Facilities Manager

Explorers Early Learning; City of Melbourne; On-site; AUD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Explorers Early Learning is seeking a dedicated Facilities Manager to take ownership of our physical spaces across Melbourne. You will lead a hands-on facilities team, drive preventative maintenance, and ensure safety, compliance, and smooth operations so educators and families can focus on what matters most.

You will manage OHS, compliance, budgets, and contractor relationships, supporting new centre openings and ongoing refurbishments while building strong cross-site collaboration.

Qualifications

• Experience leading facilities across multiple sites.
• Proven leadership of small teams including field-based staff.
• Strong knowledge of building compliance and WHS obligations.
• Experience managing budgets and procurement.
• Victorian driver’s licence and Working with Children Check.
• Clear communication with educators, contractors and senior leadership.
• Contract and vendor management experience.
• Commitment to child safety and safe environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead OHS, compliance, and child safety obligations across centres.
• Develop and manage a rolling preventive maintenance programme; address reactive maintenance.
• Sign off on new centre openings; manage builder handover packs and warranties.
• Maintain asset register; oversee minor capital works and testing tracking.
• Foster relationships with Centre Directors and Operations Managers; communicate planned works.
• Lead, schedule, and develop a team of 4–6 direct reports.
• Oversee contract and vendor management, including quotes.

Skills

Leadership

Budget management

Vendor management

Contract management

Communication

Education

Facilities/Property management qualification

CMMS experience

Tools

CMMS

Job description

Opportunity to make a real difference across a growing sector. Lead a dedicated team in this newly created role

At Explorers Early Learning, the environments where children learn and grow matter deeply. We're looking for an experienced Facilities Manager to take ownership of our physical spaces - keeping every centre safe, compliant, and running at its best so that our educators and families can focus on what matters most.

The Role

As Facilities Manager you will lead the day to day facilities function across our growing network. This is a hands on leadership role where you'll oversee a small team of administrators and site based maintenance staff. You will manage our preventative maintenance programme and be the go to person for all things facilities.

Your key responsibilities will include:

• Leading OHS, compliance, and child safety obligations across all centres, including contractor management, risk assessments, and safety inspections
• Developing and managing a rolling preventative maintenance programme, and resolving reactive maintenance requests within agreed timeframes
• New centre openings – Facilities readiness sign off, builder handover packs and warranty/defect liability tracking
• Maintaining an accurate asset register and overseeing minor capital works and refurbishments as well as statutory testing tracking
• Building strong, trusted relationships with Centre Directors and Operations Managers, and communicating proactively about planned works and disruptions
• Leading, scheduling, and developing a team of 4–6 direct reports
• Contract & vendor management, including contract register and competitive quoting

About You

You're a practical, organised, and solutions-focused facilities professional who takes pride in delivering environments where people thrive.

You'll bring:

• Demonstrated experience in a facilities, property, or operations management role -ideally across multiple sites
• Proven leadership of small teams, including field based workers
• Strong knowledge of building compliance, WHS obligations, and preventative maintenance best practices
• Experience managing budgets and procurement
• A current Victorian driver's licence and the ability to hold (or current holder of) a Working with Children Check
• Clear, confident communication, comfortable working with educators, contractors, and senior leadership
• Strong contract and vendor management experience
• A genuine commitment to child safety and creating safe environments for children and families

A trade or tertiary qualification in facilities management, property, engineering, or a related field is desirable, as is familiarity with the National Quality Framework's physical environment standards and experience using a CMMS platform.

About Explorers

Explorers Early Learning is a family-owned and operated business with more than 21 purpose-built centres across Melbourne.

When Lynda Salvo founded Explorers in 2004, her vision was simple but powerful: to build centres where children and educators could truly thrive together. That mission hasn't changed. Every decision we make - from the environments we create to the people we bring into our team - is guided by Lynda's founding belief that exceptional early learning starts with exceptional people.

We invest in our team, create clear pathways for growth, and foster a culture built on accountability, curiosity, and genuine care.

We offer a range of competitive benefits for our team members, including:

• Ongoing Professional Learning & Development Opportunities
• Annual Explorers Awards Night
• Exclusive Employee Retail Discount Program designed to save you money, with access to discounted in-store and online vouchers from hundreds of retailers
• Access to our Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Generous Referral Bonuses for recommending great people to join our team

Our Commitment

Explorers is committed to being a flexible, safe, equal, and inclusive workplace. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people of any age, race, ethnicity, religion, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation, and cultural background.

Child safety is a shared responsibility at Explorers. All team members, regardless of role, play a part in protecting children and upholding our culture of safety.