General Manager – NDIS Early Childhood Approach

Lifestart Disability Services; Sydney; On-site; AUD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Executive salary

Salary packaging benefit

Paid leave entitlements

Flexible hybrid work

Professional development support

Job summary

Lifestart Disability Services in Rhodes, NSW, is seeking a seasoned General Manager to lead the NDIS Early Childhood Approach across five NSW regions. The role reports to the CEO and steers an experienced leadership team to deliver high-quality, coordinated services for children and families.

You’ll shape strategy, drive performance against NDIA requirements, manage budgets, and foster a culture of empowerment, equity and collaboration.

Qualifications

• Senior leadership experience in the NDIS or disability/early childhood sector.
• Strong capability in strategic and operational leadership across multiple regions.
• Proven ability to lead large, multidisciplinary teams and drive performance.
• Extensive knowledge of the NDIA requirements and reform processes.

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 leadership team.
• Drive performance against NDIA contractual requirements and the Performance Management Framework.
• Guide the department through NDIS reform and change with effective operational practice.
• Oversee budgets, workforce planning and resource allocation to enable performance.
• Use data and insights to identify opportunities and drive continuous improvement.
• Maintain governance across quality, safeguarding, risk and regulatory compliance.
• Build strategic relationships with NDIA, government agencies and sector stakeholders.
• Partner with the CEO and Executive Team on broader strategy and priorities.

Job description

General Manager – NDIS Early Childhood Approach

Lifestart Disability Services – Rhodes NSW

Build your future while empowering children,familiesand communities.

AtLifestart, you will joinone of Australia’s leading disability service providersand contribute to work shaped bystrong values and lived experience. Founded in 1996 by eight families,Lifestartnowoperatesacross eight NSW locationsand supports more than13,000 children, young people,familiesand carers across Australia.

We deliver the NDIS Early Childhood Approach across fiveNSWregions,partneringwith families and communities toconnectchildren with disability, developmentaldelayor developmental concernstothesupportsthey need toreach theirpotential.

The Opportunity

This is an opportunity foran experienced,values-driven General ManagertojoinLifestarton a12-month fixed-term contractandleadourEarly ChildhoodApproachprogram across five NSW service areas.

Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer and working as a key member ofLifestart’sExecutive Team, you willguidean experienced Early Childhoodleadership team, including five Service Area Managers and key program-wide leadership roles.

You will have the scope to influence the future ofLifestart’sEarly Childhood services during a period of continued evolution across the NDIS and disability sector.Bringingtogether strategy,peopleleadership and operationalexpertise, you willstrengthenservices andhelp delivermeaningful outcomes for children and families.

WhatYou’llLead

• Provide strategic and operational leadership across the Early ChildhoodApproach,supportingconsistent,high-quality service delivery across all five NSW regions.
• Lead,coachand develop five Service Area Managers and the broader Early Childhoodleadershipteam, building leadership capability and a high-performing culture.
• Drive performance against NDIA contractual requirements and the Performance Management Framework,helping achievekey service andorganisationaloutcomes.
• Guidethe department through NDIS reform and change, translatingsectorchanges into effective operational practice while supporting leaders and teams through transition.
• Oversee budgets, workforceplanningand resource allocation toenableoperational performance and financial sustainability.
• Use data and performance insights toidentifyopportunities, respond tochallengesand drive continuous improvement across the program.
• Maintainstrong governance across quality, safeguarding, child safety, risk,complianceand regulatory requirements.
• Build andmaintainstrategic relationships with the NDIA, governmentagenciesand sector stakeholders,representingLifestartinkey forums and meetings.
• Partnerwith the CEO and Executive Team to contribute to Lifestart’s broader strategy andorganisationalpriorities.

About You

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

You areconfidentleading at scale, navigating complexity and change, and working collaboratively with executives, governmentagenciesand multidisciplinary teams.

WhatYou’llBring

• Arecognisedtertiary qualification in Education, Allied Health, Social Sciences or another relevant discipline.
• Extensive leadership and management experience within the NDIS, disability, earlychildhoodor 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,financialand resource management.
• Demonstrated success leadingorganisationalchange and navigating reform,policyor legislative change.
• Experience driving performance,accountabilityand continuous improvement using data and operational insights.
• Strong understanding of quality, safeguarding,riskand compliance within a regulated service environment.
• Exceptional stakeholder management skills, with the ability to build credible relationships at executive,governmentand sector level.

You will alsorequirefullAustralian working rights, a current Working with Children Check, NDIS Worker Screening Check, DriverLicenceand access to a reliable, insured vehicle.

Why JoinLifestart?

AtLifestart,your leadership will helpchildren and young people living with disabilityparticipateinclusively and meaningfully in theircommunities.Ourorganisationwas founded by families, and30 years later,working inpartnership with children, families and communitiesremainscentral to everything we do.

You will be part of anorganisationguided byEmpowerment, Equity,Collaborationand Impact—values that shapehow we work, how we lead and the outcomes weseekto achieve.

You will alsobenefitfrom:

• A competitiveexecutive salary plus superannuation.
• NFP salary packaging of up to $15,900 tax-free, plusamealsand entertainment allowance of up to $2,650.
• One week of paidgiftedleave each year.
• Anadditionalweek of personal leave, providing15 daysin total, plusCultural& Ceremonial leave.
• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements.
• Access to novated vehicle leasing and travel allowances.
• AnEmployee Assistance Program with complimentary counselling sessions.
• Professional development and leadership support.
• The opportunity to influence the future direction of one ofLifestart’slargest service areas and make a meaningful impact for thousands of children and families.

Lifestartisan Equal Opportunity Employer. We welcome applications frompeople withdisabilityor lived experience, people from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds, people from the LGBTQI+ community and people who identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander.AtLifestart,we valueeach individual’sunique contribution.