Regional Operations Manager

Central Kids; Tokoroa; On-site; NZD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Central Kids is seeking a Regional Operations Manager in New Zealand to provide senior operational leadership across a portfolio of early learning services. You will work closely with Head Teachers to deliver strong outcomes for tamariki, whānau and communities while ensuring educational quality and regulatory compliance.

You will oversee health and safety, workforce, financial performance and risk, while building relationships with service leaders and stakeholders to support culturally

Qualifications

• Experience leading in early childhood education.
• Knowledge of regulatory/licensing and health & safety practices.
• Experience coaching leaders and managing performance.
• Willingness to travel regionally across NZ.

Responsibilities

• Lead and support a portfolio of early learning services.
• Coach and develop service leaders, building confidence, capability and accountability.
• Maintain oversight of service performance including budgets, enrolments and staffing.
• Ensure strong regulatory, licensing, child safety and health & safety practices.
• Lead regional readiness for MOE, ERO audits and regulators.
• Identify risks and address performance issues promptly.
• Support services through change and organisational priorities.
• Collaborate with Central Kids teams to provide coordinated support.
• Build relationships with whānau, mana whenua, iwi and community partners.

Skills

Leadership

Regulatory compliance

Health and safety

Strategic planning

Coaching leaders

Stakeholder engagement

Travel readiness

Financial acumen

Education

Tertiary qualification in ECE/Leadership

Job description

Regional Operations Manager

Central Kids | 40 hours per week | Regional travel required

Lead with purpose. Strengthen services. Help tamariki and communities thrive.

At Central Kids, everything we do is grounded in our purpose,Kōkiri Hī ki Te Pae Tawhiti: Together we paddle with strength and unity towards a horizon where our tamariki shine as bright as Tamanuiterā. We are an intergenerational, not-for-profit organisation providing high-quality, affordable, bicultural early learning and whānau support services.

We are looking for an experienced and confident Regional Operations Manager to provide leadership across a portfolio of Central Kids services.

About the role

This is a senior operational leadership role with real breadth and impact. You will work closely with our kaiwhakaako (Head Teachers), providing the leadership, coaching, challenge and support they need to deliver strong outcomes for tamariki, whānau and their communities.

You will turn organisational priorities into effective service-level delivery while maintaining oversight of educational quality, regulatory compliance, health and safety, workforce, financial performance and operational risk.

You will be visible across your region, building strong relationships with service leaders and ensuring services have the systems, capability and support needed to succeed.

What you'll be doing

In this role, you will:

• Lead and support a portfolio of early learning services.
• Coach and develop service leaders, building their confidence, capability and accountability.
• Maintain oversight of service performance, including budgets, occupancy, enrolments, staffing and sustainable revenue.
• Ensure strong regulatory, licensing, child safety and health and safety practices.
• Lead regional readiness and response for Ministry of Education, ERO, audit and other regulatory activity.
• Identify emerging risks and performance issues and make timely decisions to address them.
• Support services through change, improvement activity and organisational priorities.Manage formal parent and whānau complaints and support effective resolution.
• Work closely with specialist teams across Central Kids to ensure services receive coordinated support.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with whānau, mana whenua, iwi, hapū, community partners and sector stakeholders.
• Support culturally responsive, bicultural and locally relevant service delivery.

About you

You'll be an experienced ECE leader who is comfortable balancing people leadership with strong operational oversight.

You will bring substantial leadership experience in early childhood education, including responsibility for compliance, licensing, service improvement and corrective action. You'll also have experience developing leaders and working across areas such as health and safety, workforce, finance, incidents and complaints.

You'll ideally have:

• A relevant tertiary qualification in early childhood education, leadership, public administration, human services or a related area, or substantial equivalent experience.
• Strong knowledge of the Aotearoa New Zealand ECE regulatory environment.
• Sound operational and financial literacy.
• Experience coaching leaders and managing performance.
• Confidence having courageous conversations and addressing issues when they arise.
• Strong judgement, resilience and the ability to follow through.
• A genuine commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, tikanga Māori and culturally responsive leadership.
• A commitment to your own continued development in te reo Māori and te ao Māori.
• The ability and willingness to travel regularly across your regional portfolio.

Experience within a multi-site ECE organisation and working alongside regulators, funders, mana whenua, iwi, hapū or community partners would be an advantage.

Why Central Kids?

Our values guide how we work:

Manaakitanga | We welcome in and grow people
Kaitiakitanga | We nurture tamariki and their connection to te taiao
Kotahitanga | We work together, unified in our purpose
Rangatiratanga | We serve with courage and integrity
Kia Haumaru | We create safe and inclusive space

If you are a strong operational leader who cares deeply about quality early learning, enjoys developing others and wants to make a meaningful difference across communities, we'd love to hear from you.