a‑friend bonus scheme.
• Up to 95% discount on childcare fees for eligible permanent staff.
• The opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to our Lighthouse vision.

Child safety and inclusion

Children’s safety, rights and best interests are paramount at Cuddly Bear. We are committed to a child‑safe culture where children are heard, concerns are acted upon and educators are supported to deliver safe, respectful practice.

The successful applicant must hold or obtain the checks and qualifications required for the role, including a current Working with Children Check and relevant First Aid, asthma and anaphylaxis qualifications. They must demonstrate a strong commitment to the Victorian Child Safe Standards, mandatory reporting responsibilities and our Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy and Code of Conduct.

We welcome applicants from diverse backgrounds who share our commitment to inclusion, respect and equality.

Join a team where community comes first, people matter and excellence is something we achieve together.

We acknowledge the Wurundjeri people as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which our service stands and pay our respects to Elders past and present.