• Job no: 0029928
• Location: Abbotsford
• Role type: Full time; Continuing 
• Department/School: Student and Scholarly Services
• Salary: UOM 7 – $96,002 – $103,921 p.a. plus 17% super
• Join Australia's #1 University in this full-time, continuing role with rewarding benefits
• Lead and inspire a team of early childhood teachers and educators
• Opportunity to challenge yourself, build on your skills and make a significant difference in the Early Childhood Education sector

Founded in 1853, the University of Melbourne is Australia’s #1 university and is consistently ranked amongst the leading universities in the world. We are proud of our people, our commitment to research and teaching excellence, and our global engagement.

About Student and Scholarly Services 

Student and Scholarly Services (SASS) provides student administration and services from recruitment and point of enquiry to graduation. This team also delivers wellbeing and scholarly services to students and staff.

Early Childhood Education Services is located within Student and Scholarly Services at The University of Melbourne, comprising the Early Learning Centre, Abbotsford (90 places daily), Queensberry Children’s Centre (96 places daily) and Swanston Street Children’s Centres (41 places daily). These centres provide early childhood education for approximately 266 children aged 6 months to five years from the University and the surrounding community. The centres operate for a minimum of 48 weeks per year and are open for 10 hours per day. The early childhood education staff team is comprised of approximately 60 staff working either full-time or part-time across the three centres

About the Role

As the Centre Director, Early Learning Centre (ELC), you will play an integral role in enabling Early Childhood Education Services at the University of Melbourne to achieve its vision of excellence and sustainability. You will be responsible for the day-to-day management and operation of the ELC, one of the University of Melbourne’s Early Childhood Education Services in Abbotsford, including ensuring Federal and State Government regulatory compliance and management of budget, human resources, physical facilities & resourcing, promotion, and marketing of the service and strategic planning.

In a typical week at work, you may:

• Lead and inspire a team of early childhood teachers and educators in the design, implementation and evaluation of leading-edge educational programs that reflect the most current research and practice in early childhood education
• Work in partnership with families to ensure that the needs of all enrolled children are met, and that scholarly activity is at the core of the Centre’s operational agenda with research and development being prioritised
• Ensure that the Centre delivers on requirements of the National Quality Framework (NQF), including National Quality Standards (NQS), and full compliance with laws, regulations and approved National and State Government learning frameworks
• Manage Centre performance by applying strong business and financial discipline to meet University targets and National Quality Standards Assessment & Ratings results

About You

As the successful candidate will have proven business management and administration experience, ideally within the early childhood education sector. You will be a keen problem solver and a person who has high-level interpersonal and collaborative skills with the ability to develop and maintain stakeholder relationships, both internal and external. You will bring to this role your knowledge of and experience in the design, implementation and evaluation of leading-edge educational programs. Your commitment to service excellence and ability to work as an effective leader and team player, will set you up for success in this role.

Ideally, you will further have:

• Master of Teaching (Early Childhood) or Bachelor of Teaching Early Childhood including a Master of Education, or an equivalent combination of qualifications.
• Current and valid Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT) Registration and First Aid Certificate (HLTAID012), including anaphylaxis and asthma components
• Thorough knowledge of the Education & Care National Law and the Education & Care Services National Regulations, and the National Quality Standards (NQS) as they relate to early childhood service delivery
• Thorough knowledge of National and State Curriculum Frameworks, as well as a strong familiarity with contemporary early childhood theory and practice, such as inquiry-based learning, arts-based teaching and learning, environmental education, and STEM

To ensure the University continues to provide a safe environment for everyone, this position requires the incumbent to hold a current and valid Working with Children Check.

Benefits of Working with Us

In addition to having the opportunity to grow and be challenged, and to be part of a vibrant campus life, our people enjoy a range of rewarding benefits:

• Flexible working arrangements and generous personal, parental and cultural leave
• Competitive remuneration, 17% super, salary packaging and leave loading
• Free and subsidised health and wellbeing services, and access to fitness and cultural clubs
• Discounts on a wide range of products and services including Myki cards and Qantas Club
• Career development opportunities and 25% off graduate courses for staff and their immediate families

To find out more, please visit https://about.unimelb.edu.au/careers/staff-benefits.

Be Yourself

At UoM, we value the unique backgrounds, experiences and contributions that each person brings to our community, and we encourage and celebrate diversity. Indigenous Australians, those identifying as LGBTQIA+, females, people of all ages with disabilities and culturally diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply for our roles. Our aim is to create a workforce that reflects the community in which we live.

Join Us!

If you feel this role is right for you, please submit your application including a brief cover letter, your resume and your responses against the following 5 selection criteria^ (found in the Position Description) for this role.

1. Demonstrated experience in leading teams of early childhood teachers and educators and achieving targets
2. Demonstrated experience as an effective mentor of early childhood teachers and/or educators, students
3. Strong business management and administration experience, ideally within early childhood settings
4. Thorough knowledge of the Education & Care National Law and the Education & Care Services National Regulations, and the National Quality Standards (NQS) as they relate to early childhood service delivery
5. Thorough knowledge of National and State Curriculum Frameworks, as well as a strong familiarity with contemporary early childhood theory and practice, such as inquiry-based learning, arts-based teaching and learning, environmental education, and STEM

^For information to help you with compiling short statements to answer the selection criteria and competencies, please go to http://about.unimelb.edu.au/careers/selection-criteria.

Due to the impacts of COVID-19, we are currently prioritising applications with current valid working rights in Australia and candidates who are not affected by travel restrictions. Please see the latest updates to Australia's immigration and border arrangements: https://covid19.homeaffairs.gov.au/.

A position description is attached.