Centre Director (Centre Manager)

Growing Stars Montessori School | Shellharbour, NSW

Lead a beautiful, family-owned Montessori preschool where people, culture and quality education come first.

Growing Stars Montessori School is seeking an experienced, organised and inspiring Centre Director to lead our wonderful team in the heart of Shellharbour on the beautiful NSW South Coast.

We are a boutique 30-place, family-owned Montessori preschool that prides itself on providing exceptional early childhood education in a warm, supportive and welcoming environment. As an independent service, we value quality over quantity, genuine relationships with our families, and creating a positive workplace where educators feel respected, supported and inspired.

Our vision is simple: to give every child the best possible start in life by fostering a lifelong love of learning.

If you're an experienced Centre Director who enjoys building strong teams, creating positive workplace culture, maintaining high standards, and making a genuine difference every day, we'd love to hear from you.

Why Join Growing Stars?

At Growing Stars, you'll be supported by approachable owners who genuinely value their team. We believe that when educators feel appreciated, supported and empowered, children thrive.

What we offer:

- Lead a boutique 30-place independent preschool

- Beautiful Shellharbour location on the NSW South Coast

- Supportive, family-owned organisation with approachable owners

- Positive, collaborative and respectful team culture

- Opportunity to make a real impact on the future of the service

- Competitive above-award salary (based on experience)

- Professional development opportunities

- Staff uniforms provided

- Team social events and celebrations





- Work with passionate educators who genuinely care about children

About You

You are someone who naturally brings people together, leads by example and enjoys mentoring others.

You are:

- An experienced and confident Centre Director or an experienced Assistant Director ready to step into the next stage of your career

- Highly organised with excellent time management skills

- Passionate about building a positive, supportive workplace culture

- Calm, approachable and solutions-focused

- An exceptional communicator who builds robust relationships with families and staff

- Committed to delivering high-quality education and care

- Trustworthy, reliable and professional with high personal integrity

- Passionate about continuous improvement

- Have a clear understanding of childcare centre compliance requirements to align with the National Law, Regulations and National Quality Standards.

Essential Qualifications & Experience

- Early Childhood Teacher (ECT), Advanced Diploma or Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care

- Current Working With Children Check

- Current First Aid, CPR, Asthma and Anaphylaxis qualifications (or willingness to obtain)

- Strong knowledge of the National Quality Framework (NQF), National Law & Regulations, Child Safe Standards and the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF)

- Previous Centre Director experience highly regarded





- Montessori qualifications or experience desirable, but not essential

Your Responsibilities

As Centre Director, you'll play a key leadership role in the day-to-day operation of the service, including:

- Leading, mentoring and supporting a positive, high-performing team

- Creating and maintaining an exceptional workplace culture where educators feel valued and supported

- Ensuring compliance with the National Law, Regulations and National Quality Standards

- Maintaining strong relationships with children, families and the local community

- Managing enrolments and family communications

- Preparing staff rosters and overseeing leave management

- Supporting recruitment, onboarding and staff development

- Managing educator-to-child ratios

- Overseeing occupancy and waitlist management

- Driving continuous quality improvement across the service

- Promoting a safe, inclusive and engaging learning environment for every child

Why This Role Is Different

This isn't just another Centre Director position.

Because we're a small, independent service, you'll have the opportunity to truly know every child, every family and every educator. Your ideas will be heard, your leadership will be valued, and you'll have the autonomy to make a meaningful difference.

If you're looking for a role where you can focus on quality education, lead a fantastic team, and enjoy coming to work each day, we'd love to meet you.

Apply Now

If this sounds like the opportunity you've been looking for, please send your resume and a brief cover letter to:

****@growingstars.net.au

We look forward to welcoming an exceptional leader to the Growing Stars Montessori School family.

📌 Early Childhood Centre Manager / Director (Wollongong)
🏢 Growing Stars Montessori School
📍 Wollongong