Objective

First Canvas Early Learning is looking for an exceptional and passionate Service Director to lead our brand-recent, purpose-built 104-place early learning service in Merrylands.

This is an exciting opportunity for a confident and inspiring leader who is passionate about creating exceptional experiences for children, families and Educators. You will lead the day-to-day operations of the service, build and develop a high-performing team, drive quality and compliance, and create a positive culture where people feel valued, supported and inspired to grow.

At First Canvas ELC, we believe in creating bright futures, one canvas at a time - and we’re looking for someone who is ready to help bring that vision to life.

The successful candidate will have:
A Diploma or Bachelor qualification in Early Childhood Education and Care, or another ACECQA-approved qualification relevant to the role.
Current Working with Children Check, First Aid, CPR, Asthma and Anaphylaxis certifications, and up-to-date Child Protection and Mandatory Reporting training.
Strong knowledge of the National Quality Framework, Child Safe Standards and relevant child protection and reporting requirements.
Previous leadership experience within the Early Childhood Education and Care sector,



with strong people management, coaching, performance management and capability-building skills.
Demonstrated experience leading teams through change, building accountability and developing a positive, high-performing culture that supports staff engagement and retention.
A strong understanding of child-led, play-based and open-ended educational practices, with the ability to build pedagogical capability across a team.
Experience driving quality improvement, maintaining compliance and achieving a Meeting or above rating against the National Quality Standard.
Experience managing and achieving KPIs, including occupancy, attendance, wages, controllable costs and other key business measures.
Robust organisational, communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to build meaningful partnerships with families, educators and the wider community.
A demonstrated commitment to acting in the best interests of every child and leading with honesty, integrity, respect and accountability.
A proactive, solutions-focused approach with solid qualified judgement, emotional intelligence and a genuine passion for continuous improvement.

📌 Service Director Merrylands
🏢 First Canvas Early Learning Centre
📍 Merrylands