Cluster Quality Manager

NTUC FIRST CAMPUS LIMITED; Singapore; On-site; SGD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading childcare provider in Singapore is seeking a Cluster Quality Manager to oversee operational excellence and compliance across multiple centres. The role involves mentoring Centre Leaders, ensuring quality service delivery, and achieving financial goals. The ideal candidate will have at least 7 years of experience in early childhood education management, strong leadership capabilities, and a demonstrated ability to drive quality outcomes. A degree in Early Childhood Care and Education is required.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 7 years of experience as a Centre Leader.
• Strong understanding of ECDA regulations and SPARK 2.0 standards.
• Experience in monitoring financial performance and managing operational resources.

Responsibilities

• Oversee quality and compliance of childcare services in the cluster.
• Monitor financial performance and operational targets of centres.
• Coach and mentor Centre Leaders in managing their centres effectively.
• Facilitate collaborative initiatives and quality assurance across centres.

Skills

People Leadership

Financial Management

Strategic Thinking

Stakeholder Management

Data Analysis

Education

Degree in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE)

Job description

The Cluster Quality Manager is a vital leadership role that serves as the People Manager for Centre Leaders (Principals) within an assigned cluster preschool centres, responsible for the overall operational and financial goals and the delivery of high-quality outcomes. Reporting directly to the Zonal Director, the Cluster Quality Manager is accountable for the quality, effectiveness, and regulatory compliance (e.g. ECDA) of all childcare services, with direct responsibility for supporting the financial performance and outcomes of each centre within the cluster. This requires proactively mentoring and coaching Centre Leaders on effective centre management, the quality implementation of curriculum, and adherence to industry best practices, while also monitoring operational KPIs and supporting the ZD in executing key strategic initiatives across the cluster.

Key Job Responsibilities

Financial and Operational Excellence

• Financial Performance Monitoring: Monitor and provide operational guidance to ensure the cluster's centres meet their financial outcomes and performance targets (e.g., enrolment, utilisation).
• Administrative Supervision: Supervise core administrative functions within the cluster, including the approval of leave, expenses, and other operational documentation to support centre efficiency and accountability.
• Execute and Monitor Regulatory Compliance: Oversee centre health and regulatory adherence by ensuring centres within the cluster comply with all sector requirements, standards, and industry guidelines
• Reporting and Case Management: Oversee case management and ensure timely, compliant reporting of all incidents (including formal written reports within 24 hours). Provide guidance and direct support to Centre Leaders in managing complex or escalated feedback or staff matters.
• Objective Incident Analysis and Guidance: Leverage logical deduction and critical analysis of supporting information (including CCTV footage) to objectively reconstruct facts and determine outcomes during incident investigation, and then provide strategic guidance to Centre Leaders on appropriate subsequent actions and communications.
• People and Centre Health Monitoring: Monitor overall centre health from both a people perspective (e.g., staff morale, engagement levels, retention) and an operational efficiency perspective, escalating issues to the Zonal Director.
• New Centre Support: Ability to support Centre Leaders in the seamless setup of new centres within the cluster, including crucial tasks such as initial resourcing, staffing, and establishing operational workflows.

Centre Leader Coaching and Professional Development

• Direct People Management and Mentorship: Serve as the People Manager for Centre Leaders. Coach, mentor, and guide Centre Leaders in directing the operational, pedagogical, and administrative functions of their centres.
• Develop Strategic Capability: Equip Centre Leaders with coaching to enhance their operational and strategic curriculum leadership. This includes training them to effectively analyse centre data, conduct effective classroom observations, and develop robust action plans to achieve the established cluster goals and KPIs for effective centre management.
• Talent Strategy and Resource Management: Partner with Centre Leaders on talent strategy to effectively manage deployment matters across the cluster. This includes identifying and developing high-potential talent and facilitating flexible resourcing (e.g., guiding staffing shortages) to maintain operational stability.
• Coach Centre Leaders in strategically identifying and championing high-performing talent and preparing impactful submissions for organizational and industry awards.
• Community Engagement Support: Support and guide Centre Leaders in their engagement efforts with parents and the wider community to build centre reputation and drive enrolment.

Strategic Initiative Execution and Collaboration

• Network Initiative Execution: Collaborate with Zonal Directors to plan, manage, and facilitate projects or initiatives at the network level. Ensure successful implementation and collection of data at the pilot stage before scaling the initiative across the cluster.
• Curriculum Collaboration: Collaborate with the Child Development Department (CHD) in planned meetings to provide operational feedback on curriculum plans and the general overview of implementation quality from the ground perspective.
• Facilitate Cluster Synergy: Build collaborative networking and strategic partnerships by identifying synergies and facilitating the sharing of best practices among centres within the cluster to enhance capabilities and overall quality.

Quality Assurance

• Collaborate with Child Development Department (CHD) to drive SPARK 2.0 Alignment in centres: Act as the internal validator and quality coach for the cluster, ensuring deep understanding and application of SPARK 2.0 standards and best practices.
• Performance Analysis and Planning: Analyse and unpack external validator reports (e.g., SPARK, ECDA) to identify quality gaps. Develop and monitor subsequent action plans for improvement, tailored to the specific centre climate and staff profiles.
• Oversee the quality of curriculum implementation and operational processes during centre visits, providing immediate feedback and support to Centre Leaders. This oversight focuses on effective implementation on the ground, as direct accountability for curriculum design and strategic planning is maintained by the Child Development team.

Qualifications and Job Requirements

Education

• Degree in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE)

Experience

• A minimum of 7 years of direct experience as a Centre Leader demonstrating success in operational and financial management and achieving quality outcomes.
• Sector Expertise: Proven track record as a strong practitioner within the early childhood education sector, with comprehensive knowledge of national regulatory standards (e.g., ECDA regulations) and quality frameworks (SPARK 2.0).
• Financial Acumen: Demonstrated experience in monitoring and contributing to centre financial performance, including budget collaboration and managing operational resources.

Skills and Attributes

• Exceptional People Leadership & Coaching: A natural and effective coach, mentor, and people leader with the ability to develop and uplift the professional capability of Centre Leaders through performance management and strategic guidance.
• Strategic & Systems Thinking: Equipped with systems thinking and process improvement methodology to analyse cluster-wide data, identify systemic gaps, and implement scalable solutions that drive sustained quality and efficiency.
• Advanced Stakeholder Management: Strong ability to foster good stakeholder management both internally and externally. This includes providing guidance and direct support to Centre Leaders in handling escalated parent communication and staff matters.
• Analytical and Communication Skills: Strong proficiency in report writing, documentation, and data analysis to prepare comprehensive reports. Possesses the ability to unpack high-level directives, and various data points into clear, actionable plans for Centre Leaders and centres.