ECE Service Manager: Strategy & Impact (Fixed Term)

The Lifewise Trust; Auckland; On-site; NZD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

The Lifewise Trust in New Zealand seeks an experienced ECE Service Manager to lead Lifewise’s early childhood education services. You will provide educational, operational, people and business leadership across Lifewise’s ECE services, supporting centre managers and teaching teams to deliver high-quality education and care while ensuring safety, compliance, and financial sustainability.

A significant focus of this fixed-term role is developing an evidence-informed ECE strategy.

Qualifications

• Experience leading ECE services.
• Ability to develop and implement long-term strategy in ECE.
• Strong knowledge of regulatory, licensing and funding requirements.
• Evidence-informed decision making and data use.

Responsibilities

• Lead safe, high-quality ECE services across Lifewise
• Coach Centre Managers and teaching teams
• Develop Lifewise’s long-term ECE strategy and direction
• Champion trauma-informed and Te Whāriki-aligned practice
• Maintain regulatory, licensing, funding, safeguarding and quality assurance practices
• Oversee budgets, enrolments, and workforce planning
• Build trusting relationships with whānau, iwi and regulators
• Translate data into actionable quality improvements
• Incorporate Te Tiriti o Waitangi into leadership and practice

Skills

Educational leadership

Strategic planning

Budgeting

Regulatory compliance

People leadership

Job description

The Lifewise Trust in New Zealand seeks an experienced ECE Service Manager to lead Lifewise’s early childhood education services. You will provide educational, operational, people and business leadership across Lifewise’s ECE services, supporting centre managers and teaching teams to deliver high-quality education and care while ensuring safety, compliance, and financial sustainability.

A significant focus of this fixed-term role is developing an evidence-informed ECE strategy.