Executive General Manager, Early Childhood Strategy

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

Benefits offered by this job

Executive salary + super

Salary packaging

Gifted leave

Personal leave + Cultural leave

Flexible work hybrid

Novated vehicle leasing

Employee assistance program

Professional development

Leadership impact

Job summary

Lifestart Disability Services is seeking a senior General Manager to lead the Early Childhood Approach across five NSW service areas. Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, you will guide an experienced leadership team and shape the future of Lifestart’s services within the evolving NDIS landscape.

This role blends strategic leadership with operational excellence to improve outcomes for children and families.

Qualifications

• 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.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and operational leadership across the Early Childhood Approach across five NSW regions.
• Lead, coach and develop five Service Area Managers and the broader Early Childhood leadership team.
• Drive performance against NDIA contractual requirements and the Performance Management Framework.
• Guide the department through NDIS reform and change, translating sector changes into effective operational practice.
• 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 program.
• 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.
• Partner with the CEO and Executive Team to contribute to Lifestart’s broader strategy and organisational priorities.

Skills

Executive leadership

Stakeholder management

Strategic planning

Change management

Data-driven

Education

Tertiary qualification in Education

Tertiary qualification in Allied Health

Tertiary qualification in Social Sciences

Tools

NDIA/PITC knowledge

Job description

Lifestart Disability Services is seeking a senior General Manager to lead the Early Childhood Approach across five NSW service areas. Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, you will guide an experienced leadership team and shape the future of Lifestart’s services within the evolving NDIS landscape.

This role blends strategic leadership with operational excellence to improve outcomes for children and families.