Coordinator Children's Centre (Centre Director / Centre Manager)

Permanent Full Time 

Band 7 $98,702.19 - $110,353.20 per annum + RDO + Super

Late 2021/Jan 2022 commencement date (flexible)

• Full-Time employment opportunity -Late 2021/Jan 2022 start date (flexible).
• Local government (council) owned and operated early childhood services.
• Significantly above sector standard remuneration and conditions.

 Are you a passionate early childhood leader, looking for a new opportunity to lead high quality early childhood education and care practices?

Do you have the ability to inspire and motive a diverse group of early childhood professionals?

Are you looking for an opportunity to join a supportive organisation with real opportunities for career growth?

About the role

Yarra City Council currently has an exciting opportunity for full time experienced and innovative Centre Coordinator to join our Children’s Services.

Starting in late 2021 or Jan 2022, the successful applicant will commence their journey with Yarra at our North Carlton Children’s Centre.

A strong and established 89 place long day care service with onsite sessional Kindergarten programs, North Carlton Children’s Centre is a uniquely diverse early childhood service with a strong focus on family engagement and community connections.

The successful applicant will become an integral member of the Yarra Children’s Services team, providing the highest standard of education and care to our youngest citizens.

By joining a service managed by Yarra City Council, you will be given a unique opportunity to also align your skills, projects and practices with council endorsed strategies and plans to ensure the entire community is given the opportunity to meet its potential.

Reporting to the Team Leader of Children’s Services Operations – Early Years, the Centre Coordinator will be based onsite at North Carlton Children’s Centre providing high quality education and care services which reflect the service philosophy and Yarra’s organisational values. 

You will be responsible for the day-to-day operation of the centre, while also meeting the requirements of the Education and Care Services National Regulations, the National Quality Standard and the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework.

You will have all of the supports necessary to focus your energy on strategic leadership and people management.

You will be working alongside a full time off-the floor Educational Leader steering pedagogy and our Customer and Business Support Team assisting with handling some administrative duties.

Being successfully appointed to this role as a full time Centre Coordinator means that you will be able to enjoy the generous employment conditions of the Yarra City Council Enterprise Agreement, commencing at Band 7A including;

• significantly above sector award standard wages and leave entitlements,
• monthly RDO,
• exceptional professional development and career opportunities,
• recognition of service incentives,
• access to Employee Assist Program.

You can find out what additional employment benefits our children’s services employees receive HERE.               

To learn more about us you can watch our video HERE.                                                                             

Who are we looking for?

North Carlton Children’s Centre has plenty of projects in the wings, so we’re looking for a Centre Coordinator who can hit the ground running and is ready to be a part of it all.

The centre is currently preparing to undergo building and yard improvements. The successful candidate will preferably have similar experience in building project management.

You will understand the regulatory requirements involved in managing building works in an operational children’s service in Victoria.

You will actively liaise with stakeholders, services and networks to ensure the successful completion of these projects, while simultaneously ensuring the provision of a high quality service for children and families of the centre.

You will be well versed in all of the legislative requirements involved in managing a high quality early childhood education and care service day-to-day, including the 3 R’s - rostering, ratios and regs.

You will be able to confidently manage the centre budget, as well as utilisation and occupancy.

With regards to your leadership style, you will be passionate about early childhood education, with a positive and professional ‘lead by example’ attitude towards managing people.

As the Centre Coordinator, you will foster a high-performance team culture while providing the support, coaching and quality mentoring for educators.

You will be a confident decision maker and have the ability to ‘think outside the box’ in order to negotiate positive outcomes for children, families and staff, as well as having a demonstrated experience in managing and resolving conflict.

Yarra is a child safe organisation and as such you will understand the important role that educators play in protecting and advocating for children’s wellbeing.

Required:

• Minimum qualification Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care, (or equivalent),
• Ideally you would have at least 3-5 years’ experience in leading and managing early childhood services,
• Demonstrated knowledge of the National Quality Standard;
• Demonstrated ability to lead high performing team,
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills,
• Up to date First Aid, CPR, EpiPen and asthma management qualifications,
• Valid Working with Children Check or VIT,
• Current mandatory reporting training, and
• You must have the right to live and work in this location to apply for this job.

Desirable:

• Experience in managing building and/or landscaping works in operational early childhood service setting, and
• Demonstrated experience in leading teams through change.
• Previous experience in the Assessment and Rating process.
• Experience in embedding innovative programs/projects in early childhood settings.

Who are we?

The City of Yarra is an inner metropolitan municipality which is home to a diverse community of approximately 100,000 people across 12 different inner Melbourne suburbs.

We aim to achieve the greatest outcomes for the community through delivering our Council Plan and working with, and for, all in Yarra.

Our values guide our conduct and working relationships with colleagues and the community.

• Accountability: We own what we do and expect others to as well.
• Respect: We include all. Diversity is our strength.
• Courage: We are intentional in our actions. We seek the brave path.

At Yarra, we offer a diverse range of career opportunities and encourage professional development through many leadership development and training programs.

Yarra operates five children’s centres located throughout the municipality. The centres provide long day care programs for children aged from 6 weeks of age until they commence primary school.

Our long day care programs operate for 10.5 hours per day Monday to Friday, 50 weeks of the year.

Each children’s centre provides a safe and inclusive environment, where we work together with children, families and the community to meet their needs through always striving to provide:

• Consistent, qualified educators that engage in ongoing professional development.
• Indoor and outdoor learning environments that provide children with opportunities to explore, experiment, create, take risks and play.
• Opportunities to support children to be strong and confident learners.
• A focus on health and wellbeing in our programming and menu options.

All programs meet the National Quality Standards for Education and Care services and are guided by the Early Years Learning Framework and the Victorian Early Years Learning Development Framework. We celebrate the diversity of Yarra and all families and children of all abilities are welcome in our centres. Our programs are inclusive and are based on the needs and interests of children and their families.

If this sounds like the opportunity you are looking for, we would love to hear from you.

For further information please contact Robert Steven Team Leader Children's Service Operations-Early Years at robert.stevens@yarracity.vic.gov.au or see the Position Description below.

Coordinator – Children’s Centre PD.pdf

Applications close on Sunday 31st October 2021.

Please note: In your application, the selection panel will assess your CV against the technical skills, abilities, and qualifications of the Position Description as well as your separate responses to the Key Selection Criteria.

*Applicants must hold or be willing to undertake current certificates First Aid, CPR, Asthma Management, and Anaphylaxis Management.

**This position is subject to satisfactory Police Check, Working With Children Check, Pre-Employment Medical Assessment and Psychometric Assessment prior to commencement. Pre-employment checks are not used by Yarra City Council to prevent any applicant from applying for this position. Each application will be considered on its merits.

Yarra City Council is committed to being a child safe organisation and supports flexible and accessible working arrangements for all. This includes people with a disability, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, culturally, religiously and linguistically diverse people, young people, older people, women, and people who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, intersex or queer. We draw pride and strength from our diversity, remain open to new approaches and actively foster an inclusive workplace that celebrates the contribution made by all our people.